An Evaluation of a Sustained Senior Mentor Program for Medical Students

Abstract

Background/ Objective: Medical student geriatrics education using community-based volunteer 2 older persons, known as a Senior Mentor Program (SMP), began decades ago. Though these 3 programs have been described and evaluated against curriculum objectives, the full breadth of 4 students’ learning from SMPs has not been reported. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using content analysis of reflections of Year 2 6 medical students submitted during a single visit home-based SMP. Written reflections of 102 7 randomly selected students from 2016-2018 were inductively coded and grouped into themes. 8 Older persons from the SMP site assisted in coding and quotation selection. Results: We discerned six themes from the evaluation of student reflections: student insight, 10 interview and exam, social community, challenges with aging, strengths (responses to 11 challenges), and physical infrastructure. Conclusion: A single home visit with older adults enables pre-clinical medical students to learn 13 about multiple positive aspects of aging.