27. Effect of Cardiothoracic Surgery Mentorship on Underrepresented High School Students
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, MD
United States - Contact Me
Stephen C. Yang, MD is Professor of Surgery and Medical Oncology, and the Arthur B. and Patricia B. Modell Endowed Chair in Thoracic Surgery at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. He is Vice-Chair of Professional Development for the Department of Surgery. His teaching, research and clinical service awards include: 1996 Johns Hopkins William F. Rienhoff Award for research; 1997 AATS Andrew Morrow Research Scholar; 2004 MCV Outstanding Alumnus Award; 2006 TSDA Socrates Award; 2006 STS J. Maxwell Chamberlain Award; 2008 Johns Hopkins Dean’s Award as Clinical Teacher of the Year; 2017 STSA Urschel-Mavroudis Spirit Award; 2018 Medical School Graduation Marshall; inductee of The Johns Hopkins Distinguished Teaching Society, AOA Honor Society at MCV, and ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators.
His clinical interests in general thoracic surgery, with emphasis in lung and esophageal cancer biology/survivorship, pectus repair, robotics surgery, geriatric thoracic surgery and enhancing the educational paradigm for medical students, residents and junior faculty. He had developed novel techniques in lung transplantation with cadaveric lobar transplantation, and in robotic surgery.
Elected to the ABTS in 2014, he serves as Examination Chair and Editor-in-Chief of SESATS XIII and appointed to Chair the Council to develop Entrustable Professional Activities for CT surgery. He is President of the STSA, and immediate past Chair of the the Medical Student Education Committee for the ACS. In 2019, he was elected to the ACGME RRC for Thoracic Surgery, and President-Elect of the TSDA. He is the JTCVS Associate Editor for the education section.
Though an empty nester now that his three children have flown the coop (and off the payroll!), he lives with his wife Marivic of 38 year in Hunt Valley, MD, and enjoys playing lounge piano music, country club tennis, “Chopped” cooking, taking care of his puppy Milo, and ballroom dancing, winner of the 2017 Dancing with the Hopkins Stars.
Henry Ford Health System
Detroit, MI
United States - Contact Me
Donald Chang is a General Surgery resident at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Prior to medical school, he completed a PhD in cellular cardiac electrophysiology at Columbia University. He then attended medical school at The University of Queensland-Ochsner Clinical School where he served as class president and was also the recipient of the 2020 STSA James W. Brooks Medical Student Scholarship. He is interested in academic cardiac surgery.
Abstract
Underrepresented minorities (URM) account for less than 6 percent of physicians and 2 percent of cardiothoracic surgeons. Many structural inequities account for this low representation, including lack of exposure to healthcare opportunities and a paucity of minority role models among URM students. Our goal was to determine the impact of participation in a cardiothoracic surgery-guided mentorship program on perceptions of medicine and surgery by URM students.
Methods
From 2016 to 2022, an academic division of cardiothoracic surgery conducted an annual mentorship program across eight high schools for URM students. In Phase 1, a minority physician visited the participating high schools, discussed life as a cardiothoracic surgeon and obstacles faced during training. In Phase 2, students were invited to the surgical simulation center or microanatomy lab to perform various imaging (ultrasound) and surgical procedures on cadaveric specimens that engaged them in "hands-on" practice. In Phase 3, selected applicants were awarded a summer internship and given a stipend. During the two-month internship, they attended weekly simulation sessions organized by the division of cardiothoracic surgery.
Results
Over the study period, the number of applicants for the summer internship increased from 11 in 2017 to 438 in 2022. Students involved in Phase 2 had a statistically significant increase in post-participation survey scores when asked about interest in becoming a surgeon, choosing a college major and having the manual dexterity necessary to become a surgeon (Table 1). All students involved in Phase 3 described the program as favorable, including comments such as "taught me to set my goals ridiculously high" and "it was important to see people that look like me doing the job that I wanted to do."
Conclusions
Cardiothoracic surgery divisions can positively influence URM students with a structured mentorship program that includes surgical simulation and exposure to minority physicians. Students who participate develop increased self-confidence in their ability to become a physician. Over time, an increased number of URM students may thus express interest and pursue careers in cardiothoracic surgery. Ongoing exposure of URM students to URM surgeons will decrease the "leaky pipeline" and reduce disparities in medicine and surgery.