The Health Sciences and Technology Academy

West Virginia is considered one of the most rural states in the nation, with over 60% of its population classified as rural.1 The state experiences relatively high unemployment, and it ranks among the lowest (49th) of all states in median household income.2 Fifty-eight percent of the students in West Virginia counties are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.3 Furthermore, only 14.7% of adult residents 25 years and over have attained a bachelor's degree or higher,4 putting the state 50th in higher education. The rural nature of the state coupled with economically depressed communities has limited the availability of secondary-level science courses required for health sciences majors in college. Additionally, most counties in West Virginia are considered medically underserved, and therefore it is important to increase the number of health care providers in rural areas of the state.5 However, if the state's under-represented students do not receive adequate preparation in pre-college math and science, the proportion who can attend college and succeed will continue to be limited,4 and the pool for the health professions will be too small. To overcome some of these barriers, West Virginia University and 21 West Virginia counties have come together in the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) in a community-campus partnership. Its web site is 〈http://www.wv-hsta.org/〉. A pre-college enrichment program,6 HSTA helps students learn tools to enable them to progress through high school, college, and professional school. The HSTA program consists of an on-campus (WVU) Summer Institute at West Virginia University where students and science teachers are engaged in learning activities facilitated by science and education faculty. These science teachers also facilitate HSTA community-based science clubs during the school year. The HSTA model uses the inquiry-based theory that encompasses problem posing, problem solving, and persuasion.7,8 Research suggests that inquiry activities emphasizing problem solving enhance middle-level students' self-confidence in mastering science and their attitudes towards the discipline.9 Furthermore, inquiry-based learning is considered fundamental to students' understanding of science concepts and processes. The National Science Education Standards (NSES) call for greater emphasis on “inquiry into authentic questions generated from student experiences [which] is the central strategy for teaching science.”10 As a follow up to the NSES, a practical guide has been developed for educators who wish to emphasize inquiry-based instruction.11 A principal thrust within the community science clubs is inquiry-based learning of science through extended investigations and community service projects.12 The model also engages students in authentic learning processes (i.e., real-world problem-solving circumstances), which are both fun and challenging.13,14 Students' projects often target health-related topics and may potentially inform and benefit various communities through dissemination at local and state levels.15 Methods HSTA's effect on the academic success of its graduates and their decisions to pursue post-secondary studies and/or health sciences majors was assessed using quantitative and qualitative methods. HSTA participants are selected based on at least two of the following criteria: African American, financially disadvantaged, rural, and first generation aiming for higher education. Participants are admitted to HSTA during the ninth grade and participate in various activities until they graduate from high school, at which time they are considered HSTA graduates. There are 35 and 61 HSTA graduates for the 1998 and 1999 academic terms, respectively. Telephone interviews were conducted in the fall and spring of the 1999–2000 academic term. Graduates were asked a series of questions that employed a Likert-type scale regarding HSTA's impact on pursuit of post-secondary study (1 = no impact to 5 = very high impact), choosing a health sciences major (1 = no impact to 5 = very high impact), preparation for college (1 = not at all prepared to 3 = extremely prepared), and preparation for major (1 = not at all prepared to 3 = extremely prepared). The participants were also asked to briefly explain why they had rated the program's impact and preparation levels as such. In the fall of 1999, HSTA's impact on graduates' college performances was assessed with an independent t-test comparing the mean (μ) grade-point average (GPA) of 40 HSTA students (experimental) with that of 120 non-HSTA students at West Virginia University (WVU) in Morgantown, West Virginia. The 120 non-HSTA students were randomly selected from those enrolled at WVU with the same status (e.g. freshman), declared major, and residency. In order to achieve an effective sample size based on these characteristics (i.e., status, major, WV residency), three controls were matched to each experimental case. Results and Discussion Interviews. The return rates for questionnaires on pursuing post-secondary study and preparation level were 97% (93 students) and 80% (77) for the combined cohorts (1998 and 1999). Post-secondary Study. The graduates' responses about HSTA's impact on their decisions to pursue post-secondary study indicate a strong impact, 3.88 and 3.96 (5 = very high) for the 1998 and 1999 graduates, respectively. The graduates provided a variety of reasons. One stated, “Before HSTA I didn't even know I could go to college because I'm from a poor family, and they gave me the chance to go to college.” Another graduate affirmed that HSTA was the reason for her being in college. She posited that First of all, I didn't think I would be able to go to college and I really —I didn't have anybody in my family that said okay here is where I'm going, you ought to check this stuff out. When I came up here, I fell in love with the [WVU] campus…. And I got in and it's nice to have contacts…. I knew a lot of the teachers and a lot of the faculty through HSTA and it really helped me out a lot. A graduate who intended to pursue a nursing career reported that “when I was in high school and worked with HSTA for the summer, we got to work with the cadavers. That's hands-on experience that I'd never have had.” Essentially, HSTA provides students with tangible experiences that bring excitement to the learning process. Not only is the program a pipeline for participants who wish to pursue post-secondary study, it also provides financial support for students who would not have had the opportunity to attend college. College Major. Approximately 66% (23) of the 1998 graduates and 80% (49) of the 1999 graduates chose health sciences majors. Among these graduates, the impact of HSTA on this decision ranged from moderate to high, 3.60 (1998 cohort) and 3.74 (1999 cohort) (5 = very high). The graduates rated the program highly because of the hands-on learning experiences it had afforded them. For example, one graduate stated Whenever we… would do hands on experiences, it just made me more interested, especially in Psychology because when we go to mess with the brains… it just made me more interested. It made it not seem as hard or as bad as what people think it is. Another graduate reported that, “HSTA allowed me to see a lot of different areas in the health field that I wouldn't have seen otherwise. It kind of gave me a taste of everything and just sort of oriented me.” Overall, these experiences not only expose students to various occupations of which they would otherwise have no knowledge, but it provides the opportunity to explore horizons within the realm of health sciences. College Preparation. The graduates responded positively regarding level of preparation for college and major as a result of their participation in HSTA. Of both cohorts, 98% (94) were pursuing post-secondary study. In response to questions about college preparation, the mean responses were 2.45 and 2.46 (3 = extremely prepared) for the 1998 and 1999 graduates, respectively. The graduates rated the program's preparation for their majors as 1.95 (1998 cohort) and 2.27 (1999 cohort) (3 = extremely prepared). Thus, the overall perception is that HSTA prepared them at least moderately for their majors. The higher rating given by the 1999 graduates may be due to the higher percentage of them who intended to pursue health sciences majors. College Performance. The HSTA graduates had a significantly higher undergraduate GPA (population mean [μ] undergraduate GPA of 3.00) than the non-HSTA control group's mean GPA of 2.51. An independent t-test comparing the mean GPA of HSTA graduates with that of non-HSTA students at West Virginia University proved that there is a statistically significant difference between the GPAs (α =.05, ρ =.0014, t = 3.2495). The result exemplifies HSTA's impact on those who matriculate to and graduate from the program. After the t test was performed, a 99% confidence interval of the true μ of the non-HSTA population was determined. The true μ of the non-HSTA population is between 2.31 and 2.71. Thus, we are 99% confident that the true mean GPA for the non-HSTA student population lies in the interval [2.31, 2.71]. Therefore, the true μ GPA (3.00) of HSTA students who attend WVU is not only higher than that of the control group (2.51) but also higher than that of the total non-HSTA population. Retention. All HSTA's graduates who enrolled at WVU during the fall of 1998 were retained, compared with a rate of 78% for non-HSTA first-time freshmen (see Figure 1). Furthermore, an overwhelming 74% of 1998 and 1999 HSTA graduates are pursuing health sciences majors, compared with 26% of the graduates who have chosen other fields of study (see Figure 1). The graduates majoring in health sciences are particularly drawn to fields such as biology/chemistry, nursing, psychology, and allied health (see Figure 2).Figure 1: The Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) graduates' GPAs, their retention rates at West Virginia University compared with a non-HSTA group at the university, and their choices of major in higher education, fall and spring 1999–2000.Figure 2: Percentages of Health Sciences and Technology Academy (West Virginia University) graduates choosing different higher education majors, 1998 and 1999.Conclusion and Implications The Health Sciences and Technology Academy provides a pipeline for underrepresented youth to pursue their higher education goals. Through pre-college enrichment measures, HSTA gives students multifaceted opportunities for academic enrichment, which help them to realize that they can become accomplished individuals in their communities and in society at large. Pre-college programs such as HSTA can provide enriching experiences for underprivileged students who may not foresee the importance of completing high school and going to college. Although HSTA has not provided its graduates with enrichment experiences beyond high school, it can be assumed that the success of these students at WVU can be attributed, in part, to the pre-college enrichment provided by HSTA. Many of the graduates at WVU and other higher education institutions express a deep sense of fulfillment as a result of thier participation in HSTA. Furthermore, many have expressed that their desires to pursue health sciences as well as technologic careers are due, in part, to the HSTA program. Their performance relative to that of non-HSTA students with similar interests is extremely encouraging. We believe that the HSTA model provides an exciting opportunity to extend inquiry-based learning, via longitudinal science projects, beyond what otherwise would be possible in the science classroom. All evidence indicates that the long-term benefits of this pre-college enrichment program will be positive.