The PreDoc program was designed as a longitudinal experience with the goal of promoting undergraduate student exposure to, and interest in clinical medicine and neurology, and recruited individuals who identified with a background underrepresented in medicine.

Undergraduates students who identify as underrepresented are more likely than peers to lose interest in pursuing medicine over the course of their education. Among the top reasons cited for loss of interest are lack of knowledge of the field, and limited encouragement and mentorship. In contrast, contact with physicians helped to maintain student interest.

At the University of Rochester, we created a 2-year pilot program, and recruited students from the undergraduate campus who identified as underrepresented. Each student was assigned a senior neurology faculty mentor and a junior medical student mentor. The program included the following core components: (1) large group meetings aimed at teaching professional development and medical problem-based learning, (2) mentor meetings, (3) clinical shadowing experiences, and (4) a clinical project. In addition, students benefitted from networking opportunities for summer programs, letters of recommendation, and help with medical school applications. Program evaluation data was obtained by anonymous surveys and activity tracking.

The program recruited 13 students, 10 neurology faculty mentors, and 14 medical student junior mentors. The overall quality was rated as 4.6/5 with improvement between year 1 and year 2. The program facilitated the following estimated activities over 2 years: 55 in-person senior mentor meetings, 36 in-person junior mentor meetings, 62 shadowing experiences, and 408 email communications. Student reported strengths included ease of shadowing, usefulness of problem-based learning cases, mentor relationships, and encouragement received. Areas for improvement included desire for more meetings and shadowing, and an increased formal role for junior mentors.