How University Administrators Can Recruit Medical Students from Underrepresented Backgrounds

Socioeconomic diversity in medicine is crucial for improving healthcare outcomes and addressing disparities. Yet, many students from underrepresented backgrounds face systemic barriers to entering medical school.

University administrators play a critical role in breaking down these barriers and fostering a more inclusive student body. Here are effective strategies for recruiting and supporting medical and professional health students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Initiate Outreach Efforts to Elementary and High Schools

Many talented students from underrepresented backgrounds lack awareness of medical career pathways or may not see themselves represented in the field.

To address this, consider developing outreach programs to begin inspiring and identifying students before they’re old enough to apply to college. Outreach programs can include:

• Partnering with high schools, community colleges, and minority-serving institutions to introduce students early to careers in medicine
• Hosting summer programs, workshops, and mentorship initiatives that provide exposure to medical education, such as research projects
• Collaborating with student organizations and local communities to promote healthcare volunteering opportunities

Associating your university’s brand with inclusive medical education through sincere outreach isn’t just a way to inspire young students to apply to your school someday – it also raises your profile with the schools and communities with whom you form partnerships.

Offer Financial Support and Resources

The cost of applying to medical school, let alone attending medical school, is a significant barrier for many aspiring medical students. Universities can help by:

• Expanding scholarships, grants, and tuition assistance for underrepresented students
• Providing no-cost or low-cost MCAT prep courses
• Providing fee waivers or reimbursements for applications
• Offering virtual interviews to offset the cost of traveling
• Offering paid research opportunities and clinical experiences to ease financial strain

While the cost of medical education is a concern for virtually all medical students, it can completely block progress for students from low-socioeconomic status backgrounds. Providing even modest support can help underrepresented students persist.

Foster an Inclusive Campus Environment

Show student prospects that support continues after they matriculate. Strategies can include:

• Offering mentorship programs that connect underrepresented students with faculty and healthcare professionals
• Providing academic and mental health support tailored to diverse student needs
• Encouraging affinity groups and support networks that foster a sense of belonging
• Inviting guest speakers from underrepresented backgrounds or who work in underrepresented communities

Tapping your alumni networks for support, mentorship, and employer connections can also help inspire students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Offer a Pre-Health Pipeline Program

Another way to support students from underrepresented backgrounds is by offering a proven pre-health pipeline program. Tiber Health’s Master of Science in Medical Sciences (MSMS) curriculum is an innovative, data-driven approach to the pre-med special master’s degree that offers students:

• A one-year, accelerated pathway to a STEM master’s degree that opens doors beyond medical school admission
• A technology-enhanced, flipped-classroom structure that encourages active learning
• A predictive analytics dashboard that helps students understand their strengths and weaknesses
• A USMLE pass/fail prediction that’s based on performance data from real medical students
• Access to personalized career advising and medical school linkage opportunities

Our research demonstrates that students who complete the MSMS program go on to perform as well as students who are directly admitted to medical school – despite the fact that the MSMS students initially had lower GPAs and MCAT scores than their directly admitted peers. Overall, 77% of MSMS graduates receive admission into their desired professional program. To explore this pathway toward underrepresented medical student recruitment, contact Tiber Health today.