Background

Current literature reveals a disparity in access to educational opportunities within the field of psychiatry for undergraduate students. Access to clinical experience in psychiatric clinics and emergency departments is often unavailable, particularly for those from underresourced backgrounds. This program aims to expose students to the breadth of what a career in psychiatry has to offer to pique their interests in becoming psychiatrists.
 

Methods

Through this four-month program participants engage in MCAT preparation, a didactic series, and clinical rotations as well as shadowing trainee and attending psychiatrists. The program is structured around students’ university coursework, with students spending two afternoons a week in a psychiatric emergency department and an outpatient psychiatric clinic. Along with shadowing, students were engaged in a didactic series with a curriculum focused on a variety of psychiatric diagnoses and treatments, as well as the social determinants of mental health care. Students who elected to participate in the Medical School Application Readiness Program, were engaged in workshops focused on crafting a strong personal statement, understanding the medical school application timeline, and were participants in an MCAT live preparatory course. Pre-, mid-, and post-program surveys were administered to assess changes in participants’ confidence, knowledge, and interest in psychiatry.
 

Results

The program was solely offered to NYC-based students due to the requirement for engagement in-person enrichment activities. The application process included submission of a CV, personal statement, and college transcript. The program began in January 2025 with seven out of forty-four applicants, from five different universities selected to participate. Findings from the JJC College Enrichment Program suggest that the program positively impacted students’ confidence, interest in psychiatry, and preparedness for the medical school application process. The pre-program survey revealed that five of the seven participants had limited or no prior clinical experiences shadowing or working with psychiatrists prior to the program, with only two participants “very interested” in pursuing a career in psychiatry or mental health. By the end of the program, the end-of-program survey revealed an increase is this number to five participants who are “very interested” in pursuing a career in psychiatry or mental health, with six participants indicating that this program “significantly increased [their] interest [and they are] now strongly considering psychiatry/psychology as a career.” Participants cited mentorship experiences, clinical exposure, and didactic content as motivating factors. These outcomes suggest that undergraduate clinical pathway programs may open new doors for students who might otherwise be excluded from these opportunities.
 

Discussion

This program seeks to address the gap in access to educational experiences and mentorship within the field of psychiatry for underresourced undergraduate students. Survey data suggest that early engagement with mental health care through shadowing, mentorship, and didactics, as well as engagement in medical school application workshops, has the potential to increase students’ interest in the field of psychiatry and improve their confidence in their preparedness to apply to apply to medical school.