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Purpose <p>Pipeline programs that offer clinical exposure and mentorship are essential to increasing the recruitment of students underrepresented in medicine (URiM) into surgery. The ASPIRES (Advancing Student Preparedness and Involvement for Representation and Equity in Surgery) Program was established at our institution to address this need. This study explores first-year URiM students’ motivations for participating in ASPIRES and assesses alignment with the program’s intended goals.</p> Methods <p>ASPIRES paired first-year URiM students with surgical faculty for a seven-month mentorship experience. At program initiation, students answered the prompt, “Why are you interested in participating in ASPIRES?” A thematic analysis of de-identified responses was conducted using NVivo14. Two independent reviewers coded answers using a 26-factor thematic codebook developed iteratively. Coding discrepancies were resolved by consensus.</p> Results <p>Seventy-three responses were collected from four program cohorts (2021–2024, response rate = 100%). Participants identified as Black/African American (65%), Latinx/Hispanic (35%), and women (64%). Thematic analysis revealed five core motivators: mentorship, preparation, exposure, career facilitation, and environment. The most commonly cited themes were mentorship (63%), career preparation (44%), and a desire for representation or community (41%). One-third of students sought early exposure and opportunities for career exploration. Few students sought experiential learning (6.7%) or insight into navigating “hidden curriculums” (13.3%).</p> Conclusion <p>Students applied to ASPIRES seeking mentorship, surgical exposure, and representation. These motivations aligned with the program’s mission. The emphasis on identity-conscious mentorship highlights the need for pipeline initiatives that center belonging alongside skill development. ASPIRES represents a promising, scalable model for advancing equity and inclusion in surgical education.</p>

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First-year medical students’ motivations for joining an underrepresented minority mentorship program: are we meeting expectations?

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月23日

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  • Giussepe Yanez,
  • Alexandria L. Soto,
  • Rebecca A. Zasloff,
  • Michael Mensah-Mamfo,
  • Akosua D. Odei,
  • Paula Viza Gomes,
  • Cathlyn K. Medina,
  • Rodney Reeves,
  • William C. Eward,
  • Gayle A. DiLalla,
  • Cory J. Vatsaas

摘要

Purpose

Pipeline programs that offer clinical exposure and mentorship are essential to increasing the recruitment of students underrepresented in medicine (URiM) into surgery. The ASPIRES (Advancing Student Preparedness and Involvement for Representation and Equity in Surgery) Program was established at our institution to address this need. This study explores first-year URiM students’ motivations for participating in ASPIRES and assesses alignment with the program’s intended goals.

Methods

ASPIRES paired first-year URiM students with surgical faculty for a seven-month mentorship experience. At program initiation, students answered the prompt, “Why are you interested in participating in ASPIRES?” A thematic analysis of de-identified responses was conducted using NVivo14. Two independent reviewers coded answers using a 26-factor thematic codebook developed iteratively. Coding discrepancies were resolved by consensus.

Results

Seventy-three responses were collected from four program cohorts (2021–2024, response rate = 100%). Participants identified as Black/African American (65%), Latinx/Hispanic (35%), and women (64%). Thematic analysis revealed five core motivators: mentorship, preparation, exposure, career facilitation, and environment. The most commonly cited themes were mentorship (63%), career preparation (44%), and a desire for representation or community (41%). One-third of students sought early exposure and opportunities for career exploration. Few students sought experiential learning (6.7%) or insight into navigating “hidden curriculums” (13.3%).

Conclusion

Students applied to ASPIRES seeking mentorship, surgical exposure, and representation. These motivations aligned with the program’s mission. The emphasis on identity-conscious mentorship highlights the need for pipeline initiatives that center belonging alongside skill development. ASPIRES represents a promising, scalable model for advancing equity and inclusion in surgical education.