Empowering Futures: The Impact of Surgical Research Pipeline Programs on Undergraduate Career Development

IF 2.6 3区医学 Q1 EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES

Journal of Surgical Education Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jsurg.2024.103393

Ashba Allahwasaya MD , Ramsha Akhund MD , Polina Zmijewski MD , Kristi Herritz BS , Herbert Chen MD , Colin Martin MD , Karin Hardiman MD , Rachel Lancaster MD , Andrea Gillis MD

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

PURPOSE

Surgical research pipeline programs provide a unique insight into academic surgery, offering a distinctive opportunity for aspiring future surgeons and medical professionals to identify suitable mentorship. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of an academic summer research, shadowing, and mentorship program on undergraduate students with interest in the fields of medicine and surgery.

METHODS

We conducted a convergent mixed methods study on undergraduate students who participated in the Surgery Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program from 2017 to 2022, excluding the 2020 cohort as their experience was highly impacted by COVID-19. SURE, program connected academic surgeons with students interested in medicine, involving them in research, lectures, and clinical shadowing. Students completed questionnaires and participated in semi-structured focus group interviews to assess the program's impact on their career goals.

RESULTS

Twenty-five undergraduate students completed the self-administered survey with a response rate of 51.0% and 5 participated in the focus group interviews. Among the participants, 12 (48.0%) students were currently enrolled in medical school, while an equal proportion had taken their Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and were in the process of applying to medical school. 88.0% believed that their involvement in the program significantly increased their interest in academic surgery and empowered them to pursue a career in medicine. 84.0% reported that the program helped them find the right mentorship and guidance, while 80.0% reported increased proficiency in research skills. These quantitative findings were further substantiated by qualitative data obtained through focus group interviews. From these interviews, 4 noticeable emergent themes highlighted by the participants included the significance of right mentorship, a deeper understanding of healthcare and surgical career paths, increased research literacy, and career development.

CONCLUSION

Early exposure to surgical practices and mentorship significantly enhanced the enthusiasm of undergraduate students toward a surgical career while expanding their comprehension of surgical professions. Investing in such pipeline programs can exert a positive influence on undergraduate students' perceptions of surgical careers, thereby creating new avenues of opportunity for them.

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赋予未来：外科研究管道项目对本科职业发展的影响。

目的：外科研究管道项目为学术外科提供了独特的见解，为有抱负的未来外科医生和医疗专业人员提供了独特的机会，以确定合适的导师。本研究的目的是确定学术暑期研究，影子和指导计划对对医学和外科领域感兴趣的本科生的影响。方法：我们对2017年至2022年参加外科本科生研究经历（SURE）项目的本科生进行了一项融合混合方法研究，不包括2020年队列，因为他们的经历受到COVID-19的严重影响。该项目将学术外科医生与对医学感兴趣的学生联系起来，让他们参与研究、讲座和临床实习。学生们完成了问卷调查，并参加了半结构化的焦点小组访谈，以评估该项目对他们职业目标的影响。结果：25名大学生完成了自我调查，回复率为51.0%，5名大学生参加了焦点小组访谈。在参与者中，12名（48.0%）学生目前正在就读医学院，而同样比例的学生已经参加了医学院入学考试（MCAT）并正在申请医学院。88.0%的人认为他们参与了这个项目大大增加了他们对学术外科的兴趣，并使他们有能力从事医学事业。84.0%的人表示，该项目帮助他们找到了合适的导师和指导，而80.0%的人表示，该项目提高了他们的研究技能熟练程度。通过焦点小组访谈获得的定性数据进一步证实了这些定量发现。从这些访谈中，参与者突出了4个值得注意的新兴主题，包括正确指导的重要性、对医疗保健和外科职业道路的更深入理解、提高研究素养和职业发展。结论：早期接触外科实践和指导显著提高了本科学生对外科职业的热情，扩大了他们对外科专业的理解。投资此类管道项目可以对本科生对外科职业的看法产生积极影响，从而为他们创造新的机会途径。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Surgical Education EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES-SURGERY

CiteScore

5.60

自引率

10.30%

发文量

261

审稿时长

48 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Surgical Education (JSE) is dedicated to advancing the field of surgical education through original research. The journal publishes research articles in all surgical disciplines on topics relative to the education of surgical students, residents, and fellows, as well as practicing surgeons. Our readers look to JSE for timely, innovative research findings from the international surgical education community. As the official journal of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS), JSE publishes the proceedings of the annual APDS meeting held during Surgery Education Week.