What is Pipeline Program

A diverse health professions workforce is critical to healthcare access and quality, but nurturing interest and recruiting students from underrepresented backgrounds into health science careers remain a challenge. Pipeline programs commonly target students who are underrepresented in health professions, including those from racially and ethnically minoritized groups as well as those from rural areas, low socioeconomic backgrounds, first-generation college students, and other marginalized subgroups. The work of a variety of institutions in developing pipeline programs provides many successful models for enhancing diversity in health professions programs. This chapter describes the roles institutions and pre-health advisors can play in connecting underrepresented pre-health students with well-designed pipeline programs.