Controlled evaluation of a community pediatrics intervention to stimulate interest in careers in medicine among low-income eighth-grade students.
OBJECTIVE
To determine in a controlled cohort whether a one-day hospital visitation program will affect long-term student interest in a career in medicine.


METHODS
Historical cohort study using data from alumni survey in fall 2008.


METHODS
Two academic hospitals, in collaboration with a community-based educational organization.


METHODS
A total of 775 motivated, high-achieving eighth-grade students from low-income households throughout New Jersey. The students were enrolled from school year 2000-01 through 2007-08 in a fourteen-month academic enrichment curriculum run by the New Jersey Scholars, Educators, Excellence, Dedication, Success program (NJ SEEDS) at four sites across the state.


METHODS
Students from two of the four sites participated in NJ SEEDS Hospital Day, a one-day experiential hospital visit.


METHODS
The percentage of alumni who stated the intention to pursue a medical degree.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine of 175 (22%) survey respondents who were offered a Hospital Day program stated a plan to pursue a medical degree, compared with 42 of 288 (15%) respondents not offered a Hospital Day experience (p = .03). Adjusting for gender, race, year of participation, and tutoring by a Hospital Day physician, the factors that significantly increased the likelihood of planning to pursue a medical degree were Hospital Day participation (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.0; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.2-3.4) and Asian race (adjusted OR 3.6; CI 1.3-10.1).


CONCLUSIONS
An interactive hospital-based one-day pipeline program was associated with increased plans to pursue a medical degree among NJ SEEDS students when surveyed one to eight years following participation.
Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, 601 Children's Lane, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA. scott.vergano@chkd.org
Scott T
ST
Vergano
Ben H
BH
Lee
D000293:Adolescent; D002321:Career Choice; D004501:Education, Medical; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009515:New Jersey; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011203:Poverty; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*