| A pediatric residency program was paired with a program designed for at-risk high school students to develop peer-led teen health education projects. Pediatric residents met weekly with girls (grades 9-12) at a large urban high school, and utilized a constructivist approach to mentor student creation of high quality participatory action research projects on health topics of interest to adolescents, while simultaneously modeling health careers for the students. Students identified and researched topics, created and conducted surveys utilizing technology, analyzed outcomes, discussed presentation plans, developed educational interventions to raise awareness of these issues amongst their fellow high school students, and disseminated project results at a regional medical conference. Student reflections revealed evidence of educational transformation, critical use of technology, and personal growth, while resident reflections revealed improved communication skills with adolescents and increased knowledge of the social determinants of health that affect adolescents in their community. The results of this project demonstrate the feasibility of a resident-mentored, school-based, peer-led, health education program to strengthen student and resident self-efficacy, while exposing disadvantaged minority youth to health leadership opportunities in a field in which they are underrepresented. |
