Encouraging Exploration of Pathology among High School, Undergraduate, and Medical Students

Disclosures: The authors have disclosed no relevant conflicts of interest. Objectives: For the past two decades, there has been a shortage of pathologists in the United States, partially due to a decline in pathology positions filled by U.S. medical graduates. POP-STARS (Providing Opportunities in Pathology through Science Teacher Access to Resources at Southwestern) was founded with the aim of providing high school students enrichment opportunities to learn about pathology and engage with residents, faculty, and other health professionals in the field. The program focuses on providing diverse and educational experiences through laboratory tours, hands-on simulation activities, anatomy showcases, and pathology talks. We hope to increase understanding of and encourage exploration of pathology as a career, especially among students from underserved backgrounds, aiming to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in pathology. Methods: To efficiently reach out to high school students in the North Texas area and beyond, we coordinated with the STARS program at the University of Texas Southwestern, which already had robust connections with high schools and the required infrastructure. Since October 2022, POP-STARS has organized twenty-two lectures by pathology faculty and residents for high school students. To assess student knowledge and awareness of pathology, we have been administering surveys both prior to (242 responses) and following sessions (208 responses). Students were asked to self-assess their understanding and impression of pathology through a set of questions. To allow quantitative analysis, responses were measured on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). Results: Students reported increased knowledge about the field of pathology (from an average of 2.16 on the pre-survey to an average of 3.60 on the post-survey). Their perception of the job market in pathology improved (2.86 to 3.60), and they viewed a career in pathology as more prestigious (3.23 to 3.78). After sessions, students reported that they enjoyed the lecture or activity (4.38) and that they would recommend POP-STARS sessions to their classmates (4.41). Conclusions: We were able to spark interest in science and medicine in students from underserved areas and unincorporated areas without school districts. By engaging students who are interested in medicine and science and exposing them to various aspects of pathology, we hope to inspire more people to choose a career in pathology.