Development of an interdisciplinary pre-matriculation program designed to promote medical students’ self efficacy

ABSTRACT

Background and objectives: A four-week interdisciplinary pre-matriculation program for Native American and rural medical students was created and its impact on students’ transition to medical school was assessed. The program extends the goals of many pre-matriculation programs by aiming to increase not only students’ understanding of basic science knowledge, but also to build student self-efficacy through practice with medical school curricular elements while developing their academic support networks.

Design: A mixed method evaluation was used to determine whether the goals of the program were achieved (n = 22). Student knowledge gains and retention of the microbiology content were assessed using a microbiology concept inventory. Students participated in focus groups to identify the benefits of participating in the program as well as the key components of the program that benefitted the students.

Results: Program participants showed retention of microbiology content and increased confidence about the overall medical school experience after participating in the summer program.

Conclusions: By nurturing self-efficacy, participation in a pre-matriculation program supported medical students from Native American and rural backgrounds during their transition to medical school.

Abbreviations: CAIMH: Center of American Indian and Minority Health; MCAT: Medical College Admission Test; PBL: Problem based learning; UM MSD: University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth

KEYWORDS:

• Under-represented students
• microbiology
• rural
• Native American
• pre-matriculation

Acknowledgments

Funding to support the overall program came from a Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Health Careers Opportunity Program grant (#D18HP10618) to University of Minnesota CAIMH, AWK Associate Director. AP received a Herz Faculty Development Scholarship from the University of Minnesota to support the evaluation of the program as part of her participation in the Harvard Macy Program. AW received funding from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at the University of Minnesota. Brandi Balmer and Garrett Soper facilitated some of the focus groups and provided transcription. Lorentz E. Wittmers, Jr., for providing the impetus and guidance in the development of the program and for always motivating us to move ‘onward’. As well as all of the other UM MSD faculty that contributed to the program.

Competing interests and funding

The authors have not received any funding from industry to conduct this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anna Wirta Kosobuski

Amy Prunuske, Anna Wirta Kosobuski and Andrew Skildum contributed to the development of the pre-matriculation program. Anna Wirta Kosobuski and Amy Prunuske drafted the manuscript; all authors, Anna Wirta Kosobuski, Amy Prunuske, Abigail Whitney, and Andrew Skildum contributed to acquisition and analysis of data and manuscript review and revision.