• Kerry-Ann Stewart, Stacey L Brown, Granville Wrensford, and Marja M Hurley.
• Health Career Opportunity Programs, UConn Health, UConn Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine Farmington, CT, USA. Electronic address: kestewart@uchc.edu.
• J Natl Med Assoc. 2020 Feb 1; 112 (1): 36-43.

Background/PurposeWith the urgency to create more equitable health care, increased research and early exposure to health interventions and clinical medicine are imperative. Health disparities continue to persist nationwide, particularly in underserved areas and among traditionally disadvantaged populations. In addition to the need to eliminate health disparities, increasing the diversity among health professionals to more accurately reflect the US population is essential.MethodsThe health professions partnership at the School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine is a comprehensive pipeline designed to increase the preparation of underrepresented students for health careers. Through this health professions pipeline's Health Disparities Clinical Summer Research Fellowship Program (HDCSRFP), undergraduate students are exposed to health disparities research and clinical skills over seven weeks. Over the course of the program, participants conducted a research project, gained clinical exposure by shadowing community physicians and other health professionals, and received mentoring by health professional faculty and students. At the conclusion of the program, participants presented their research projects during a poster symposium.ResultsA total of 121 program participants between 2008 and 2018 each conducted a research project focused on reducing health inequities within specific populations, particularly in urban settings. The health professions pipeline has been instrumental in increasing the aptitude and competitiveness of these students pursuing health careers through participation in research, clinical medicine, and enrichment activities. Specifically, 92% of the 79 program participants identified who completed undergraduate studies before the end of the 2018 fall semester pursued a career or further studies within a health profession. Forty-six percent of these college graduates were accepted or matriculated in medical school by the end of 2018.ConclusionThe HDCSRFP, like the other health professions partnership pipeline programs, serves as a model for other educational programs to expose students to the field of medicine and health research, and to increase diversity within health professions.Copyright © 2020 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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