Objective: The hidden curriculum of unwritten expectations, norms and values embedded within the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) influences medical students’ education and training. Mentors play an important role in helping students to navigate the hidden curriculum, and near-peer programs may facilitate access to mentorship among OBGYN-interested students. In this session, we will discuss opportunities and considerations for developing longitudinal, near-peer mentorship programs for medical students interested in OBGYN.
Methods: Session agenda:
1. Describe the “Hidden Curriculum” for medical students in the OB/GYN context
2. Share examples of near-peer models of mentorship and learning
3. Review cases highlighting opportunities for near-peer mentorship programs
4. Construct a timeline of important mentorship points across students’ four-years of medical school
5. Discuss the development of a near-peer mentorship program at our institution – longitudinal mentorship pods (spanning the 1st-4th years), large group sessions, small group sessions, and asynchronous resources.
6. Q&A
Results: Interactive components: This workshop will include two interactive components. The first will be a review of cases highlighting scenarios in which students may benefit from mentorship, and a discussion of opportunities for near-peer models of support. The second involves constructing a timeline of important mentorship points across students’ four years of medical school, completed first using individual worksheets, and then shared with the group. By the end of this session, participants will have identified opportunities for near-peer mentorship programs at their home institutions.
Conclusion/ Discussion: The hidden curriculum impacts the educational experiences of medical students interested in careers in OB/GYN, particularly those who are underrepresented in medicine (URM). Our near-peer program has been successful in using affinity pairing to match students based on shared background and identities – including race, sexual orientation, and parenting status – expanding opportunities for students to benefit from the collective knowledge of peers recently in their position. As we seek to diversify the OB/GYN physician workforce, near-peer mentorship programs have the potential to improve existing support structures for medical students from diverse backgrounds, as they prepare for careers as OB/GYNs.
Take-home product: Participants will leave with a toolkit of resources for launching a near-peer mentorship program at their home institution, including worksheets, program timelines, and slide decks.
Topics: Faculty Development Seminar, 2023, Student, Resident, Faculty, Clerkship Director, Clerkship Coordinator, Professionalism, Interpersonal & Communication Skills, UME, Team-Based Learning,
