Table 2.

Students’ Thoughts on the Themes

The Underserved Curriculum Scaffold
“ I always wanted to go down this path. It (the UP) just helped with the framework for getting there.”
“The structure guides you… things you should be doing each year to make sure you are adequately prepared, organizing your thought process, building on your cv.”
“If I had not been in the pathway, I would not have been as intentional about seeking out service experiences. (I) would have thought ‘I am so busy, I don’t have time for that.’”
“The Underserved Pathway acted like another factor that supported my way through medical school”
“The Pathway reminded me what my original intent was and kept me on track of what my values are and encouraged me to find a venue to volunteer in.”
Influence on Career Choice
“It (the UP) reconfirmed and indicated to me what I wanted to do. Service learning in the urban community was definitely influential. Seeing the community was more helpful in deciding where I wanted to be eventually.”
“I think doing the actual clerkships in the underserved areas are the most valuable because it is not a scenario, not a thought concept, it is actually doing it, actually seeing what it is like.”
“My Underserved Pathway mentor has had a huge effect. I liked the example that was set… knowing this can be done and is within reach.”
Choice of Residency Program
“Being in the Pathway and wanting to be in an underserved field, I only applied to residencies that offered underserved training opportunities.”
“I ended up applying for a few rural training tracks. I may not have done that if not in the Pathway.”
“The programs I applied to… I made sure they had an underserved or primary care focus.”
“The programs I am interested in were influenced by my underserved experience. I am not ranking as highly residencies with fewer opportunities to work with the underserved.”
“It influenced me to apply to programs that were focused on underserved medicine. I applied to whatever residencies would allow me to continue in urban medicine for the underserved.”
Capacity to Match
“Programs were pretty excited that I was involved, especially those programs with a strong emphasis on serving the underserved patients with clinics and hospitals in those areas.”
“It shows you are dedicated in carrying through on your passion and implementing something.”
“They (residency interviewers) asked about my experience in the Pathway because it is very unique.”
“It shows on the student side that you do have that underlying kind of determination that for the last 4 years you have been thinking about doing underserved medicine, not just coming up and interviewing and saying you have a passion but you are showing you are actively involved and pursuing it.”
“During my interview trail they actually asked me about the Pathway and wanted to know what the Pathway meant and what we gained in terms of the opportunities it provided us. I think it definitely helped my application and they did ask me about it.”
“It showed that I wanted to do this and will continue to want to do this in the future. When I say I want to serve the underserved they can believe me.”