This poster presentation shares information and updates from the Pre-Matriculation Program (PMP), contributing to the ASPBP community's exchange of ideas and insights on pathway programming. The presentation covers the program's background, its relevance to ASPBP's mission, the target population served, and key lessons learned, including challenges, accomplishments, best practices, and innovations.

The PMP at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science is a five-month, tuition-free, non-degree curriculum track designed to provide students underrepresented in medicine with an opportunity to gain and demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in a medical school curriculum. The program exposes students to medical school-level coursework, enhancing their competitiveness for admission to medical school or other health professions programs. PMP students actively engage in collaborative activities and learn alongside students from our Biomedical Sciences Master’s program, fostering a practical understanding of interprofessionalism.
 

Inclusivity and Equity

Both ASPBP and PMP prioritize increasing representation in STEMM fields. PMP specifically targets students underrepresented in medicine, especially those who are economically, socially, or educationally disadvantaged. This aligns directly with ASPBP's goal of fostering inclusivity and equity.
 

Pathway Programs and Bridges

ASPBP aims to support the development and implementation of pathway programs, and PMP is a prime example of such a program. PMP helps students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in medical school, effectively serving as a bridge to a medical career.
 

Systemic Change

ASPBP strives to drive systemic change to promote justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within educational institutions. PMP contributes to this by providing a structured program that empowers underrepresented students, helping to address systemic barriers that have hindered their access to medical education.
 

Improving the Health of Underserved Communities

PMP's focus on students committed to serving underserved and disadvantaged communities aligns with ASPBP's broader vision of transforming the STEMM workforce to improve the human condition. By supporting these students, PMP contributes to creating a healthcare workforce that is more representative of and responsive to the needs of all populations.
 

Mentorship and Support

ASPBP provides mentorship and support to develop and implement pathway programs. PMP echoes this by providing personalized support from faculty, staff, and alumni mentors, fostering academic growth and professional development.

Participants typically include those who are economically, socially, or educationally disadvantaged — and from highly motivated individuals committed to improving the health of underserved and disadvantaged communities.

The PMP program has yielded valuable lessons in student recruitment, curriculum development, mentorship strategies, and program outcomes. Key accomplishments include high matriculation rates into medical school, significant improvements in student academic performance, and successful integration of interprofessional learning with the Biomedical Sciences Master's program. Best practices developed include implementing a holistic admissions process and providing individualized mentorship from faculty, staff, and alumni. Innovations include the program's emphasis on fostering a practical understanding of interprofessionalism by engaging PMP students in collaborative activities with Biomedical Sciences Master’s students and other IP opportunities at the University. The program framework is highly adaptable to other institutions seeking to address disparities in medical education and promote the success of underrepresented students.