Urban Health Pathway Pipeline Program (UHPPP) in Allied Health Sciences

There is an overwhelming lack of diversity in healthcare. Data shows minority populations are underrepresented (URM) in all areas of direct patient care and this disproportionate number of racial/ethnic minorities, particularly African Americans and Latinos will only increase in the subsequent years. The key to addressing the issue of underrepresentation of URM students in health professions educational programs and in the workforce is the development of practices and programming to increase URM students’ sense of belonging and agency. This study aims to show that increasing faculty/staff and student intercultural competence through a series of tailored training based on Intercultural competence development inventory (IDI) and intercultural conflict style inventory (ICS) will lead to a greater perception of a positive campus climate by prospective URM students; that there is a positive relationship between the faculty mentor relationships and increased sense of belonging and self-efficacy of URM students; and that the development and implementation of a health professions pipeline program focused on belonging, agency, and mentoring relationships will increase URM applications and enrollment in graduate programs within the College of Allied Health Science.