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Just What Are Rural Premedical Students Thinking? A Report of the First 6 Years of a Pathways Program
Author(s) -
Crump William J.,
Fricker R. Steve,
Crump Allison M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.439
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1748-0361
pISSN - 0890-765X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-0361.2009.00257.x
Subject(s) - attrition , medical education , medical school , pipeline (software) , medicine , family medicine , psychology , nursing , dentistry , computer science , programming language
Purpose: To assess outcomes of the first 6 years of a program designed to facilitate medical school admission for rural premedical students. Methods: Students completing the University of Louisville School of Medicine Trover Rural Scholar program were surveyed using a 23‐item survey. Findings: Twenty‐two of the 24 (92%) students responded. Overall, 12 (55%) were in the physician pipeline (medical students or re‐applying to medical school) and 10 (45%) had left the physician pipeline for other careers (7 were pursuing other health care careers). Differences between the 2 groups included income expectations and perceptions of intellectual challenges and physicians’ job satisfaction. Conclusions: Attrition can be explained by student interests, maturation and influences of pre‐professional advisors and practicing physicians. Successful pipeline programs should address these issues.