AUTHOR=Coler Celeste , Patel Kareena , Balatico A. J. , Ro Kumhee , Villarreal Joshua , Coronado Nora , Williams Estell 

TITLE=Doctor for a day: the impact of a health professions enrichment program on self-efficacy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1511405

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2025.1511405

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=IntroductionHealth profession enrichment programs for underrepresented minority students are crucial to supporting students’ interest in healthcare careers and improving preparedness for important academic and professional milestones. Doctor for a Day, an enrichment program at the University of Washington School of Medicine, hosts monthly events where underrepresented kindergarten-12th grade students are exposed to careers in medicine by healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds.MethodsThis study investigates to what extent participation in Doctor for a Day programming improves self-efficacy using a survey study of 958 students who attended at least one Doctor for a Day event between 2017 and 2023.ResultsUsing an evaluation tool composed of six questions, our results demonstrate that participation in Doctor for a Day programming increases self-efficacy and interest in medicine as a career. Analysis of these results found significant differences in responses based on grade level, with students in high school demonstrating the largest improvement in self-efficacy.DiscussionThese findings underscore the value of such enrichment programs and offer insights for the development of similar initiatives.