A Novel, Free Regional Conference Model to Increase Interest and Engagement of Medical Trainees in Pediatrics and Pediatric Research

A Novel, Free Regional Conference Model to Increase Interest and Engagement of Medical Trainees in Pediatrics and Pediatric Research | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A Novel, Free Regional Conference Model to Increase Interest and Engagement of Medical Trainees in Pediatrics and Pediatric Research Mahnoor Memnon, Shahzaib Khan, Christina Guillen, Thomas Wallach This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9457899/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract A myriad of barriers exist to entry into physician science, limiting the pipeline and narrowing explored areas and interests. Residents and fellows who are under-represented in research face many challenges in entering the academy, but a frequently referenced concern is the high cost and logistical burden of traditional academic conferences. We developed “Eats, Streets, Beets” (ESB), a free, trainee-centered pediatrics, nutrition, and community health conference at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, NY, designed to minimize travel and registration barriers. Drawing on communities of practice and experiential learning frameworks, the program combined faculty-led symposia, guaranteed podium presentations for all accepted abstracts, and community engagement. Among participants (n = 27), post-conference surveys (n = 12) showed high overall satisfaction (8.2/10). Participation was associated with self-reported increases in interest in research (85%), pediatrics (80%), and pediatric gastroenterology/nutrition (86%). A trainee- and community-focused paradigm offers opportunity for embedding both the utility of research in clinical practice and the joy of shared discovery; a focus on methodology and comprehension rewards development of skills rather than quality of mentorship. We propose that this model is replicable and scalable, and can be utilized to increase trainee engagement in physician science and pediatrics. medical education physician-scientist pipeline health equity community engagement trainee conference pediatrics Figures Figure 1 Introduction The physician-scientist workforce continues to face long-term pipeline challenges, including declining participation and persistent inequities in recruitment and retention (Feldman, 2014 ). Work in the field has highlighted that lack of “incidental access” and insufficient embedding of research visibility into the curriculum are key factors associated with lower likelihood of research careers in medical trainees (Bain et al., 2025 ). Participation in professional conferences and academic development activities often require payment of registration fees, travel costs, lodging expenses, and meals. Total expenses for a single conference typically exceed $ 1,500 per event (Hutchins & Berkenstock, 2025 ). Registration costs vary widely across professional societies and may further limit access for trainees with constrained financial resources (Oiknine et al., 2023 ). In addition, trainees must navigate scheduling constraints related to clinical duties, call schedules, examinations, and institutional leave policies, which may result in a loss of clinical time or income and reduced feasibility of attendance (Kothari et al., 2017 ). These financial and logistical barriers limit participation among trainees from underrepresented or resource-limited backgrounds (McClain, 2025 ). This has a downstream negative impact on academic enterprise broadly, as diverse research teams have been shown to generate more innovative solutions, higher-impact scientific output, and improved problem-solving compared non-diverse teams (Yang et al., 2022 ). Programs designed to reduce such barriers may represent meaningful strategies to strengthen and diversify the physician-scientist pipeline in pediatrics. Several aspects of educational philosophy suggest that a more local approach to academic gatherings could support engagement from specific communities and reinforce key skills, such as research methodology and critical appraisal of study design. Integrating educational theory and an ultimate goal of accessibility, we developed Eats, Streets, Beets (ESB), a trainee-focused nutrition and community health conference designed to reduce access barriers through free, trainee-centered programming that included faculty exposure and structured professional engagement. In designing the conference, we drew on the communities of practice framework (Wenger, 1998 ), situating the event within our community via location, cultural experiences, and food to contextualize the value of research for trainees as something meaningful beyond the ivory tower. The conference was held at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York, an easily accessible location via public transit. The program opened with nutrition-focused faculty symposium talks addressing topics of direct clinical utility, such as dietary approaches to dermatologic health, management of picky eating in children, and food allergy prevention. These sessions were followed by abstract presentations, all of which delivered as podium talks, a structure designed to support legitimate peripheral participation for emerging scientists (Wenger, 1998 ). We additionally applied principles of experiential learning (Kolb, 1984 ), ensuring that all participation was interactive via podium presentations, incorporating community-oriented content, and linking concrete educational objectives—including understanding the role of research in community health and developing competence in research design and interpretation—to our assessments of quality (Jerardi et al., 2013 ; Zaharatos et al., 2023 ). All participants were automatically considered for the Golden Beets Award, which recognizes a trainee demonstrating mastery of content and confidence in presentation, emphasizing individual performance rather than the resources or prestige of the mentor. Participants included medical students, residents, and fellows from institutions across the city; faculty from three institutions served as introductory speakers and judges for trainee presentations. The community block party—including games and play space for children, crafting areas, book giveaways, community restaurant-sourced food, a DJ, and performances from several Afro-Caribbean dance troupes and bands—provided focal clinical advice and access to supporting institutions to our community, and placed our science fully in the context of the community for trainees and faculty alike. Community groups were invited to perform in ways representing the culture and community of Brooklyn, embedding the learning environment and research concepts within the community this work is meant to serve. This component extended academic engagement beyond the conference setting and promoted bidirectional engagement between trainees and the community. We hypothesized that this approach would support increased interest in pediatrics, research, and pediatric nutrition, and set out to assess the impact of our effort using a post-conference survey. Methods IRB approval was obtained from the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University IRB for a study using a survey instrument (Supplemental Fig. 1). Following the conference, participants completed a post-conference survey assessing training level, prior conference participation, overall experience, and perceived impact of participation on interest in research, pediatrics, and pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition using a 1–10 Likert-type scale. Descriptive results were summarized as frequencies and percentages. Associations between conference features and outcome ratings were assessed using Spearman’s rho (ρ). Results In total, 27 trainees attended ESB, including 19 abstract presenters. An additional 9 faculty members were present, along with 3 invited faculty speakers. Of the 19 trainee presenters, 12 responded to our survey request (response rate 63.2%). Participant demographics are summarized in Table 1 , and training level distribution is shown in Fig. 1 A. Eighty-three percent reported interest in a research-oriented career and 75% in pediatrics. Overall satisfaction with the ESB conference was high (8.25/10), and participants reported positive impacts on interest in pediatrics (8.0/10), interest in research (8.58/10), and interest in pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition (8.67/10; Fig. 1 B). Unique features of the conference scored highly, with positive ratings for the universal use of podium presentations (8.92/10), performances (8.75/10), the community party (8.67/10), the trainee-only nature of the event (8.44/10), and free admission (8.27/10; Fig. 1 C). Correlation analyses revealed several notable patterns (Fig. 1 D). The strongest association with increased interest in research was the trainee-only nature of the conference (ρ = 0.77, p = 0.0145). The factors most strongly associated with increased interest in pediatrics were the podium-only format (ρ = 0.79, p = 0.0024), the cultural performances (ρ = 0.85, p = 0.0005), and the community party (ρ = 0.80, p = 0.0018). The opening end-user focused symposium showed positive correlations with increased interest in pediatrics (ρ = 0.83, p = 0.0008), positive view of the trainee-only format (ρ = 0.84, p = 0.0041), and positive view of the community party (ρ = 0.728, p = 0.0073). When examined by prior conference experience, no statistically significant associations emerged; however, general trends suggested that the perceived value of the trainee-only format and impact on future research goals was most concentrated among participants with less prior experience, while the perceived value of the community party was greatest among those with less conference attendance history. Table 1 appears below. Table 1 Demographics and Characteristics of Survey Respondents Characteristic N = 12 Gender Female 8 (66.7) Male 4 (33.3) Race Caucasian 5 (41.7) Black/African American 3 (25.0) Asian 4 (33.3) Ethnicity Non-Hispanic 9 (75.0) Hispanic 3 (25.0) Training Level Medical Student 6 (50.0) Resident 4 (33.3) Fellow 2 (16.7) Non-MD Advanced Degree 1 (8.3) Interest in Pediatrics 9 (75.0) Interest in Research 10 (83.3) Conferences Attended Mean (SD) 2.4 (1.7) Range 0–5 Values are presented as n (%) unless otherwise specified. SD = Standard Deviation. Discussion The Eats, Streets, and Beets conference structure was intentionally designed to reduce barriers to participation while maximizing opportunities for presentation, mentorship exposure, and community engagement, and our post-participation survey demonstrates that this approach was successful. Integration of a fun, free, community-involved event focused on trainees created an environment that substantially increased interest in research and pediatrics. The ESB conference achieved this through geographically accessible, no-cost programming held at a centrally located urban site in Brooklyn, allowing participants to attend without airfare, hotel stays, or extended absences from clinical duties. Eliminating registration fees and major travel expenses lowered barriers for trainees from resource-limited backgrounds, who may lack financial support, professional networks, or familiarity with academic pathways. Participation from trainees at different stages of training fostered a collaborative learning environment in which diverse perspectives and experiences could be shared, while the absence of financial barriers enabled meaningful networking across levels that might otherwise not occur at traditional meetings. The ESB conference also provided equitable opportunities for all accepted abstracts to be presented as podium talks, promoting active engagement and open dialogue across research interests. Our study has several limitations. The small sample size, single institution/iteration nature of the event, self-report bias, and lack of pre-participation data limits our findings substantially. However, the dire need, low-cost, and easy replicability of this programmatic approach suggests that further work in this area may bear fruit. Our findings suggest that our objectives were effectively realized: a free, engaging, and culturally relevant conference led to meaningful improvements in engagement and interest, and established a model that can be replicated at scale in major metropolitan areas. These events can be implemented across medical schools and training programs, building on our experience that such initiatives strengthen regional mentorship networks and incorporate community engagement activities that connect academic work to local public health needs. By broadening participation across socioeconomic, geographic, and institutional backgrounds, ESB expanded the range of voices contributing to scientific dialogue, which may promote innovative thinking through the integration of varied experiences and perspectives. Such accessibility can enhance equity in academic participation while supporting the development of research that is responsive to a diverse patient population. In this way, ESB demonstrates how accessible regional programming centered around rewarding participation and methodological competence drives engagement and excitement about a potential academic future. As previously discussed, GME literature demonstrates substantial challenges to diverse and underrepresented candidates entering academic research in medicine. Our data suggests our approach may help reduce disparities in medical science by decentralizing opportunities for scholarly engagement beyond traditional academic centers and fostering a more representative future workforce. Declarations Funding: This study was unfunded. Mead Johnson Nutrition provided funding for the Eats, Streets, Beets conference event. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval: This study was deemed exempt from full review by the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Institutional Review Board as it involves anonymous surveys with minimal risk to participants. Informed Consent: Informed consent was implied by voluntary completion of the anonymous survey; no identifying information was collected. Data Availability: All data are shared in this manuscript. Raw data are available on request from the corresponding author. Author Contributions: Study concept and design: MM, CG, TW Data acquisition: MM, SK, TW Analysis and interpretation of data: SK, TW Drafting of the manuscript: MM, SK Critical revision of the manuscript: CG, TW Approval of final manuscript: All authors References Bain, R., Lee, J., Soars, S., et al. (2025). Barriers and enablers to medical students’ engagement in research and clinical academic careers: A mixed-methods study. British Medical Journal Open , 15 , e102988. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-102988 Feldman, A. M. (2014). The National Institutes of Health Physician-Scientist Workforce Working Group report: A roadmap for preserving the physician-scientist. Clinical and Translational Science , 7 (4), 289–290. https://doi.org/10.1111/cts.12191 Hutchins, D., & Berkenstock, M. K. (2025). Financial barriers for medical students attending ophthalmology conferences: An analysis of registration fees. Frontiers in Medicine, 12, 1708446. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2025.1708446 Jerardi, K., Solan, L., DeBlasio, D. (2013). Evaluating the impact of interactive and entertaining educational conferences. Perspectives on Medical Education, 2(5–6), 349–355. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-013-0082-y Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development . Prentice-Hall. Kothari, A., Breaud, A. H., Manasco, A. T. (2017). Resident attendance at weekly conferences after implementation of an optional asynchronous learning curriculum. International Journal of Medical Education, 8, 163–164. https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.58ed.0c42 McClain, C. R. (2025). Too poor to science: How wealth determines who succeeds in STEM. PLOS Biology , 23 , e3003243. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003243 Oiknine, N., Vervoort, D., & Ma, X. (2023). Financial barriers to surgical conferences: A cross-sectional analysis of registration fees. World Journal of Surgery, 47, 2600–2607. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-023-07092-2 Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity . Cambridge University Press. Yang, Y., Tian, T. Y., Woodruff, T. K. (2022). Gender-diverse teams produce more novel and higher-impact scientific ideas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(36), e2200841119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2200841119 Zaharatos, M., Meyer, C. T., & Hernandez-Webster, J. (2023). Experiential learning: Conferences as a tool to develop students’ understanding of community-engaged research. Social Sciences, 12(6), 352. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12060352 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9457899","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":627153180,"identity":"69607639-8630-42b8-b720-e8e13e57a9ed","order_by":0,"name":"Mahnoor Memnon","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mahnoor","middleName":"","lastName":"Memnon","suffix":""},{"id":627153188,"identity":"f9a7c4d6-e764-4834-b93f-4762b34c4eba","order_by":1,"name":"Shahzaib Khan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shahzaib","middleName":"","lastName":"Khan","suffix":""},{"id":627153189,"identity":"73cd758b-fdd7-40c1-9b38-d5ab896518d8","order_by":2,"name":"Christina Guillen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Christina","middleName":"","lastName":"Guillen","suffix":""},{"id":627153190,"identity":"bfa321b8-480d-464e-9b3d-cb1b643b39f3","order_by":3,"name":"Thomas Wallach","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Thomas","middleName":"","lastName":"Wallach","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-18 20:08:46","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9457899/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9457899/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":109012383,"identity":"640ce3b6-ee9d-497d-af0e-e39c2529ef53","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 16:52:19","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":416981,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConference Feedback Analysis. \u003c/strong\u003e(A) Distribution of participant training levels (N = 12). (B) Box plots showing impact of conference on future interests in research, pediatrics, and pediatric GI/nutrition (scale 1–10). (C) Distribution of ratings for conference features. (D) Spearman’s rank correlation matrix showing relationships between all measured variables; blue indicates positive associations, red indicates negative associations. All correlation values significant at p \u0026lt; 0.05 are shown in bold.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9457899/v1/8e90748ec104b1f1ff9b0328.png"},{"id":109249337,"identity":"8612779a-1b12-41f2-bb68-40d50b8b95e4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-14 08:48:45","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":578313,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9457899/v1/e9e225d9-21f4-4ef3-bee9-4b46844c61ed.pdf"},{"id":109012382,"identity":"fb9bdcf5-81ba-434d-b404-348dd0cedb50","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 16:52:19","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":97298,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SupplementalFigure1.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9457899/v1/a2db62bed7bc0d48d3c93173.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"A Novel, Free Regional Conference Model to Increase Interest and Engagement of Medical Trainees in Pediatrics and Pediatric Research","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe physician-scientist workforce continues to face long-term pipeline challenges, including declining participation and persistent inequities in recruitment and retention (Feldman, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). Work in the field has highlighted that lack of \u0026ldquo;incidental access\u0026rdquo; and insufficient embedding of research visibility into the curriculum are key factors associated with lower likelihood of research careers in medical trainees (Bain et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Participation in professional conferences and academic development activities often require payment of registration fees, travel costs, lodging expenses, and meals. Total expenses for a single conference typically exceed \u003cspan\u003e$\u003c/span\u003e1,500 per event (Hutchins \u0026amp; Berkenstock, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Registration costs vary widely across professional societies and may further limit access for trainees with constrained financial resources (Oiknine et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). In addition, trainees must navigate scheduling constraints related to clinical duties, call schedules, examinations, and institutional leave policies, which may result in a loss of clinical time or income and reduced feasibility of attendance (Kothari et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). These financial and logistical barriers limit participation among trainees from underrepresented or resource-limited backgrounds (McClain, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). This has a downstream negative impact on academic enterprise broadly, as diverse research teams have been shown to generate more innovative solutions, higher-impact scientific output, and improved problem-solving compared non-diverse teams (Yang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Programs designed to reduce such barriers may represent meaningful strategies to strengthen and diversify the physician-scientist pipeline in pediatrics.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSeveral aspects of educational philosophy suggest that a more local approach to academic gatherings could support engagement from specific communities and reinforce key skills, such as research methodology and critical appraisal of study design. Integrating educational theory and an ultimate goal of accessibility, we developed Eats, Streets, Beets (ESB), a trainee-focused nutrition and community health conference designed to reduce access barriers through free, trainee-centered programming that included faculty exposure and structured professional engagement. In designing the conference, we drew on the communities of practice framework (Wenger, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1998\u003c/span\u003e), situating the event within our community via location, cultural experiences, and food to contextualize the value of research for trainees as something meaningful beyond the ivory tower. The conference was held at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York, an easily accessible location via public transit. The program opened with nutrition-focused faculty symposium talks addressing topics of direct clinical utility, such as dietary approaches to dermatologic health, management of picky eating in children, and food allergy prevention. These sessions were followed by abstract presentations, all of which delivered as podium talks, a structure designed to support legitimate peripheral participation for emerging scientists (Wenger, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1998\u003c/span\u003e). We additionally applied principles of experiential learning (Kolb, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1984\u003c/span\u003e), ensuring that all participation was interactive via podium presentations, incorporating community-oriented content, and linking concrete educational objectives\u0026mdash;including understanding the role of research in community health and developing competence in research design and interpretation\u0026mdash;to our assessments of quality (Jerardi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e; Zaharatos et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). All participants were automatically considered for the Golden Beets Award, which recognizes a trainee demonstrating mastery of content and confidence in presentation, emphasizing individual performance rather than the resources or prestige of the mentor. Participants included medical students, residents, and fellows from institutions across the city; faculty from three institutions served as introductory speakers and judges for trainee presentations. The community block party\u0026mdash;including games and play space for children, crafting areas, book giveaways, community restaurant-sourced food, a DJ, and performances from several Afro-Caribbean dance troupes and bands\u0026mdash;provided focal clinical advice and access to supporting institutions to our community, and placed our science fully in the context of the community for trainees and faculty alike. Community groups were invited to perform in ways representing the culture and community of Brooklyn, embedding the learning environment and research concepts within the community this work is meant to serve. This component extended academic engagement beyond the conference setting and promoted bidirectional engagement between trainees and the community.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe hypothesized that this approach would support increased interest in pediatrics, research, and pediatric nutrition, and set out to assess the impact of our effort using a post-conference survey.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eIRB approval was obtained from the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University IRB for a study using a survey instrument (Supplemental Fig.\u0026nbsp;1). Following the conference, participants completed a post-conference survey assessing training level, prior conference participation, overall experience, and perceived impact of participation on interest in research, pediatrics, and pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition using a 1\u0026ndash;10 Likert-type scale.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDescriptive results were summarized as frequencies and percentages. Associations between conference features and outcome ratings were assessed using Spearman\u0026rsquo;s rho (ρ).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn total, 27 trainees attended ESB, including 19 abstract presenters. An additional 9 faculty members were present, along with 3 invited faculty speakers. Of the 19 trainee presenters, 12 responded to our survey request (response rate 63.2%). Participant demographics are summarized in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, and training level distribution is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eA. Eighty-three percent reported interest in a research-oriented career and 75% in pediatrics. Overall satisfaction with the ESB conference was high (8.25/10), and participants reported positive impacts on interest in pediatrics (8.0/10), interest in research (8.58/10), and interest in pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition (8.67/10; Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eB). Unique features of the conference scored highly, with positive ratings for the universal use of podium presentations (8.92/10), performances (8.75/10), the community party (8.67/10), the trainee-only nature of the event (8.44/10), and free admission (8.27/10; Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eC).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCorrelation analyses revealed several notable patterns (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003eD). The strongest association with increased interest in research was the trainee-only nature of the conference (ρ\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.77, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.0145). The factors most strongly associated with increased interest in pediatrics were the podium-only format (ρ\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.79, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.0024), the cultural performances (ρ\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.85, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.0005), and the community party (ρ\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.80, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.0018). The opening end-user focused symposium showed positive correlations with increased interest in pediatrics (ρ\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.83, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.0008), positive view of the trainee-only format (ρ\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.84, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.0041), and positive view of the community party (ρ\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.728, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.0073). When examined by prior conference experience, no statistically significant associations emerged; however, general trends suggested that the perceived value of the trainee-only format and impact on future research goals was most concentrated among participants with less prior experience, while the perceived value of the community party was greatest among those with less conference attendance history.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e appears below.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDemographics and Characteristics of Survey Respondents\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"2\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCharacteristic\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGender\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8 (66.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 (33.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRace\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCaucasian\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5 (41.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack/African American\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3 (25.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAsian\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 (33.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEthnicity\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNon-Hispanic\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9 (75.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHispanic\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3 (25.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTraining Level\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMedical Student\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6 (50.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResident\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 (33.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFellow\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2 (16.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNon-MD Advanced Degree\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 (8.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInterest in Pediatrics\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9 (75.0)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInterest in Research\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10 (83.3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eConferences Attended\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.4 (1.7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRange\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u0026ndash;5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eValues are presented as n (%) unless otherwise specified. SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Standard Deviation.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003e The Eats, Streets, and Beets conference structure was intentionally designed to reduce barriers to participation while maximizing opportunities for presentation, mentorship exposure, and community engagement, and our post-participation survey demonstrates that this approach was successful. Integration of a fun, free, community-involved event focused on trainees created an environment that substantially increased interest in research and pediatrics.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e The ESB conference achieved this through geographically accessible, no-cost programming held at a centrally located urban site in Brooklyn, allowing participants to attend without airfare, hotel stays, or extended absences from clinical duties. Eliminating registration fees and major travel expenses lowered barriers for trainees from resource-limited backgrounds, who may lack financial support, professional networks, or familiarity with academic pathways. Participation from trainees at different stages of training fostered a collaborative learning environment in which diverse perspectives and experiences could be shared, while the absence of financial barriers enabled meaningful networking across levels that might otherwise not occur at traditional meetings. The ESB conference also provided equitable opportunities for all accepted abstracts to be presented as podium talks, promoting active engagement and open dialogue across research interests.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOur study has several limitations. The small sample size, single institution/iteration nature of the event, self-report bias, and lack of pre-participation data limits our findings substantially. However, the dire need, low-cost, and easy replicability of this programmatic approach suggests that further work in this area may bear fruit. Our findings suggest that our objectives were effectively realized: a free, engaging, and culturally relevant conference led to meaningful improvements in engagement and interest, and established a model that can be replicated at scale in major metropolitan areas. These events can be implemented across medical schools and training programs, building on our experience that such initiatives strengthen regional mentorship networks and incorporate community engagement activities that connect academic work to local public health needs. By broadening participation across socioeconomic, geographic, and institutional backgrounds, ESB expanded the range of voices contributing to scientific dialogue, which may promote innovative thinking through the integration of varied experiences and perspectives. Such accessibility can enhance equity in academic participation while supporting the development of research that is responsive to a diverse patient population. In this way, ESB demonstrates how accessible regional programming centered around rewarding participation and methodological competence drives engagement and excitement about a potential academic future. As previously discussed, GME literature demonstrates substantial challenges to diverse and underrepresented candidates entering academic research in medicine. Our data suggests our approach may help reduce disparities in medical science by decentralizing opportunities for scholarly engagement beyond traditional academic centers and fostering a more representative future workforce.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding: \u003c/strong\u003eThis study was unfunded. Mead Johnson Nutrition provided funding for the Eats, Streets, Beets conference event.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting Interests: \u003c/strong\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics Approval: \u003c/strong\u003eThis study was deemed exempt from full review by the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Institutional Review Board as it involves anonymous surveys with minimal risk to participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformed Consent: \u003c/strong\u003eInformed consent was implied by voluntary completion of the anonymous survey; no identifying information was collected.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability: \u003c/strong\u003eAll data are shared in this manuscript. Raw data are available on request from the corresponding author.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contributions:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudy concept and design: MM, CG, TW\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData acquisition: MM, SK, TW\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnalysis and interpretation of data: SK, TW\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrafting of the manuscript: MM, SK\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCritical revision of the manuscript: CG, TW\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eApproval of final manuscript: All authors\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBain, R., Lee, J., Soars, S., et al. (2025). 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Social Sciences, 12(6), 352. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12060352\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.3390/socsci12060352\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"medical education, physician-scientist pipeline, health equity, community engagement, trainee conference, pediatrics","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9457899/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9457899/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eA myriad of barriers exist to entry into physician science, limiting the pipeline and narrowing explored areas and interests. Residents and fellows who are under-represented in research face many challenges in entering the academy, but a frequently referenced concern is the high cost and logistical burden of traditional academic conferences. We developed \u0026ldquo;Eats, Streets, Beets\u0026rdquo; (ESB), a free, trainee-centered pediatrics, nutrition, and community health conference at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, NY, designed to minimize travel and registration barriers. Drawing on communities of practice and experiential learning frameworks, the program combined faculty-led symposia, guaranteed podium presentations for all accepted abstracts, and community engagement. Among participants (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;27), post-conference surveys (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;12) showed high overall satisfaction (8.2/10). Participation was associated with self-reported increases in interest in research (85%), pediatrics (80%), and pediatric gastroenterology/nutrition (86%). A trainee- and community-focused paradigm offers opportunity for embedding both the utility of research in clinical practice and the joy of shared discovery; a focus on methodology and comprehension rewards development of skills rather than quality of mentorship. We propose that this model is replicable and scalable, and can be utilized to increase trainee engagement in physician science and pediatrics.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"A Novel, Free Regional Conference Model to Increase Interest and Engagement of Medical Trainees in Pediatrics and Pediatric Research","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-11 16:52:15","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9457899/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"0dccb1a1-a2e7-445a-a54f-98ae79d38d57","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 11th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"decision","content":"Rejected","date":"2026-05-13T02:01:57+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-13T02:10:35+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-11 16:52:15","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9457899","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9457899","identity":"rs-9457899","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}