Data from the report shows positive changes in the number of applications and representation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially in Gateway courses. In the context of Covid-19, it is heartening to note that the pandemic has not adversely impacted the progression of widening participation activities.
In his foreword to the report, Dr Paul Garrud, Chair of the Selection Alliance, said:
“Outreach and admission to medical schools has been very challenging over the last three years of theCovid-19 pandemic. However, this report shows that the considerable investment by UK medical schools to widen access and participation in medicine has continued to facilitate more applications and entrants by young people from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds.”
The report presents the available information on current demographics of medical students, such as ethnicity and measures relating to social and educational background and explores the impact the pandemic has had on the demographic profile of entrants to medical school. It also provides detail on the Alliance’s outreach work, innovation in selection methods, and an update on the Selecting for Excellence project.
In December 2024, MSC will publish its 10-year review of Selecting for Excellence, and reflect on the work MSC, and medical schools, have done to widen access and participation to medicine over the last decade. It will also set out its vision for the future, considering the current Government’s call for expansion and the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.