Access to Medicine – What are the Barriers?

Buket Gundogan – University College London Medical School

Professor Carol Baxter - Imperial College London

Background

• People from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are underrepresented in medicine (1)

• 80% of all medical students in the UK stem from just 20% of schools (2)

• A lack of individuals from lower socio economic backgrounds

Background

• My interest• Our own widening participation initiative

Objectives

• What are the barriers that young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds face in getting into medical school?

Intervention

• One day Masterclass

Intervention

Methodology

• Phase 1 – qualitative and quantitative questionnaire

• Phase 2 – focus group interview 1 year after phase 1

Interim findings

Adequate preparation

Social barriers

Economic barriers

1. Adequate preparation

• Entrance exams• Interview• Grades• Work experience• Personal statement/cv

• Not getting the right information I need before applying to medical school

• Not getting the right support and advice • Lack of support from school (only 2 students

from my sixth form have gotten into medicine) > little experience with application

• The school I go to, the lack of work experience, the lack of information

2. Social barriers

• Social class• Ethnicity• Not from a medical family/no links to

medicine

3. Economic barriers

• Fees of medical school

Thoughts

• Data analysis • Areas for investigation • Methodology for phase 2

References

1. http://www.gmc uk.org/publications/23538.asp

2. http://www.medschools.ac.uk/AboutUs/Projects/Widening-Participation/Selecting-for-Excellence/Pages/Selecting-for-Excellence.aspx