Social capital serves as a navigation resource for all students, especially those with limited exposure to medical and graduate school environments. Participants discussed the importance of not just attracting students but retaining them. They emphasized that the “hidden curriculum” of medical education, with its unwritten social, academic, and economic expectations, was both pervasive and consequential. Several described feeling lost until they connected with peers and mentor physicians who could help decode these unspoken rules. They noted that influence operates as a form of currency in medical and graduate training environments, shaping opportunities and outcomes in subtle but powerful ways. Yet, while there are pathway programs designed to support students, participants observed a lack of robust outcome data to understand whether these programs truly address the barriers students face or how individuals learn to persist through demanding educational journeys.

They also highlighted the essential role of relationships and representation. Peer support, they stressed, is just as vital as guidance from mentors or senior professionals. Seeing leaders who reflect their identities and experiences strengthens students’ sense of belonging and possibility. Ultimately, students thrive when anchored by consistent, meaningful support. They noted a need for more external community-based sources of support beyond what educational institutions provide.

Research Questions

• Do we have an understanding of what is missing in terms of new forms of social capital?
  
• How do the various types of social capital impact navigation of medical and graduate health education pathways? 
  
• What innovations can support the development and growth of relationships needed to support students? 
  
• What does effective mentorship look like across the various phases of medical and health professional training?
• What types of partnerships are most effective for providing the holistic support needed for students?
• What motivates students to continue their education journeys both logistically and emotionally?
• How is a person’s “social capital quotient” measured objectively?
• What kinds of training for high school counselors is needed (and who should provide it) so counselors are equipped to support and encourage students in effective ways?
• What mental health supports are most effective in supporting students through failures? Who  are the best people to provide that care?
• We don’t know much about how internal narratives foster or deter persistence. How do internal  narratives (i.e., related to belonging or lack of belonging) affect the way students approach their education journeys?
• How do we measure the impact of narrative change?