Inspiring careers in STEM and healthcare fields through medical simulation embedded in high school science education

Abstract

The most effective ways to promote learning and inspire careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remain elusive. To address this gap, we reviewed the literature and designed and implemented a high-fidelity, medical simulation-based Harvard Medical School MEDscience course, which was integrated into high school science classes through collaboration between medical school and K-12 faculty. The design was based largely on the literature on concepts and mechanisms of self-efficacy. A structured telephone survey was conducted with 30 program alumni from the inaugural school who were no longer in high school. Near-term effects, enduring effects, contextual considerations, and diffusion and dissemination were queried. Students reported high incoming attitudes toward STEM education and careers, and these attitudes showed before versus after gains (P < .05). Students in this modest sample overwhelmingly attributed elevated and enduring levels of impact on their interest and confidence in pursuing a science or healthcare-related career to the program. Additionally, 63% subsequently took additional science or health courses, 73% participated in a job or educational experience that was science related during high school, and 97% went on to college. Four of every five program graduates cited a health-related college major, and 83% offered their strongest recommendation of the program to others. Further study and evaluation of simulation-based experiences that capitalize on informal, naturalistic learning and promote self-efficacy are warranted.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Student Interest in STEM Careers: The Roles of Motivation and Ability Beliefs

“…This finding is support by Cerezo [42], who showed that PBLs were specifically effective for enhancing middle school girls' STEM self-efficacy. Dominguez and Jamie [48] also found that students were less likely to drop out of STEM courses if they engaged in PBL activities, while Berk and colleagues [78] showed that students who engaged in PBL had more positive attitudes toward STEM and were more interested in pursuing STEM-related careers. As such, PBL may be a critical learning experience in the pathway towards STEM majors and careers by increasing students' ability beliefs and intrinsic motivation for STEM subjects.…”

“…Some studies have shown that students who engage in STEM PBLs have more positive attitudes toward and interest in pursuing STEM [41,44,78]. Several have found that engagement in PBL is associated with increased self-efficacy and confidence in STEM disciplines e.g., [41,42], which, in turn, could lead to more positive attitudes toward STEM and continued pursuit in STEM fields.…”

“…Our focus on PBL also arises from the frequency with which inclusive STEM school leaders in this study described PBL as an important component of their schools [25] and from the recent rise in attention to K-12 implementations of PBL in the literature [42,[79][80][81]. Based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory [66] and research supporting the positive influence of PBL on students' ability beliefs, intrinsic motivation and ultimately their career interests [50,78], our main research question is: Are positive student experiences with PBL related to students' STEM ability beliefs and intrinsic motivation and in turn, their interest to pursue a career in STEM? (Hypothesis 6).…”

Combining Entrepreneurship and Web Development for High School Students: A Pilot Evaluation of the Startup Tech Program and High School Students' College and Career Aspirations

“…Career aspirations and self-efficacy (both general and subject-specific) have also been shown to be malleable in the short term as a consequence of student participation in specialized educational programs (Carpi et al, 2016;Berk et al, 2014). As such, we anticipated that participation in the Startup Tech program could plausibly affect students' career aspirations over the span of a school year, particularly for high school students on the verge of a transition to college or career.…”

“…Previous research indicated that it is possible for individual programs to increase students' reported self-efficacy and interest in specific STEM fields (Carpi et al, 2016;Berk et al, 2014), but the Startup Tech program might not be having these kinds of impacts on student mind-sets. The apparent lack of impact on student interest in computer science careers may stem from the fact that, in this administration of the course, students did not receive as much computer science instruction as was intended in the initial curriculum.…”