Article Figures & Data
Tables
UC Davis School of Medicine AT Still University Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health Developed a continuous, multicomponent scale from pre-existing data within the AMCAS application: Parental education level
Family participation in public-assistance programs
Family income level
Childhood in an underserved area
Financial contribution to family income
Receipt of financial need-based scholarships for college education
Participation in the AMCAS Fee Assistance Program
UC Davis School of Medicine has shared this tool with other institutions within and outside California.The school’s mission is to serve underserved populations. Therefore, the top criteria for admissions include: Community service and outreach hours
Letter of recommendation from a community service provider
Socioeconomic status
Minimum GPA is 2.75. If students meet this minimum, GPA is no longer considered.
AMCAS = American medical college application service; GPA = grade point average; UC = University of California.
Mission The mission of the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine is to “develop leaders with a passion to care for the underserved and improve the health of North Carolina and the nation.” Its mission is driven by the dental care needs of North Carolina residents, which informs the admission strategy, dental curriculum, patient care, research and community engagement, and service activities. Admission committee charge The Admissions Committee will recruit and admit diverse, academically qualified students, with particular emphasis on admitting students from rural areas, underrepresented groups, and disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to fulfilling the mission of the SoDM through service in communities across the state of North Carolina. Community-based recruitment strategies Started in 2012, “Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists” is a 2.5-day summer program open to current undergraduate students and post-bac students focused on enhancing student knowledge and awareness of dentistry as a profession with the goal of increasing the diversity of the North Carolina Dental Workforce. It is a joint endeavor between the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, the Old North State Dental Society, and the North Carolina historically Black colleges and universities.
ECU School of Dental Medicine takes a “grow-your-own” approach, which informs their recruitment strategies as well as their community-based curriculum where matriculated students can learn clinical skills in community service-learning centers across North Carolina. Students have three 9-week rotations where they are working and living in communities of high dental need and serving patients in those areas.Outcomes Because of the alignment of its mission, admissions process, and curriculum, ECU School of Dental Medicine has been able to: Matriculate dental students from 86 of North Carolina’s 100 counties
Steadily increase the proportion of students from historically underrepresented groups
Report that 90% of their alumni are practicing in North Carolina
ECU = East Carolina University; post-bac = post-baccalaureate; SoDM = School of Dental Medicine.
- Table 3.
Case Study: AT Still University and the Elson S. Floyd School of Medicine and the Native American Health Sciences at Washington State University
At AT Still University (ATSU), the Hometown Scholars program encourages community members and community health leaders to endorse and nominate prospective medical, dental, and physician assistant students who will then have a unique, fast-tracked admission process. In essence, the Hometown Scholars endorsement allows ATSU admission committee members to know and prioritize applicants who exemplify the community-minded affinity that ATSU aims to employ. Endorsed applicants will be considered for: (1) School of Osteopathic Medicine, (2) Arizona School of Dental and Oral Health, or (3) Arizona School of Health Sciences. The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University (WSU) was created to “fill critical health care gaps across the state” and has a mission to “solve problems in challenging health care environments across the state of Washington.” It intentionally recruits students with ties to Washington to train there and increase the probability they will become a part of the Washington health workforce. Student Support Services: WSU provides wrap-around support to students throughout all 4 years of their medical education including holistic onboarding, financial education, career advising, coaching, and residency application and match support. Students have access to a dedicated financial advisor who provides financial literacy education, helping to minimize their debt. For the residency application process, students are situated into match teams to prepare for interviews and receive coaching from faculty. Students also receive support through the Native American Health Sciences program at WSU Spokane via access to the Center for Native American Health, which features study rooms, a kitchen, collaborative spaces for activities with other students, and the first-ever indigenous clinical simulation center. They partner with local indigenous communities so students have access to instruction by indigenous experts and healers, providing a curriculum that honors the Native students’ heritage, perspective, and health needs. It also provides an opportunity for both Native and non-Native students to gain important knowledge and skills. ATSU = AT Still University; WSU = Washington State University.
Theme Strategies Admission metrics Implement threshold MCAT score specific to the health professions institution, allowing applicant metrics to be masked early in the admissions process. De-prioritize GPA and standardized test scores while placing greater emphasis on alternative metrics (eg, experience working with disadvantaged communities and applicant alignment with school mission). Examples of alternative admission metrics can be found in Table 1. Aligning admission practices with institutional mission Use the Health Professions admissions mission statement to inform the entire admissions process including the initial screening, interviews, and final decision. Evaluate your school’s social mission index18 annually to ensure the school, specifically admission practices, are advancing the mission. Recruit new committee members with diverse perspectives and backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented groups. Students should be included as full voting members. Review and align composition of admissions committee with the mission of the institution or committee charge. Require anti-bias, anti-racism, and anti-ableist training for committee members and explain characteristics of mission-aligned applicants. Re-examine admission processes for potential exclusionary practices, particularly for students with disabilities. Community partnerships to fulfill the social mission Develop relationships with community-based organizations, local K-12 schools, community colleges, and 4-year institutions. Partner with nearby community colleges, training their advisors about how to best prepare students for a successful application. Include community members as interviewers or partners in the admissions process. Develop training pathways to address local or regional health workforce shortages. Student support and retention Encourage belonging and affirmation in the interview process. Provide tangible wrap-around support such as scholarships, financial education, and transportation. Implement mentorship from faculty of similar backgrounds and peer support to aid students’ academic success and belonging. Create support services and infrastructure to support students with disabilities. Collect and use institutional data on the student experience to change policies and/or personnel to better support students GPA = grade point average; K-12 = kindergarten through grade 12; MCAT = medical college admissions test.
Additional Files
SUPPLEMENTAL APPENDIX AND TABLE IN PDF FILE BELOW
- NguyenSuppAppTable.pdf -
PDF file
- NguyenSuppAppTable.pdf -
