Social Support Assets and Needs of Underrepresented Students Participating in Health Sciences Pathways Programs in Birmingham, Alabama

Abstract

Background: Using the Asset Bundle Model, we sought to understand the social support assets and needs of underrepresented minority (URM) high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. Setting: Study participants were or had participated in health sciences pathway programs at Birmingham City Schools and/or the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Methods: We took a concurrent mixed methods approach to conduct an environmental scan of health science pathway programs in the Birmingham, AL area. Four focus groups were conducted between November 2022 and January 2023, and a 225-item online survey was administered between November 4, 2022, and February 4, 2023. Both tools collected data from high school, undergraduate, and graduate students to examine key components of existing health care pathways programs for URMs and identify barriers and facilitators to successful implementation of such programs. Results: Twenty-two students participated in the focus groups, and 168 individuals responded to the survey. Both focus group participants and interview respondents were primarily URMs (eg, 68.2% and 65.7% identified as Black or African American, respectively). Survey responses and focus group discussions showed that, overall, undergraduate and graduate students programs develop more robust identities as future health care professionals through friendships and institutional supports, expand their networks more broadly through mentorship, and feel more supported by family members in their academic endeavors than high school students. Conclusions: Health science pathway programs for URMs should facilitate and bolster social supports for students, especially those in high school, to enhance persistence through education and into the workforce.