In 1971 the New Jersey Medical School formed a task force to address the training of physicians from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds, and in 1972 the Students for Medicine Program (SMP) was launched. The program, one of the first of its kind, provided previews of college science courses to help minority students develop their noncognitive skills and make the transition to medical school. The school has also established other minority programs. The programs have been designed to form a health careers pipeline for college-bound students, beginning in the eighth grade. Grade-specific summer experiences, as well as year-round monthly workshops, are offered to all participants. The workshops for pre-college and college students and their parents are designed to strengthen students' academic skills, address issues such as self-esteem, provide exposure to health professions, and increase parents' knowledge and involvement. From 1972 to 1998, there had been 1,722 participants in the pre-college, 1,875 in the college, and 683 in the prematriculation programs, respectively. They were from the inner city, most of them African American, but with a growing number of Hispanics. From 1987 to 1994, 36% of the SMP participants entered health professions schools. In 1996, the medical school created the New Jersey Partnership for Health Professions Education, a collaboration of high schools, universities, community-based organizations, the federal government, and the health professions schools. It works to strengthen the medical school's "pipeline" for underrepresented minority students while eliminating competition among programs for the same students and simultaneously developing a larger pool.
In an effort to evaluate the first part of the rural field attachment programme at the University of Zimbabwe Medical School, a self-assessment questionnaire was administered to the first-year students. Assessment criteria were derived from the stated aims of the school's new undergraduate medical curriculum. The results indicate that students view the programme as relevant and of value of their training as future doctors, even though they were dissatisfied with aspects of the programme. There was some evidence that more emphasis should be placed on the limitations on what doctors can do to solve the health problems of rural Zimbabweans. Contrary to previous opinions of some individuals, students whose homes are in rural areas benefited from the programme and found it of value. Better orientation and selection of supervisors would benefit the programme. Recommendations for field attachment programmes are made based on the findings.
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