Design and Conduct an Educational Activity and Investigate whether it facilitates the growth of effective social networks to support Undergraduate BM6

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Widening Participation (WP) in Medicine is essential to help minimise the lack of representation in themedical profession (Patterson and Price, 2017). Research suggests that WP students struggle atuniversity due to having fewer social networks (Friend, 2021). Transition periods such as the start ofplacement have been identified as a particular challenge (Curtis and Smith, 2020). Therefore, it isimperative that universities support these students in obtaining the social capital needed at universityand in the medical profession (Thiele et al., 2016; Friend, 2021). The research will be interdisciplinarybetween the School of Education and the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton. Theresearch will be a 3-paper mixed methods thesis, aimed to design, implement, and evaluate the impactof a network-based intervention on supporting WP medicine students with growing and sustaining theirnetworks. A quasi- experimental cross-over design will be implemented. Social Network Analysis andqualitative methods such as focus groups will be employed to evidence the impact of this intervention.The Theory of Change framework and relational capital theory will be used to design, implement andevaluate of this intervention. The impact of this research could include supporting WP students inachieving their objects. Delivering a research-based model to support future WP medical students ingrowing their networks. Providing additional benefits to students on other courses at the university whichalso have a significant WP divide. Has the ability to be adapted nationally and internationally into anetwork-based intervention to support all university students.