Preparing Early: A Longitudinal Evaluation of Premedical Students' Exposure to the Medical School Application Process

Document Type

Conference Proceeding - Restricted Access

Publication Date

5-8-2026

Abstract

Students from underrepresented backgrounds continue to face structural barriers to medical school admission, including limited mentorship, financial burden, and misinformation surrounding the application process. Early exposure to accurate and accessible information may reduce these barriers and strengthen the premedical pipeline. This study evaluated the impact of a Pathways Premedical Conference held between 2024 and 2025 on participant knowledge, confidence, and preparedness for applying to medical school.

A pre-post survey design assessed participant demographics, perceived barriers to applying to medical school, and self-rated knowledge and confidence regarding the application process. Surveys were administered before and after conference participation. 58 participants completed at least one survey and 52 participants completed both pre and post surveys in 2024. In 2025, 66 participants completed at least one survey, with 46 completing both pre- and post-surveys. Workshops covered key topics, including personal statement writing, MCAT preparation, and strategies for applicants with lower academic metrics. Demographic distributions were compared across 2024 and 2025 cohorts using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. Changes in knowledge and confidence were analyzed using paired Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and ordinal regression models.

Participant demographics were comparable across study years, with no statistically significant differences in gender, race, ethnicity, underrepresented minority (URM) status, or age distribution. Baseline knowledge, confidence, and perceived barriers did not significantly differ by demographic group, including URM status. Following conference participation, participants demonstrated significant improvements in both knowledge and confidence related to the medical school application process. Knowledge scores increased significantly (p = 1.11 × 10⁻⁵), as did confidence scores (p = 1.30 × 10⁻⁵). Ordinal regression analyses showed that post-conference participants had over five times higher odds of reporting greater knowledge (OR = 5.49, p = 0.00127) and confidence (OR = 5.23, p = 0.000159) compared to pre-conference responses. Improvements were also observed in select knowledge-based items addressing common application misconceptions.

Early, structured exposure to the medical school application process was associated with meaningful gains in knowledge and confidence among premedical students. These findings highlight the value of community-centered, equity-focused pipeline interventions in supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds. By providing early, accessible, and accurate exposure to the medical school application process, such interventions have the potential to reduce structural barriers, empower underrepresented students, and contribute to a more diverse and equitable physician work force.

Comments

2026 Research Day Corewell Health West, Grand Rapids, MI, May 8, 2026. Abstract 1908

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