Gateways: How pre-health advisors develop advising philosophies when working with first-generation and Black, Indigenous, and people of color pre-health students. A narrative inquiry and critical event analysis study

Abstract

Despite efforts to increase racial and ethnic diversity among healthcare providers, enrollment in health professional school and the United States physician workforce remains disproportionately White. Historical exclusion of minoritized populations due to pervasive deficit-based thinking has impacted first-generation (FG) and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) students from accessing equitable opportunities to prepare competitive applications to health professional schools. Pre-health advisors are uniquely positioned to provide marginalized students with support and information that can increase a FG or BIPOC student’s persistence through college and into health professional school. This narrative inquiry and critical event analysis study aimed to understand how pre-health advisors develop advising philosophies, how they are taught to advise FG and BIPOC students, and how they feel they advise marginalized students. The results suggest that despite engaging with largely deficit-based training and resources, the pre-health advisors in this study developed strengths and asset-based advising philosophies and provide advising to FG and BIPOC students from an empowering place with honesty and care. The findings from this study have implications for advisors supporting FG and BIPOC students in a time when policy in education is shifting away from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices.