Investigating Appalachian Medical Students’ Perceived Supports and Inhibitors to Their Aspirations Using Habitus and Capital

This study examined Appalachian medical student aspiration facilitators and impediments. Using semi-structured interviews from ten medical students, findings were analyzed with habitus, and cultural and social capital, with an emphasis on Appalachia as place. Parents established postsecondary expectations early. Family circumstances were influential, including relatives in healthcare, or attending private school. Success with STEMM and haphazard healthcare interactions stoked further interest. However, families approached medical school from a risk narrative, reconsidering what was a part of their child’s imagined future. Physician interactions often provided mixed guidance and resulted in students questioning their career trajectory. Findings confirm and highlight the value of rural parental influence and add to the discussion ways parents actively influence aspiration across the socioeconomic spectrum. This research highlights the role of public goods and their influence while illustrating the complexity of supporting and inhibiting factors in the development of aspiration for medical education in a rural region.