Advancing Inclusive Excellence in Pediatric Surgery: A National Longitudinal Mentorship Program

IF 2.4 2区医学 Q1 PEDIATRICS

Journal of pediatric surgery Pub Date : 2025-05-22 DOI:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2025.162383

Grace Mallampalli , Amelia E. Gavulic , Insiyah Campwala , Yousef Ibrahim , Sydney Castellanos , Anthony Stallion , Sabina Siddiqui , Marjorie J. Arca , Marquise Singleterry , Benedict C. Nwomeh , Natalie Moreno , Loren Berman , KuoJen Tsao , Cynthia Downard , Erika A. Newman , Samir K. Gadepalli

{"title":"Advancing Inclusive Excellence in Pediatric Surgery: A National Longitudinal Mentorship Program","authors":"Grace Mallampalli , Amelia E. Gavulic , Insiyah Campwala , Yousef Ibrahim , Sydney Castellanos , Anthony Stallion , Sabina Siddiqui , Marjorie J. Arca , Marquise Singleterry , Benedict C. Nwomeh , Natalie Moreno , Loren Berman , KuoJen Tsao , Cynthia Downard , Erika A. Newman , Samir K. Gadepalli","doi":"10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2025.162383","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>The Alliance of Pediatric Surgeons Growing and Advancing Representation (APGAR) was created to systematically expand mentorship and sponsorship for learners historically underrepresented in pediatric surgery. We implemented a structured, multi-tiered mentorship model that includes participants from high school through attending pediatric surgeons. We report the conceptual framework, development, and implementation of APGAR's pilot programming, participants' perspectives, and short-term impact.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Longitudinal mentorship groups (“pods”) were established with representatives across training levels from high school students to pediatric surgery attendings. Pods met independently at least every 3 months, supplemented by APGAR-wide virtual programming on key topics,. To evaluate program impact, a survey was administered before pod formation (Apr/May 2022) and at the one-year follow-up (Apr/May 2023). Descriptive statistics were used to characterize participant demographics. Two-sample t-tests and chi-squared tests were used to compare survey variables.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Within 17 pods, 104 trainees and 26 faculty pediatric surgeons participated, representing 54 institutions. Ninety-five participants completed the pre-survey and 31 completed post-surveys (22 completed both). Survey participants (70 % students) were primarily women (80 %), 39 % White, 26 % Asian, 18 % Black, 10 % multiracial, and 6 % Hispanic. After one year, APGAR significantly impacted respondents’ appreciation of the intellectual challenge offered by a career in pediatric surgery (78 % vs. 94 %, p = 0.031). Most reported an interest in pursuing pediatric surgery (56 %) and value the mentorship provided (77 %).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>APGAR programming successfully engaged learners in pediatric surgery through structured virtual programming, fostering early interest and exploration. Participants frequently cited the value of mentorship in shaping their perspectives.</div></div><div><h3>Level of Evidence</h3><div>IV.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16733,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pediatric surgery","volume":"60 8","pages":"Article 162383"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of pediatric surgery","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022346825002283","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PEDIATRICS","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

The Alliance of Pediatric Surgeons Growing and Advancing Representation (APGAR) was created to systematically expand mentorship and sponsorship for learners historically underrepresented in pediatric surgery. We implemented a structured, multi-tiered mentorship model that includes participants from high school through attending pediatric surgeons. We report the conceptual framework, development, and implementation of APGAR's pilot programming, participants' perspectives, and short-term impact.

Methods

Longitudinal mentorship groups (“pods”) were established with representatives across training levels from high school students to pediatric surgery attendings. Pods met independently at least every 3 months, supplemented by APGAR-wide virtual programming on key topics,. To evaluate program impact, a survey was administered before pod formation (Apr/May 2022) and at the one-year follow-up (Apr/May 2023). Descriptive statistics were used to characterize participant demographics. Two-sample t-tests and chi-squared tests were used to compare survey variables.

Results

Within 17 pods, 104 trainees and 26 faculty pediatric surgeons participated, representing 54 institutions. Ninety-five participants completed the pre-survey and 31 completed post-surveys (22 completed both). Survey participants (70 % students) were primarily women (80 %), 39 % White, 26 % Asian, 18 % Black, 10 % multiracial, and 6 % Hispanic. After one year, APGAR significantly impacted respondents’ appreciation of the intellectual challenge offered by a career in pediatric surgery (78 % vs. 94 %, p = 0.031). Most reported an interest in pursuing pediatric surgery (56 %) and value the mentorship provided (77 %).

Conclusion

APGAR programming successfully engaged learners in pediatric surgery through structured virtual programming, fostering early interest and exploration. Participants frequently cited the value of mentorship in shaping their perspectives.

Level of Evidence

IV.

查看原文本刊更多论文

推进儿科外科包容性卓越：国家纵向指导计划。

目的：儿科外科医生成长和进步代表联盟（APGAR）的创建是为了系统地扩大对儿童外科历史上代表性不足的学习者的指导和赞助。我们实施了一个结构化的、多层次的指导模式，包括从高中到儿科外科主治医生的参与者。我们报告了APGAR试点项目的概念框架、发展和实施、参与者的观点和短期影响。方法：建立纵向指导小组（“豆荚”），代表从高中学生到儿科外科主治医生的培训水平。pod至少每3个月独立召开一次会议，并就关键主题进行apgar范围内的虚拟编程。为了评估项目的影响，在豆荚形成之前（2022年4月/ 5月）和一年的随访期间（2023年4月/ 5月）进行了一次调查。描述性统计用于描述参与者的人口统计特征。采用双样本t检验和卡方检验对调查变量进行比较。结果：在17个小组中，有104名学员和26名儿科外科医生参加，代表54个机构。95名参与者完成了预调查，31名完成了后调查（22名同时完成了两项调查）。调查参与者（70%的学生）主要是女性（80%），白人39%，亚裔26%，黑人18%，多种族10%，西班牙裔6%。一年后，APGAR显著影响了受访者对儿科外科职业所提供的智力挑战的评价（78%对94%，p = 0.031）。大多数人表示有兴趣从事儿科外科（56%），并重视所提供的指导（77%）。结论：APGAR编程通过结构化的虚拟编程成功地吸引了儿童外科学习者，培养了他们早期的兴趣和探索精神。参与者经常提到导师在塑造他们观点方面的价值。证据等级：四级。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Journal of pediatric surgery 医学-外科

CiteScore

1.10

自引率

12.50%

发文量

569

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： The journal presents original contributions as well as a complete international abstracts section and other special departments to provide the most current source of information and references in pediatric surgery. The journal is based on the need to improve the surgical care of infants and children, not only through advances in physiology, pathology and surgical techniques, but also by attention to the unique emotional and physical needs of the young patient.