PURPOSE
Recent challenges to public health have demonstrated the need for
efficacious communication to convey healthcare information to communities.
Medical students are well positioned to address the growing need of
healthcare professionals with strong connections to the communities they
serve by interacting with the people that they serve. The TTUHSC El Paso
Health Education and Awareness Team (EP-HEAT) had begun the Meet The Experts
project that brought community leaders to students to discuss changes to
healthcare and to identify potential avenues of participation that goes
beyond the bounds of the role of physician.
METHODS
The project utilized anonymous surveys to medical students that
participated in EP-HEATÃ’ Meet the Experts project. Demographic questions
were asked and questions related to professional development, community
engagement, communication, networking, teamwork, specialties of interest, and
reasons for participating were also asked using a mix of Likert-like rating
scales, and open-ended questions. Data analysis was descriptive and focused
on general trends in student perceptions. Qualitative responses were
thematically coded.
RESULTS
A total of eight students completed the survey; they represented a range of
demographics and expressed diverse specialty interests such as neurosurgery,
emergency medicine, family medicine, psychiatry, internal medicine, and
primary care. When asked about the impact of the Meet the Experts events, most
students reported positive experiences. Confidence in future career direction
was high overall and common themes included appreciation for hearing experts’
personal journeys, gaining reassurance about navigating uncertainty in
medicine, and motivation to persist in their training.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this pilot survey suggest that participation in the Meet the
Experts program positively influences medical students’ professional
development and understanding of healthcare systems. All participants agreed
that Meet the Experts supports their professional development, reinforcing
the program’s value in exposing students to a variety of healthcare
perspectives.