Surviving and Thriving in Medicine: Developing Theory-Based Interventions for Students From Widening Access Backgrounds

The challenges facing students from widening participation (WP) backgrounds do not simply disappear upon entering medicine. Accordingly, it is imperative that in promoting equity in medicine, we understand how WP students may be best supported to thrive in their studies. This research aimed to develop an evidence-based and theory-informed intervention strategy to target student support amongst undergraduate WP students in medicine. Workshops were conducted with staff working in the medical school and students from WP backgrounds. Participants generated potential intervention ideas and critically considered the feasibility of implementation. Data analysis and intervention development were supported by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW). The TDF and BCW were successfully conceptualised to structure an intervention strategy to enhance student support amongst WP students in medicine. Workshop participants identified support needs of students from WP backgrounds, and these were prioritised and used to drive intervention development. We outline two interventions that were developed from the research: adaptation of the existing personal tutor scheme and implementation of a WP peer network. The theory-based intervention strategy outlines a foundation that could be utilised to develop and evaluate interventions to support students from WP backgrounds in medicine. This study has demonstrated how an intervention development framework (BCW) using a theoretical base can be used to develop interventions for students from WP backgrounds. Two intervention ideas were developed from the research and were designed to promote support seeking, social connection and a sense of belonging in students from WP backgrounds.