NextGenDO: A Pre-medical Outreach Program to Promote Early Exposure to Osteopathic Medicine

TL;DR

NextGenDO is a program that introduces high school students to osteopathic medicine through engaging activities and shows it increases awareness and interest in medical careers.

Contribution

The program introduces a novel, gamified approach to early exposure to osteopathic medicine for high school students.

Findings

Students showed increased familiarity with osteopathic medicine after the program.

Most students were more likely to consider osteopathic medicine as a career.

Participants expressed interest in shadowing physicians and attending similar events.

Abstract

The osteopathic profession continues to grow, yet awareness of its philosophy and training remains limited among students exploring medical careers. Early outreach initiatives can play an important role in improving exposure and garnering interest in the osteopathic pathway. The NextGenDO program was developed as a single-day, immersive event that introduced high school students to osteopathic medicine through gamified activities, hands-on learning, and interaction with medical students. This prospective, observational study evaluated the program’s impact using pre- and post-surveys. A total of 26 students were found eligible to participate, with most completing both surveys. Participants represented multiple grade levels and diverse backgrounds. Following the event, students demonstrated increased familiarity with osteopathic medicine, with survey analysis confirming a statistically significant improvement. Improvements were also noted in interest in medicine, confidence to pursue a medical career, and understanding of the pathway to becoming a physician, although these changes did not reach statistical significance. Post-event responses indicated that the majority of students were more likely to consider osteopathic medicine as a career, expressed interest in shadowing a physician, and were eager to attend similar outreach events. These findings support the value of early exposure programs in enhancing awareness of osteopathic medicine and encouraging interest in future medical careers.

Figures