Exploring Barriers of Health Career Pursuit for Urban Youth

Purpose

Healthcare workforce diversity is linked to improvements in health outcomes and healthcare spending. Barriers to increasing diversity in the health professions exist across all stages of educational development, including the K-12 level. This study qualitatively explores educational stakeholders’ perspectives of barriers and opportunities in pursuing health careers among youth in an urban Midwest city.

Methods

Snowball methodology among known network contacts was used to recruit educational stakeholders within Greater Cleveland. Key healthcare stakeholders were also invited to participate. Semi-structured interviews were performed to explore key questions including perceived challenges and opportunities in students pursuit of health careers and perspectives of ways that schools and health systems could work together to increase interest in health careers.

Results

Fifteen stakeholders participated with roles including teacher, assistant principal, administrator, school social worker, and career tech coordinators. Key healthcare stakeholder roles included DEI and workforce development professionals. Thematic analysis identified enabling and disabling factors at the personal, household, school and community levels. Such themes included parental awareness, early adult stress, school support, and role modeling. Participants highlighted an interest in both hands on experiences for students and relationships with health professionals. A suggested model of increasing student interest included experiential learning after health professionals first cultivate relationships with students.

Conclusions

Educational stakeholders are an important voice in the conversation of increasing diversity in the health professions. Based on their perspectives, key priorities are multifaceted and should include role modeling and relationship building with students.