T. P. Williams1, A. R. Wenholz1, T. S. Reynolds1, I. C. Okereke2 1University Of Texas Medical Branch,Department Of Surgery,Galveston, TX, USA 2University Of Texas Medical Branch,Division Of Cardiothoracic Surgery,Galveston, TX, USA
Introduction:
Economically disadvantaged (ED) high school students are less likely to graduate from high school and enroll at a college or university. Our institution recently began a mentorship program, in which students participated in a structured career coaching program and then attended sessions in a surgical simulation laboratory. Our goal was to determine whether the mentorship program affected the likelihood that these students would pursue formal education after high school.
Methods:
Students enrolled in an urban, ED high school who accepted an invitation to the program were given multiple lectures by one attending surgeon about college admission requirements, strategies to overcome potential socioeconomic and cultural obstacles and sources of funding for college tuition. Thereafter the students were brought to the surgical simulation laboratory and participated in basic surgical skills such as knot-tying and laparoscopic simulation exercises. The students were asked to complete an anonymous survey both before and after the program gauging their level of self-confidence and likelihood of attending a college or university after high school (Figure 1). All participation was voluntary.
Results:
Twenty students participated in the program. Eighty percent (16/20) were female. Seventy percent (14/20) of students resided in a household with an income under $25,000. Sixty-five percent (13/20) were Black/African American, and 35 percent (7/20) were Latino/Hispanic. Upon completion of the program the average survey score increased significantly for having a major chosen for college (p = 0.04), feeling more prepared for the academic obligations of college (p = 0.02) and being interested in pursuing a career as a surgeon (p < 0.01).
Conclusion:
In-person mentorship can make high-risk students more likely to pursue education at a college or university. Exposure to surgical simulation can raise students’ interests in a surgical career. Further longitudinal studies are needed to see the effects that mentorship using surgical simulation can have on graduation rates and the probability of obtaining a degree at a college or university.
