The Relationship Between Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Variables and Academic Performance of Students in the Science Enrichment Preparation (S.E.P.) Program

This dissertation study concerned the lack of underrepresented minority students matriculating through the health professions pipeline. The term pipeline is "the educational avenue by which one must travel to successfully enter a profession" (Sullivan Alliance, 2004). There are a significant number of health professional pipeline programs based across the United States and, for the purposes of this study, a focus was placed on the Science Enrichment Preparation (S.E.P.) Program which is based at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The S.E.P. Program, is an eight-week residential summer experience, designed to support underrepresented minority pre-health students develop the competitive edge for successful admission into health professional school programs.;The bedrock of this dissertation study concerned itself with the relationships between cognitive variables and non-cognitive variables and academic performance of students in the S.E.P. Program from 2005-2013. The study was undertaken to provide a clearer understanding for the NC Health Careers Access Program's (NC-HCAP) leadership with regard to variables associated with the students' academic performance in the S.E.P. Program. The data outcomes were informative for NC-HCAP in identifying cognitive and non-cognitive variables associated with student academic performance. Additionally, these findings provided direction as to what infrastructures may be put into place to more effectively support the S.E.P. participants. It is the researcher's hope this study may serve as an educational model and resource to pipeline programs and others with similar educational missions.;The consequences and implications of a non-diverse healthcare workforce are high and far reaching. Without parity representation in the healthcare workforce, health disparities between racial and economic groups will likely continue to grow.