Exploring Outcomes of a Learning Theory–Driven Pilot Medical Pathway Program: A Preliminary Evaluation

Background/Introduction Premedical pathway programs serve as vehicles to advance equity and access for students who have experienced systemic barriers to education, yet few explicitly address the academic skill development necessary for success in rigorous science courses. Undergraduate premedical students face significant cognitive load, and success requires not only content knowledge but also the metacognitive learning strategies (MLS) needed to process, integrate, and retrieve information. Methods This pilot study examined whether a learning-theory-driven summer intensive delivered by a trained learning specialist was associated with statistically significant gains on the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) scales based on the foci of the curriculum. A pre-post design was employed with 16 students in the Program. All ten LASSI scales were administered at program entry and exit. Six scales targeted by the curriculum were designated primary outcomes, and the remaining four were reported as secondary outcomes. Open ended survey responses were analyzed using deductive thematic coding. Results/Findings Paired samples t-tests revealed significant gains on all six targeted scales, each of which remained significant after Holm correction: Information Processing (p = .011), Selecting Main Ideas (p = .012), Test Strategies (p = .003), Self-Testing (p = .003), Time Management (p ≤ .001), and Motivation (p < .001). Of the four nontargeted scales, Using Academic Resources also increased, as did Anxiety, Concentration and Attitude did not change significantly. A four-item Perceived Learning Self-Efficacy Scale demonstrated strong internal consistency (alpha = .833). Qualitative analysis yielded three themes: strategy integration, strategic motivation, and strategy transfer across contexts. Discussion/Implications Gains emerged on all six targeted primary scales and on two of the four nontargeted secondary scales. This result suggests that a mandatory, structured, learning specialist delivered intervention was associated with program level growth in students’ strategic learning, possibly through spillover of general-purpose self-regulation skills.