A critical scoping review of the connections between social mission and medical school admissions: BEME Guide No. 47

Background and Objectives: Increased medical school class sizes and new medical schools have not addressed the workforce inadequacies in primary care or underserved settings. While there is substantial evidence that student attributes predict practice specialty and location, little is known about how schools use these factors in admissions processes. We sought to describe admissions strategies to recruit students likely to practice in primary care or underserved settings. Methods: We surveyed admissions personnel at US allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in 2018 about targeted admissions strategies aimed at recruitment and selection of students likely to practice rurally, in urban underserved areas, or in primary care Results: One hundred thirty-three of 185 (71.8%) US medical schools responded. Respondents reported targeted admissions strategies as follows: rural, 69.2%; urban underserved, 67.4%; and primary care, 45.3%. Nearly 90% reported some type of recruitment outreach to 4-year universities, but much less to community colleges. Student characteristics used to identify those likely to practice in targeted areas were largely evidence-based. Strategies to select students varied widely. Conclusions: Most responding US medical schools reported a targeted process to recruit and select students likely to practice in rural, urban underserved, or primary care settings, indicating widespread awareness of workforce challenges. This study also demonstrates varying approaches to and allocation of resources toward admissions targeting, especially the application and interviewing processes. Understanding how schools identify and admit students likely to practice in these fields is a first step in identifying best practices for selective admissions focused on addressing workforce gaps.

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Why a Consideration of Race is Important to Medical School Admissions

The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics ◽

10.1017/jme.2021.28 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 181-189

Author(s):

Nancy L. Zisk

Keyword(s):

Health Disparities ◽

Medical School ◽

People Of Color ◽

Minority Population ◽

Medical School Admissions ◽

Lack Of Physicians

AbstractThe tremendous toll that COVID-19 has taken on this country’s minority population is the most recent reminder of the health disparities between people of color and people who classify themselves as white. There are many reasons for these disparities, but one that gets less attention than it deserves is the lack of physicians of color available to treat patients of color.

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A Scoping Review of Professional Identity Formation in Undergraduate Medical Education

Journal of General Internal Medicine ◽

10.1007/s11606-021-07024-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shiva Sarraf-Yazdi ◽

Yao Neng Teo ◽

Ashley Ern Hui How ◽

Yao Hao Teo ◽

Sherill Goh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Identity Development ◽

Medical School ◽

Professional Identity ◽

Identity Formation ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Medical Schools ◽

Professional Identity Formation ◽

Enabling Factors ◽

Content Analyses

Abstract Background Professional identity formation (PIF) in medical students is a multifactorial phenomenon, shaped by ways that clinical and non-clinical experiences, expectations and environmental factors merge with individual values, beliefs and obligations. The relationship between students’ evolving professional identity and self-identity or personhood remains ill-defined, making it challenging for medical schools to support PIF systematically and strategically. Primarily, to capture prevailing literature on PIF in medical school education, and secondarily, to ascertain how PIF influences on medical students may be viewed through the lens of the ring theory of personhood (RToP) and to identify ways that medical schools support PIF. Methods A systematic scoping review was conducted using the systematic evidence-based approach. Articles published between 1 January 2000 and 1 July 2020 related to PIF in medical students were searched using PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, ERIC and Scopus. Articles of all study designs (quantitative and qualitative), published or translated into English, were included. Concurrent thematic and directed content analyses were used to evaluate the data. Results A total of 10443 abstracts were identified, 272 full-text articles evaluated, and 76 articles included. Thematic and directed content analyses revealed similar themes and categories as follows: characteristics of PIF in relation to professionalism, role of socialization in PIF, PIF enablers and barriers, and medical school approaches to supporting PIF. Discussion PIF involves iterative construction, deconstruction and inculcation of professional beliefs, values and behaviours into a pre-existent identity. Through the lens of RToP, factors were elucidated that promote or hinder students’ identity development on individual, relational or societal levels. If inadequately or inappropriately supported, enabling factors become barriers to PIF. Medical schools employ an all-encompassing approach to support PIF, illuminating the need for distinct and deliberate longitudinal monitoring and mentoring to foster students’ balanced integration of personal and professional identities over time.

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A Scoping Review of Vascular Surgery Education in the Medical School Curriculum

Journal of Vascular Surgery ◽

10.1016/j.jvs.2021.04.024 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Keng Siang Lee ◽

Jun Jie Ng ◽

Andrew M.T.L. Choong

Keyword(s):

Vascular Surgery ◽

Medical School ◽

Scoping Review ◽

School Curriculum ◽

Medical School Curriculum ◽

Surgery Education

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Medical School Admissions: Defining the Future of Healthcare Delivery in the United States

MedEdPublish ◽

10.15694/mep.2019.000185.1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

Author(s):

John Burkhardt ◽

Mahshid Abir ◽

Steven Durning

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Medical School ◽

Healthcare Delivery ◽

The United States ◽

Medical School Admissions ◽

The Future

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Performance of Black and Indigenous applicants in a medical school admissions process

Canadian Medical Education Journal ◽

10.36834/cmej.72121 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Katherine Girgulis ◽

Andrea Rideout ◽

Mohsin Rashid

Keyword(s):

Medical School ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Personal Characteristics ◽

The Other ◽

Medical School Admissions ◽

Indigenous Group ◽

Computer Based ◽

Acceptance Rates ◽

Admissions Process ◽

Multiple Mini Interview

Background: Diversity in medical schools has lagged behind Canada’s growing multicultural population. Dalhousie medical school allows Black and Indigenous applicants to self-identify. We examined how these applicants performed and progressed through the admissions process compared to Other group (applicants who did not self-identify). Methods: Retrospective analysis of four application cycles (2015-2019) was conducted, comparing demographic data, scores for application components (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer), MCAT, GPA, supplemental, discretionary, Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)), and final application status between the three groups. Results: Of 1322 applicants, 104 identified as Black, 64 Indigenous, and 1154 Other. GPA was higher in the Other compared to the Indigenous group (p < 0.001). CASPer score was higher in the Other compared to the Black group (p = 0.047). There was no difference between groups for all other application components. A large proportion of Black and Indigenous applicants had incomplete applications. Acceptance rates were similar between all groups. Black applicants declined an admission offer substantially more than expected (31%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Black and Indigenous applicants who completed their application progressed well through the admissions process. The pool of diverse applicants needs to be increased and support provided for completion of applications. Further study is warranted to understand why qualified applicants decline acceptance.

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