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Summer bridge programs have long been utilized by postsecondary institutions to improve the college readiness of students; however, the research on their effectiveness is limited. This study presents evidence from an experimental study of one summer bridge program model specifically designed for recent high school graduates who placed into developmental education. The program took place at eight open access colleges in Texas during the summer of 2009, and participants were followed for two academic years. To provide needed context, we first describe site selection, random assignment, and program implementation. Quantitative results indicate that the program had no effect on the average number of credits attempted and earned or student persistence in postsecondary education. The program did have an impact on first college-level course completion in math ( p p

Context: Recent literature has focused on reasons for athletic training student persistence and departure. However, accredited professional bachelor's athletic training program (ATP) directors' opinions regarding student retention have yet to be studied, to our knowledge.Objective: To determine reasons for athletic training student persistence and departure from professional bachelor's ATPs across the United States from the program directors' (PDs') perspective.Design: Two-part qualitative study.Setting: Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education professional bachelor's ATPs.Patients or Other Participants: For Part 1 of this study, we asked PDs of all 343 ATPs to complete an online survey, gathering responses from 177 (51.6%). Using data saturation as a guide, Part 2 included performing follow-up telephone interviews to gain further understanding, clarity, and triangulation with 16 randomly selected PDs.Main Outcome Measure(s): During Part 1, participants chronicled responses to open-ended questions as part of the online survey. For the second part of the study, the telephone interviews followed a semistructured format and were recorded to facilitate transcription. We analyzed data using grounded theory and secured trustworthiness by using multiple-analyst triangulation, member checks, and a peer review.Results: Program directors reported athletic training students persist due to their career goals, the personal relationships they create, and because they enjoy and are dedicated to athletic training. The respondents stated that athletic training students leave ATPs because of the academic rigor, the program not meeting expectations, a loss of interest, career considerations, and financial reasons.Conclusions: Program directors should educate prospective athletic training students about athletic training by providing a realistic explanation of the roles and responsibilities of the profession. Selecting clinical education sites with preceptors who enjoy their career choice and good working conditions may help solidify athletic training student commitment to the ATP and the athletic training profession.

Community colleges play a vital role in postsecondary education, enrolling more than one in every three postsecondary students. While their importance has grown over the past 50 years, their students’ success rates remain low. Consequently, community college stakeholders are searching with mounting urgency for approaches that increase students’ success rates. “Learning communities” are one popular strategy. This article describes the results of one of the largest (n ≈ 7,000) independent randomized trials in higher education history—an evaluation of the effectiveness of learning communities for students in developmental education at six community colleges throughout the United States. The estimated overall average effects of learning communities are positive, although quite modest.

ContextAthletic training programs (ATPs) are charged with meeting an increased demand for athletic trainers with adequate graduates. Currently, the retention rate of athletic training students in ATPs nationwide and the programmatic factors associated with these retention rates remain unknown.ObjectiveDetermine the retention rate for athletic training students nationwide and the programmatic factors associated with retention.DesignCross-sectional online survey.SettingUndergraduate ATPs.Patients or Other ParticipantsProgram directors (PDs) of all Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited undergraduate ATPs were surveyed. We obtained responses from 177 of the 343 PDs (51.6%).Intervention(s)The survey asked PDs for information about their institution, ATP, and themselves.Main Outcome Measure(s)Self-reported retention rate.ResultsThe participants reported an average retention rate of 81.0% ± 17.9%. We found a significant prediction equation (F4,167 = 16.39, R2 = 0.282, P < .001), using the perceptions of student success factor (P < .001, R2 = 0.162), the timing of formal admission (P < .001, R2 = 0.124), the number of years the ATPs had been accredited (P = .001, R2 = 0.039), the number of students admitted to the ATP annually (P = .001, R2 = 0.037), and the number of years the PDs had held their position at their current institution (P = .03, R2 = 0.018).ConclusionsProgram directors should work to provide a stimulating atmosphere to motivate students. Delaying the formal admission of prospective students may allow athletic training students to make an informed decision to enter an ATP. A rich history of success and consistent leadership can provide an ATP environment that fosters retention. Program directors should carefully consider how many students to admit into the ATP annually, as individual attention may alter retention decisions of athletic training students.

PURPOSE To describe educational outcomes for a national cohort of students who enrolled in MD-PhD programs at medical school matriculation (MD-PhD matriculants). METHOD The authors used multivariate logistic regression to identify factors independently associated with overall MD-PhD program attrition (MD-only graduation or medical school withdrawal/dismissal) compared with MD-PhD program graduation among the 1995-2000 national cohort of MD-PhD matriculants at medical schools with and without Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) support. RESULTS Of 2,582 MD-PhD matriculants, 1,885 (73.0%) were MD-PhD graduates, 597 (23.1%) were MD-only graduates, and 100 (3.9%) withdrew/were dismissed from medical school by July 2011. MD-PhD matriculants at non-MSTP-funded schools (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.60-2.41) and who had lower Medical College Admission Test scores (< 31 versus ≥ 36: AOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.20-2.14; 31-33 versus ≥ 36: AOR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.01-1.70) were more likely to leave the MD-PhD program; matriculants who reported greater planned career involvement in research (AOR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.51-0.84) and matriculated more recently (AOR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.85-0.96) were less likely to leave the MD-PhD program. Gender, race/ethnicity, and premedical debt were not independently associated with overall MD-PhD program attrition. CONCLUSIONS Most MD-PhD matriculants completed the MD-PhD program; most of those who left were MD-only graduates. Findings regarding variables associated with attrition can inform efforts to recruit and support students through successful completion of MD-PhD program requirements.

Having garnered national attention, high failure rates in developmental education present a significant barrier to state and national policymakers’ goals of increasing the percentage of adults who earn a college credential. However, a majority of the research fails to consider why students place into developmental education. This piece examines a sample of recent high school graduates in Texas who placed into developmental education with the goal of gaining a more nuanced understanding of why these students required remediation. We find that rather than simply blaming the students for their failure to learn basic skills, there are concrete and actionable steps that policymakers and practitioners can take to help students avoid remediation, important actions that would increase students’ chances of earning a postsecondary credential.

This exploratory qualitative study investigated how doctoral students reported their personal and professional interaction experiences that they believed might facilitate or impede their academic pursuits in biomedical research. We collected 19 in-depth interviews with doctoral students in biomedical research from eight universities, and we based our qualitative analytic approach on the work of Miles and Huberman. The results indicated that among different sources and types of interaction, academic and emotional interactions from family and teachers in various stages essentially affected students’ persistence in the biomedical science field. In addition, co-mentorship among peers, departmental environment, and volunteer experiences were other essential factors. This study also found related experiences among women and underrepresented minority students that were important to their academic pursuit.

Increasing the percentage of adults with a college credential is paramount to sustaining our economic competitiveness. One strategy that has potential to help achieve the goal of increased postsecondary degree production is dual enrollment, which allows high school students to enroll in college-level courses for credit that can be applied simultaneously toward their high school and college degree requirements. However, dual enrollment can only help if students have access. This study capitalizes on a policy shift in the state of Virginia to descriptively assess whether dual enrollment offerings are disproportionally associated with certain high school characteristics. Although the policy shift had positive implications for access to dual enrollment courses, we found that access remains inequitably distributed. High schools that are located in suburbs and the northern region of the state, as well as high schools that are comprised of a high percentage of underrepresented students, continue to lag in their ...

Learning communities, a small cohort of students enrolled together in two or more linked courses, have become a popular intervention to help under-prepared students succeed in college. Though learning communities abound in practice, the key structural feature of a learning community—the cohort—may not be fully understood. Authors posit that a cohort needs both a structural and communal component to function well. This study examines qualitative data from a pilot site and four community colleges that participated in a random assignment evaluation. Authors observed differences between learning community and non-learning community experiences in terms of classroom climate and academic support networks for students. Differences can be attributed to both the structural nature of the cohort as well as emergent social group dynamics. As such, the cohorts within learning communities appeared to act as mechanisms for increasing student interaction and interdependence. The authors anticipate that these gains in the student experience will enhance student retention.

Do summer laboratory research apprenticeships during high school have an impact on entry to MD/PhD programs? This quantitative study (n= 236,432) examines the connection between laboratory research apprenticeship experience at the high school level and matriculation into one of the more rigorous educational programs for scientific research training., Do summer laboratory research apprenticeships during high school have an impact on entry into MD/PhD programs? Apart from the nearly decade-long span of time between high school and matriculation into an MD/PhD program, young people have many life-shaping experiences that presumably impact their education and career trajectories. This quantitative study (n = 236,432) examines the connection between early laboratory research apprenticeship experiences at the high school level and matriculation into one of the more rigorous educational programs for scientific research training. The span of time covered by this analysis reaches across more than a decade, examining the potential importance of research experiences during the precollege years in the educational trajectory of young people. Intertwined with this question on research experiences is a second major concern regarding diversity in the life sciences research corps. Diversity in this wide-ranging discipline refers specifically to the underrepresentation of Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latino/as, and American Indians/Alaska Natives among the ranks of research scientists. Thus, this study includes analyses that specifically focus on research apprenticeships of Blacks/African Americans and Hispanics/Latino/as and their entrance into MD/PhD programs.

Context: The average retention rate for students enrolled in undergraduate athletic training programs (ATPs) nationwide has been reported to be 81%, and slightly more than half of program directors (PDs) have indicated that retention of athletic training students (ATSs) is a problem. However, why PDs do or do not believe ATS retention is problematic is unknown. Objective: To determine why PDs do or do not believe ATS retention is problematic. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Undergraduate ATPs. Patients or Other Participants: We obtained responses from 177 of the 343 PDs (51.6%). Using data saturation as a guide, we randomly selected 16 PDs from the survey responses to participate in follow-up telephone interviews; 8 believed retention was a problem and 8 did not. Data Collection and Analysis: During audio-recorded telephone interviews, we asked PDs why they thought retention was or was not a problem for athletic training education. Following verbatim transcription, we used grounded theory to analyze the interview data and maintained trustworthiness by using intercoder agreement, member checks, and peer review. Results: Program directors believed that retaining ATSs was a problem because students lack information regarding athletic training and the rigor of the ATP. Program directors were consistent in their perception that ATPs do not have a retention challenge because of the use of a secondary admissions process. This finding was likely based on personal use of a secondary admissions process in the ATPs these PDs lead. Conclusions: Program directors who lead ATPs that struggle to retain ATSs should consider using a secondary admissions process. During the preprofessional phase of the ATP, faculty and staff should work to socialize students to the demands of the ATP and the professional lives of athletic trainers.

MD-PhD scientists are a successful, but small and fairly homogenous group of biomedical researchers. The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study to identify predictors of MD-PhD program enrollment to inform evidence-based strategies to increase the size and diversity of the biomedical research workforce.Using deidentified data from all 2001-2006 Pre-Medical College Admission Test Questionnaire (PMQ) respondents, they developed multivariate logistic regression models to identify demographic, experiential, and attitudinal variables associated with MD-PhD program enrollment at matriculation compared with all other MD program enrollment at matriculation and with not enrolling in medical school by August 2012.Of 207,436 PMQ respondents with complete data for all variables of interest, 2,575 (1.2%) were MD-PhD program enrollees, 80,856 (39.0%) were other MD program enrollees, and 124,005 (59.8%) were non-medical-school matriculants. Respondents who were black (versus white), were high school and college laboratory research apprenticeship participants, and highly endorsed the importance of research/finding cures as reasons to study medicine were more likely to be MD-PhD program enrollees, whereas respondents who highly endorsed the status of medicine as a reason to study medicine were less likely to be MD-PhD program enrollees than either other MD program enrollees or non-medical-school matriculants.MD-PhD program directors succeed in enrolling students whose attitudes and interests align with MD-PhD program goals. Continued efforts are needed to promote MD-PhD workforce diversity and the value of high school and college research apprenticeships for students considering careers as physician-scientists.