Six years of experience with a summer program for minority students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Student Recruitment
• Diversity in Medicine

Background:

• The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) implemented a six-year summer program.
• The program aimed to recruit minority students into medical school.
• It targeted Mexican-American and black premedical students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a summer recruitment program for minority students.
• To assess the program's impact on increasing medical school enrollment, particularly at UTMB.
• To identify implications for future minority student recruitment strategies.

Main Methods:

• Conducted six summer experiences over six years.
• Recruited 112 Mexican-American and black premedical students.
• Engaged with undergraduate faculty and staff to promote medical school enrollment.

Main Results:

• The program successfully motivated and enhanced academic skills for participating students.
• Numerous minority students entered medical school following program participation.
• However, the program's impact on UTMB's specific enrollment numbers was disappointing.

Conclusions:

• While the program increased overall medical school entry for minorities, its direct effect on UTMB enrollment was limited.
• Future recruitment efforts should consider strategies to better translate program participation into enrollment at UTMB.
• The program provided valuable insights into recruiting and preparing minority students for medical careers.