Strategies to Encourage Medical Student Interest in Urology

A career exploration didactic and simulation-based session increases student knowledge in and exposure to urology

INTRODUCTION

Though urology attracts well-qualified applicants, students are not typically provided exposure to this smaller specialty until later in their medical education. While simulation-based training continues to supplement medical education, there is a lack of programming to teach specialty-specific procedural skills to medical students and those outside the specialty. We report a half-day simulation and didactic-based approach to increase exposure to urology to interested second-year medical students.

METHODS

A half-day didactic- and simulation-based session was offered to second-year medical students (N=57). After a didactic-based overview of the specialty performed by urology providers and a surgical educator, the students participated in small-group simulations, including hands-on simulations. The students completed a post-curriculum survey measuring knowledge gains and soliciting feedback on the session.

RESULTS

Students were 57.1% Caucasian, 66.7% female, with a mean age of 24.2 years; 80% stated they were potentially interested in pursuing a surgical specialty such as urology prior to the start of the session. Students reported pre- to post-curriculum gains in knowledge (mean=37%) about a career in urology and basic urologic procedures (p<0.001). Participants were also likely to recommend the curriculum to their peers (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Given that exposure to urology in medical school is usually limited and offered later in training, a half-day didactic- and simulation-based experience for second-year students provides an early introduction and experience within the specialty and its common bedside procedures.

Costs and challenges of the curriculum vitae for SET Urology training positions: a qualitative analysis

BACKGROUND

Surgical training programs within Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand have become more competitive. Applicants are required to build a strong application over curriculum vitae (CV), references and interview. The building of the CV often comes at significant financial and time cost with challenges. This study explores successful applicants' experiences of the costs and challenges to build a successful CV for acceptance onto the Urology training program within Australia and New Zealand.

METHODS

Qualitative content analysis (QCA) was undertaken of semi-structured interviews conducted with 11 nSET Urology trainees. QCA focused on the identification and evaluation of costs and challenges experienced. Analysis was reviewed over the domain of CV components.

RESULTS

Costs of building each domain differed significantly between trainees as they focussed on various domains. Challenges encountered were identified with four themes were identified with associated subthemes: Passion/Commitment (two subthemes); Researching Pathways (six subthemes); Challenges (two subthemes) and Acceptance Success (two subthemes).

CONCLUSIONS

The commitment to a surgical specialty begins before acceptance onto a training program. A high-level CV is an integral component of acceptance onto the Urology training program. Each trainee had a different journey, including time and financial sacrifices, to obtain acceptance whilst demonstrating a strong motivation for success. The average cost of each trainee who gained acceptance was $50 779 over 3 years. Consideration should be given to making the CV component less onerous.

Implementation of a shared research database to increase medical student awareness and involvement in urology research A pilot study

INTRODUCTION

We aimed to assess the effect of a shared institutional research database on medical students' scholarly work, perceived research competency, and self-reported satisfaction.

METHODS

An institutional inventory database was created on Google Sheets with a listing of available mentors and a description of their ongoing research projects. The inventory database was shared with interested students and faculty. Students who agreed to participate were surveyed pre- and post-inventory. Survey questions assessed student demographics, prior research experience, and their perception of research competency and satisfaction. The number of presentations, publications, and articles pre- and post-inventory were also abstracted. Survey responses were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

A total of 20 students were surveyed pre-inventory and at a median followup of six months (5-7) post-inventory. There was a significant increase in scholarly presentations and publications post-inventory (p<0.05 for all). Furthermore, post-inventory, students reported feeling more confident in establishing an academic career, finding good mentors, managing their relationship with their mentor, managing professional challenges, and effectively showcasing themselves professionally and describing their research (p<0.05 for all). More than 65% of students agreed or strongly agreed that the database was easy to use, accessible, transparent, and would like a similar database created for other specialty departments.

CONCLUSIONS

After performing mentorship-guided research through an institutional research database, medical students felt more confident in their ability to perform research and produced more scholarly work. Therefore, we recommend a research database be created across all institutional departments to foster interest in conducting research.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Medical Student Timing and Perceived Quality of Exposure to Urology

OBJECTIVE

To contextualize the low representation of Under-Represented in Medicine (URiM) in urology, we examine differences in timing and perceived quality of urology clinical and research exposures for medical students across race/ethnicity.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was distributed to all medical students at UCLA. Dependent variables were timing of urology exposure and perceived quality of urology exposure. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses were used to compare variables across race/ethnicity. Logistic regression was used to determine odds of early exposure to urology across race/ethnicity.

RESULTS

Black and Latinx students were significantly less likely to discover urology before MS3 (P<.001). Although URiM students were more likely to recall receiving a urology interest group invitation (Asian 46%, Black 53%, Latinx 67%, White 48%, P=.03), they were less likely to attend an event (Asian 23%, Black 4%, Latinx 3% and White 15%, P<.001) despite being more likely to be interested in urology (Asian 32%, Black 38%, Latinx 50%, White 28%, P=.01). Black students were more likely to gain exposure via family/friend with a urological diagnosis. Black and Latinx students were twice as dissatisfied with timing and method of medical school exposure to urology versus their peers. There were differences across race/ethnicity for whether or not a student had engaged in urology research (Asian 10%, Black 5%, Latinx 2%, White 2%, P=.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Racial/ethnic disparities exist in early exposure to urology, involvement in urology interest group, access to research, and satisfaction with exposure to urology. Interventions addressing the timing and quality of urology exposures may optimize recruitment of URiM students into urology.

The R Frank Jones Urology Interest Group: An Intentional and Strategic Pipeline Program to Increase Diversity in Urology

OBJECTIVE

To address the low numbers of urologists who are ethnically and racially underrepresented in medicine (URiM), the nonprofit organization Urology Unbound developed the R. Frank Jones Urology Interest Group (RFJUIG), a pipeline program that provides mentorship, research opportunities, and professional development for URiM students.

METHODS

Students complete a questionnaire as part of the registration process for the RFJUIG. This questionnaire collects demographic information and asks about their experience pursuing urology and goals for participation in the program.

RESULTS

At the end of 2020, sixty-six students (60% Black and 21% Latinx) were registered members of the RFJUIG. The majority of the members identify as immigrants or first-generation Americans, originating from at least 10 different countries. While most members reported early interest in the field, only 11% had a friend or family with a connection to urology. In the 2021 urology match, thirty-one out of thirty-nine applicant members successfully matched into a urology residency position.

CONCLUSION

Intentional and strategic pipeline programs increase the recruitment of URiMs in urology. Thus far, the RFJUIG successfully provided 79% of its applicant members with the tools needed to successfully match into urology.