Under-represented minority students and identification of obstacles to a career in medicine

Background and Objectives: The Aspiring Doctors Precollege Program is an innovative pipeline program designed to introduce under-represented minority (URM) high school students to career in medicine. A total of 52 students have completed this year-long program. This study sought to provide insight into student perceptions of barriers to entry and success in the medical field. Methods: Each year, students were selected based on a competitive application process. At the end of the program, students were asked to complete a survey evaluating their experiences in this program and their level of interest in medicine. Students were specifically asked to provide rational for their college/career choices and to identify obstacles they perceived as barriers to a career in medicine. Results: Students repeatedly identified competitiveness, duration, and cost of training as major obstacles to a medical career. Although the majority of students intended to pursue medical education, in the post-survey, a small minority (15%) revealed they were no longer interested in medical education. Conclusions: All participants highlighted competitiveness, duration, and cost of training as obstacles to their future career. While this resulted in a change in career plans for some, other remained committed to careers in medicine. This work illustrates the importance of acknowledging the impact these factors can have on URM students at early stages of the education. In order to increase the diversity of the health care workforce, systemic solutions must be sought to ensure equitable financial access and pre-medical opportunities be afforded to all qualified students.