Ausejo, David

Racial minorities remain underrepresented among allied health providers. Pathway programs address this gap by fostering career exposure and mentorship for underrepresented students. A pilot program was designed to increase underrepresented minority (URM) students entering health professions through career exploration and mentorship. High school students were enrolled into a pre-post survey study through a healthcare magnet school having higher proportions of economically disadvantaged students. Career exploration included healthcare presentations and skills sessions. Students were matched with mentors based on career interests. 22 students participated. The program facilitated career exploration sessions, mentor-mentee meetings, and workshops with diverse healthcare professionals. Participants reported increased likelihood towards pursuing healthcare careers. Preliminary findings suggest similar pilot pathway programs may increase URM student interest in healthcare careers.