The Health Equity Scholars Program: Innovation in the Leaky Pipeline.
Carole C Upshur, Diedra M Wrighting, Gonzalo Bacigalupe, Joan Becker, Laura Hayman, Barbara Lewis, Sylvia Mignon, Megan E Rokop, Elizabeth Sweet, Marie Idali Torres, Paul Watanabe, Cedric Woods
Author Information
Carole C Upshur: Family Medicine and Community Health and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Ave North, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA. Carole.upshur@umassmed.edu. ORCID
Diedra M Wrighting: Academic Support Services, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Gonzalo Bacigalupe: College of Education, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Joan Becker: Academic Support Services, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Laura Hayman: College of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Barbara Lewis: William Monroe Trotter Institute for the Study of Black Culture, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Sylvia Mignon: Human Services Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Megan E Rokop: Honors College, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Elizabeth Sweet: Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Marie Idali Torres: Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Paul Watanabe: Institute for Asian American Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Cedric Woods: Institute for New England Native American Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA, 02125, USA.
Despite attempts to increase enrollment of under-represented minorities (URMs: primarily Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American students) in health professional programs, limited progress has been made. Compelling reasons to rectify this situation include equity for URMs, better prepared health professionals when programs are diverse, better quality and access to health care for UMR populations, and the need for diverse talent to tackle difficult questions in health science and health care delivery. However, many students who initiate traditional "pipeline" programs designed to link URMs to professional schools in health professions and the sciences, do not complete them. In addition, program requirements often restrict entry to highly qualified students while not expanding opportunities for promising, but potentially less well-prepared candidates. The current study describes innovations in an undergraduate pipeline program, the Health Equity Scholars Program (HESP) designed to address barriers URMs experience in more traditional programs, and provides evaluative outcomes and qualitative feedback from participants. A primary outcome was timely college graduation. Eighty percent (80%) of participants, both transfer students and first time students, so far achieved this outcome, with 91% on track, compared to the campus average of 42% for all first time students and 58-67% for transfers. Grade point averages also improved (p = 0.056) after program participation. Graduates (94%) were working in health care/human services positions and three were in health-related graduate programs. Creating a more flexible program that admits a broader range of URMs has potential to expand the numbers of URM students interested and prepared to make a contribution to health equity research and clinical care.
