Effectiveness of a formal post-baccalaureate pre-medicine program for underrepresented minority students.
OBJECTIVE
To address the effectiveness of a formal postbaccalaureate (PB) experience for underrepresented minority (URM) students before medical school. The program provided an intense year-long experience of course work, research, and personal development.


METHODS
There were 516 participants from one medical school: 15 URM medical students had completed the formal PB program, 58 students had done independent PB work before matriculation, and 443 students were traditional matriculants. Cognitive and academic indicators [college science and non-science grade-point averages (GPAs); biology, physics, and verbal MCAT scores; and percentage scores from first-year medical school courses] were compared for the three groups.


RESULTS
Both groups of students with PB experience demonstrated competency in the first year of medical school consistent with traditional students even though the students who had completed the formal PB program had lower MCAT scores and lower college GPAs than did the traditional students. Traditional predictors of academic performance during the first year of medical school did not significantly contribute to actual academic performances of students from the formal PB program.


CONCLUSIONS
The results support the use of a formal PB program to provide academic readiness and support for URM students prior to medical school. Such a program may also improve retention. Noncognitive variables, however, may be important to understanding the success of such students in medical school.
Giordani
B
B
Neuropsychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 48109-0840, USA. giordani@umich.edu
Edwards
A S
AS
Segal
S S
SS
Gillum
L H
LH
Lindsay
A
A
Johnson
N
N
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001213:Asian / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001695:Biology / Q000193:education; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010825:Physics / Q000193:education; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012586:Science / Q000193:education; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data