U.S. Healthcare Students' Perceptions of Biobanking and Tissue Donation: Knowledge Gaps, Attitudes, and Willingness to Participate.

Biobanks are essential to biomedical research and are becoming increasingly important in precision medicine initiatives. As future clinicians and researchers, health professional students will be central to obtaining informed consent, addressing donor concerns, and supporting ethical participation in biobanking. This study assessed health professional students' knowledge, attitudes, motivations, concerns, and consent preferences using an anonymous electronic survey distributed across nine health professional programs at Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University. Participants were categorized as clinically-focused (CF) or research-focused (RF), and responses were analyzed using Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact tests (α = 0.05). A total of 115 students participated. Most reported awareness of biobanks (CF: 68.13% vs. RF: 70.83%) and biospecimen donation. Fewer than one-third were aware of their institution's biorepository. Altruism was the primary motivation for participation in biobanking, with nearly 80% of students valuing benefits to future patients and over 95% prioritizing scientific advancement. A substantial proportion of students expressed uncertainty regarding participation. Key concerns included data security, third-party access, and potential specimen misuse. No clear consensus emerged regarding consent preferences. Overall, students demonstrated positive attitudes but also notable knowledge gaps, limited institutional awareness, and concerns related to data governance and transparency. In the context of a diverse Southeastern U.S. population with documented health disparities, these findings highlight the importance of strengthening education, improving institutional visibility, and enhancing transparency to support informed and equitable participation in biobanking.