Toxicology, as a profession, lacks diversity. Undergraduate students, and especially underrepresented students, are not commonly introduced to toxicology at US colleges and universities. The Toxicology Mentoring and Skills Development Training Program (ToxMSDT) seeks to acquaint underrepresented undergraduates enrolled in STEM fields with toxicology fundamentals and skills to aid their entry into graduate programs and, ultimately, careers in toxicology. ToxMSDT is a collaboration among three universities. It is a year-long holistic training and mentoring program comprised of web resources accessible 24/7 and extensive one-to-one mentor-mentee interactions throughout the year. Evaluation of the two-year pilot program shows that students expressed a significant increase in knowledge about toxicology careers, networking with people involved in the field of toxicology, feelings of being part of the toxicology community, and seeing themselves as someone who will study toxicology, compared with their feelings prior to their participation in the ToxMSDT program. Thirty students have completed the ToxMSDT program and all 10 (100%) of those who have graduated have joined graduate school in toxicology or toxicology-related STEM fields. Of the 20 (66.6%) program alumni still enrolled as undergraduates, five (25%) are in the process of applying to graduate programs and medical schools as of August 2019.

Introduction

The Leadership Opportunities with Communities, the Underserved, and Special populations (LOCUS) program at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health is a longitudinal, extracurricular experience for medical students who wish to develop leadership skills and expand their involvement in community health activities during medical school. The program consists of a core curriculum delivered through retreats, workshops, and seminars; a mentor relationship with a physician who is engaged in community health services; and a community service project.

Methods

On-line surveys and interviews with current and past participants as well as direct observations were used to evaluate the effects of the program on participants.

Results

Participants indicated that the program was worthwhile, relevant, and effective in building a community of like-minded peers and physician role models. Participants also reported that the program sustained their interest in and commitment to community service and allowed them to cultivate new skills during medical school.

Conclusions

The curriculum and structure of the LOCUS program offers a successful method for helping medical students learn important leadership skills and maintain an altruistic commitment to service.