Exploring Low-Income Students’ Medical Training Experiences Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 1:45 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Disrupting Inequitable Systems in Health Professions Education (Table 11)

Abstract

Physician workforce diversity is critical for a diverse patient populations’ quality healthcare. Students from low-income backgrounds are increasingly matriculating into medical school yet face significant barriers in progressing through medical training. The disparate high rate of attrition for low-income students may be linked to not fully meeting human needs. Using Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs framework, we qualitatively explored 42 low-income medical students’ experiences from U.S.-MD/DO-degree-granting institutions using semi-structured interviews. Content analysis using hybrid deductive-inductive coding revealed several unmet needs: physiological (inadequate food/sleep/rest), safety (unreliable transportation/safe housing), financial safety (debt/inability to cover expenses), belonging (wealthier peers/participating in costly social activities), and respect/esteem (discrimination from peers/professors). Recommendations for institutions/accreditation bodies for better support include improved financial aid, mentorship, and affinity groups.

Authors

• Mytien Nguyen, Yale University

• Devasmita Chakraverty, Indian Institute of Management

• Alexis Webber, Albany Medical College

• Tasha R. Wyatt, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

• Regina G. Russell, Vanderbilt University

• Catherine Havemann, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Dowin H. Boatright, New York University

• Hyacinth R.C. Mason, Tufts University