Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP): A Comprehensive Overview
The Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) is a transformative initiative designed to provide comprehensive support and enrichment opportunities for undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in the health professions. This article provides a detailed overview of SHPEP, its goals, structure, and impact, drawing upon available data and testimonials.
Introduction to SHPEP
SHPEP is a free summer enrichment program focused on improving access to information and resources for college students interested in the health professions. It aims to strengthen the academic proficiency and career development of students from economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds and those with demonstrated interest in issues affecting underserved populations. The ultimate goal is to prepare these students for successful application and matriculation to health professions schools. Students from backgrounds underrepresented in the sciences are particularly encouraged to apply.
Program Structure and Implementation
SHPEP is implemented at program sites across the nation. Each site provides scholars with academic enrichment in the basic sciences and math, career development activities, learning and study skills seminars, financial planning, wellness resources, and a variety of hands-on activities. The program typically spans six weeks, with a combination of virtual and in-person components (2 weeks virtual, 4 weeks in-person).
Key Components of SHPEP
Academic Enrichment: Rigorous academic enrichment is a cornerstone of SHPEP. For example, The University of Washington’s program involves rigorous academic enrichment through classes that provide a strong knowledge base in the basic foundational sciences and public health. Scholars dedicate significant time to academic programming, including interactive lectures, readings, assignments, interprofessional research activities, and hands-on labs. The goal of the SHPEP academic enrichment program is to promote lifelong learning by equipping students with the basic science principles that underlie biomedical theory and practice, offering foundational knowledge, skills, and opportunities to analyze clinically relevant problems, and developing research skills and familiarity with scientific literature.
Career Development: SHPEP offers a range of career development activities designed to help students explore different health professions and prepare for the application process. Some resources that are offered include but are not limited to: clinical exposure, academic enrichment, career development, and financial literacy - allowing students to develop competencies for becoming successful applicants to health profession programs.
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Clinical Exposure: Clinical exposure is a vital component of SHPEP, providing students with firsthand experience in healthcare settings. This exposure typically involves small-group rotations, simulation experiences, and seminars.
Financial Literacy: Workshops and seminars throughout the SHPEP cover a wide range of topics to encourage personal and professional growth and reduce common barriers to entering and pursuing health professional education. These topics include financial literacy, interview and resume skills, personal statement critiques and admission application preparation, exposure to health career paths (eg, arts in medicine, pharmacogenics, and translational research), social determinants of health, and wellness tools.
Interprofessional Education: Interprofessional education experience aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among scholars, mirroring that of the wider health care field. Throughout the program, scholars work together on projects, such as anatomy lab and cancer treatment poster presentations, culminating in a case project competition.
Wellness: SHPEP recognizes the importance of student well-being and provides resources to support their physical and mental health.
Location and Partner Institutions
SHPEP takes place at college institutions nationwide. The program is implemented at 11 program sites across the nation. Partner institutions offer students a chance to develop competencies for becoming successful applicants to health profession programs, plan academic journeys, get clinical exposure, and network.
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Eligibility and Application Process
To be eligible for SHPEP, applicants must be high school graduates, current freshmen or sophomores at a postsecondary institution, have a minimum grade point average of 2.5, and be a US citizen, permanent resident, or possess Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals federal status. Application materials include an essay prompt, official transcript(s) from every post-secondary institution attended, and a letter of recommendation from a qualified reference.
Impact and Outcomes
SHPEP has a significant impact on students' perceptions of their abilities and opportunities in the health professions. A cohort study of the 2017 to 2021 Summer Health Professions Education Program participants found that the program has a significant small to moderate association on perceived barriers and motivators.
Key Findings from Studies
Increased Motivation and Reduced Barriers: Results of the SCBS indicate that the SHPEP had a significant small to moderate association on perceived motivators and decreases in perceived barriers. In this cohort study, the SHPEP appeared to provide essential support for underrepresented students as measured by improved perceived motivators and reduced perceived barriers to entering professional education.
Improved Academic and Research Skills: Positive impacts of pathway programs include improvements to participants’ academic and research knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy.
Solidified Professional Identities: These programs may also solidify professional identities and attitudes.
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High Matriculation and Graduation Rates: Summer programs also demonstrate high rates of matriculation and graduation from medical schools.
Testimonials
Participating in the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) has been a transformative and empowering experience. SHPEP offers much more than just academic enrichment. It provides a nurturing environment, mentorship, exposure to diverse opportunities, and a sense of community that is especially crucial for first-generation students.
SHPEP Iowa gave me insight to the career field that I want to pursue. Seeing the experience that Dental students get at Iowa really made me inspired to dedicate myself to this program. Along with that, the ability to talk with the directors of the College of Dentistry grew my confidence in my abilities since they were nothing but supportive.
SHPEP and Diversity in Healthcare
The University of Washington’s SHPEP is committed to increasing the diversity of the pool of health professionals thus improving access to quality healthcare. The number of active health care professionals has not kept pace with the increasing number of minoritized individuals in the US. The report identified increasing the number of underrepresented health professionals as a possible key strategy to eliminate health disparities. However, underrepresented students face unique challenges when pursuing health professional careers, leading to lower achievements and opportunities.
Addressing Challenges Faced by Underrepresented Students
Underrepresented students face unique challenges when pursuing health professional careers, leading to lower achievements and opportunities. These challenges include institutional discrimination; differential treatment; low socioeconomic status; attending institutions with limited resources; lack of meaningful relationships with health professional role models; and self-doubt, stereotype threat, and pressure to hide their cultures. Summer enrichment and pathway programs for prehealth undergraduate and graduate students have been developed to address this underrepresentation.
Program Sites and Unique Features
Each SHPEP site offers unique features and pathways tailored to specific health professions. For example, applicants at the University of Florida select 1 of 4 pathways offered at the institution: medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, or public health.
SHPEP at the University of Washington
The University of Washington’s program involves rigorous academic enrichment through classes that provide a strong knowledge base in the basic foundational sciences and public health. Students will be required to follow campus, housing and health sciences guidelines (vaccination, masking and distancing, etc). In order to shadow in-clinic other vaccinations are required (medical and dental track). Students must be fully vaccinated for measles to live in the dorm.
SHPEP at the University of Iowa
Our campus seamlessly blends into downtown Iowa City, which makes it easy to get wherever you need to go. The center of it all is just across the street from a lively downtown with all the restaurants, entertainment, and amenities you'd find in a big city.Iowa City is both a destination for artists from around the world and the home of Hawkeye sports.
Statistical Overview
Demographics of Participants
Of all 402 SHPEP participants (mean [SD] age, 19.32 [0.88] years) from 2017 to 2021, 325 completed the preprogram survey and 259 also completed the postprogram survey. Of the 325 initial participants, 4 identified as American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander (1.2%); 12 as Asian (3.7%); 188 as Black (57.8%); 95 as Hispanic or Latino (29.2%); 7 as White (2.2%); and 16 as multiracial (4.9%). Two hundred twelve participants were female (65.2%), and 226 were first-generation college students (69.5%).
Career Interests
The program also influences students' career interests.
Career interest
| No. (%) of participants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pre-SHPEP (n = 314) | Post-SHPEP (n = 249) | |
| Premedical | 143 (45.5) | 107 (43.0) |
| Predental | 76 (24.2) | 70 (28.1) |
| Prepharmacy | 35 (11.1) | 28 (11.2) |
| Pre-public health | 24 (7.6) | 16 (6.4) |
| Pre-physician assistant | 14 (4.5) | 12 (4.8) |
| Prenursing | 9 (2.9) | 6 (2.4) |
| Pre-veterinary medicine | 3 (1.0) | 3 (1.2) |
| Undecided | 8 (2.5) | 6 (2.4) |
| Other | 2 (0.6) | 1 (0.4) |
Survey Completion
Table 1. SHPEP Career Barriers Survey Completion by the 2017 to 2021 SHPEP Cohorts at a Southern University
| Year | Preprogram responses, No. | Postprogram responses, No. | Total responses, No. (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 79 | 75 | 80 (94.9) |
| 2018 | 92 | 86 | 80 (93.5) |
| 2019 | 65 | 51 | 77 (78.5) |
| 2020 | 57 | 25 | 79 (43.9) |
| 2021 | 32 | 22 | 86 (68.8) |
| Total | 325 | 259 | 402 |
Notable Participants
Several SHPEP alumni have gone on to achieve success in their respective fields.
- Aaron D. Dotson: Participated in SMDEP at the Yale School of Medicine in 2012.
- Mr. Barca: Attended SHPEP in 2020 at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
- Mr. David Graham: Participated in SHPEP in 2022 at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
- Kennedy Campbell: Participated in SHPEP in 2021.
- Mr. Jeudy: Participated in SHPEP in 2019 at the University of California Los Angeles and Charles R. Drew University.
- Ms. Light: Participated in SMDEP at the University of California Los Angeles in 2016.
- Mr. Viramontes: Attended SMDEP in 2014 at UCLA.
- Ms. Kulchar: She participated in SHPEP in 2021 at UCLA.
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