Increasing Underrepresented Minority Access to Healthcare Professions through Pipeline Programming [14N]

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy (RWJF-CHP) at Meharry Medical College (MMC) partnered with a local high school to create a pipeline program that trains minority students enrolled in the Community Health Academy (CHA). The program provided clinical training to successfully pass the certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA) exam that allows trained professionals to perform clinical duties and assist providers in the healthcare setting. It is expected that these students will enroll in an undergraduate institution affiliated with MMC and ultimately matriculate into one of MMC's Professional Schools. METHODS: Twenty-five students were selected from 100 applicants by the CHA committee to participate in the one year pilot study. Students submitted resumes, personal statements, and were interviewed. Parental consents were obtained. The RWJF-CHP implemented clinical and educational training which included Science Symposiums, Clinical Internships, Medical Simulation Training, and Tutoring by Meharry faculty, residents, and students. RESULTS: Prior to 2017, 25/25 took the CCMA exam and did not pass it. In 2018, 20/25 passed the exam on their first attempt. The current passage rate for students after implementation of this pilot pipeline program for one year was 80%. CONCLUSION: Through this pipeline opportunity, students learned clinical skills and earned a certification necessary to work in the medical field. This project demonstrated that the pipeline model is effective in increasing minorities in the healthcare field. Further implications are to expand the model to include other high schools in the Nashville area.