Addressing Physician Workforce Needs: The National Impact of Summer College Academic Enrichment Programs

• In Event: Diversity and Pipeline Programs

Abstract

To address national physician workforce needs, U.S. medical schools seek to enroll diverse student populations. Many organizations and institutions sponsor premedical programs, including summer college academic enrichment programs (SCAEPs), as a strategy to increase diversity. However, there is no national study examining the role of these programs in diversifying the workforce or in increasing access to care. We examined individual-level data for U.S. Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME-accredited medical schools’ national matriculant cohorts to a) describe the prevalence and characteristics of SCAEP participants among U.S. medical school graduates and b) determine if SCAEP participation was associated with a sustained career intention, from medical-school matriculation to graduation, to practice in underserved communities.

Authors

• Douglas Grbic, Association of American Medical Colleges

• Dorothy Andriole, Association of American Medical Colleges

• Natalie Felida, Association of American Medical Colleges

• Norma Poll-Hunter, Association of American Medical Colleges