P3.185: Eyes of the Future: The Need for Evaluating and Pivoting Early Immersion Programs to Enhance Interest in Medicine

Background: Racial and ethnic minorities make up 35% of the U.S. population, yet only 11.2% of physicians identify as such. Currently, our physician workforce is not reflective of US demographics. This mismatch highlights the need for effective programs that foster early exposure to careers in medicine. Eyes of the Future (EOTF) is an interactive, medicine-based program implemented at a predominantly Latinx middle school in Milwaukee, WI. Established in 2014, the program had maintained the same curriculum until 2024. After reviewing pre- and post-survey data from the 2022 cohort, curriculum changes were made to increase direct engagement and personal interaction with medical students for the 2024 cohort. This study evaluates the impact of those changes on students’ interest in science and medicine.

Methods: Forty-six eighth graders participated in EOTF across two cohorts. Selection of participants were based on a survey that assessed interest in medicine, anatomy, and STEM careers. All selected participants completed 20-item pre- and post-program surveys assessing demographics, interest in science, medicine, and higher education. Data analysis focused on comparing "Strongly Agree" responses to six key statements between cohorts both cohorts.

Results: Cohort 2022 (n=24)
Pre-Survey: 87.5% planned to pursue higher education; 29.2% liked science presentations; 41.7% were interested in medical jobs; 29.2% felt smart enough to succeed; 33.3% thought medicine was “cool”; 79.2% believed college was important.
Post-Survey: 77.3% planned to pursue higher education; 13.6% liked science presentations; 40.9% were interested in medical jobs; 4.5% felt smart enough to succeed; 40.9% thought medicine was “cool”; 45.5% believed college was important. 81.8% attended all sessions.

Cohort 2024 (n=22)
Pre- Survey: 81.8% planned on higher education; 9.1% liked science presentations; 68.2% were interested in medical jobs; 45.5% felt smart enough; 68.2% thought medicine was cool; 77.3% considered college important.
Post-Survey: 81.8% planned on higher education; 27.3% liked science presentations; 72.7% were interested in medical jobs; 45.5% felt smart enough; 63.6% thought medicine was cool; 90.9% considered college important. 72.7% attended all sessions.

Conclusion: EOTF’s initial curriculum showed a decline in student interest and confidence in pursuing medicine, suggesting the need for program reevaluation. After implementing a revised, more interactive curriculum, the 2024 cohort demonstrated improved perceptions in multiple areas, including interest in science, college, and medical careers. This study demonstrates the importance of reevaluating programs to determine their effectiveness. Limitations include selection bias, as participants were chosen based on prior interest in science and medicine. Future steps include expanding outreach to the entire eighth grade class prior to selection and conducting longitudinal tracking through high school to assess long-term outcomes in educational and career pursuits.