CL06: HEALTH CAREER ACADEMY: CASE-BASED LEARNING CURRICULUM GENERATES INTEREST IN HEALTHCARE CAREERS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES
Reed W Kamyszek, BS1, Keven Ji, BA1, Kyle Freischlag, BA1, Harold J Leraas, MHS, MA1, Justin Rucker, BA, MPH1, Liana Gefter, MD, MPH2, Barry D Mann, MD3, John Migaly, MD4, Elisabeth Tracy, MD4; 1Duke University School of Medicine, 2Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 3Department of Surgery and Annenberg Center for Medical Education, Lankenau Medical Center, 4Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center
Background: Health Career Academy (HCA) is a national program which explores topics in healthcare for underserved 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students. We adapted the traditional HCA curriculum to deliver case-based learning (CBL) sessions to underrepresented minority students in order to generate interest in healthcare careers.
Methods: Medical students delivered the CBL curriculum to a local high school with a 61% African American and 20% Hispanic population. Students received ten 80-minute sessions encompassing surgery, medicine, and public health, with expert faculty supplementing lessons through clinical context. We culminated with students presenting their own CBL to medical faculty and students.
Results: In Fall 2017, we enrolled twenty-five 11th grade students. All were female and 77% identified as African American, 8% Caucasian, and 15% Other. Of those, 46% completed the 10th grade HCA curriculum. 50% of sessions featured faculty lecturers from five disciplines. Upon completion of the program, 100% of students expressed interest in a healthcare career; 46% aspired to become surgeons, 39% medicine-related specialties, and 15% nursing.
Conclusions: Early exposure to role models in medicine through interactive learning may influence high school students from underrepresented minorities to pursue careers in healthcare. Longitudinal studies are needed to measure outcomes in career selection.