Racially and ethnically minoritized individuals, first-generation college students, and women are significantly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. This lack of equal representation limits creativity and progress in these fields and perpetuates systemic barriers that discourage students from pursuing STEM pathways. This special communication introduces the three-tiered mentorship model employed in the Teen Science Ambassador Program (TSAP), which incorporates senior mentors, near-peer mentors, and high school ambassadors (i.e., mentees) to promote education, hands-on research, and career development in STEM for underrepresented students. We discuss the benefits and challenges of the three-tiered model and offer recommendations for optimizing its effectiveness to enhance mentorship experiences for all participants. Findings from the TSAP program suggest that the three-tiered approach benefited all participants: high school ambassadors gained STEM skills and confidence, near-peer mentors developed leadership and communication abilities, and senior mentors improved mentorship skills. However, the effectiveness of near-peer mentorship is highly dependent on clearly defined roles and structured involvement. Thus, feedback collected from each mentorship tier was used to inform subsequent iterations of the program. The layered mentorship structure fostered a sense of community and belonging, which is crucial for retaining individuals from underrepresented groups in STEM.

Introduction: High quality Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) saves lives, however skill retention after standard Basic Life support (BLS) courses has been shown to be poor. Our goal was to develop a student-run, mentorship based program to allow repetitive practice of BLS skills while minimizing resource commitment and time requirements. Methods: We developed a top down training program that relied on online teaching resources, regular simulation training and near-peer feedback. First year medical students were given the opportunity to participate in the program and baseline CPR quality was documented. They were then divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in bi-monthly 40-minute small group training sessions directed by senior medical students and monitored by a staff physician. The control group received no further training. At the end of the 8-month study period CPR quality was documented for all participants. Results: We included data from 54 medical students. Overall compression depth and rate were monitored using Laderall SimMan 3G(TM) high-fidelity CPR mannequins. Average rate and depth of compression were significantly improved in the intervention group relative to both the control group that did not receive training, as well as relative to the intervention groups own pre intervention values (both with p values below 0.05 using Mann-Whitney tests and an intention to treat analysis for loss to follow up). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated a significant improvement in CPR quality as a result of our intervention. Survey data also indicated positive feedback from participants in relation to comfort with in-hospital CPR. As such we intend to continue to run this program, identifying participants each year whom can move into training and leadership roles to help foster CPR and basic resuscitation in our medical community.