This mid-year report provides an update on the Medical Schools Council’s Selecting for Excellence project, which aims to improve the selection of medical students with a focus on widening participation.
Summary
The report outlines progress made in 2014 across several key areas, including work experience guidance, transparency in admissions, support for widening participation (WP) students, and the development of evidence-based selection methods. It highlights efforts to ensure fair access to medicine for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Key findings
- New guidelines on work experience expectations have been developed and are being tested with potential applicants.
- All UK medical schools have agreed to adopt the principles of the work experience guidelines.
- A new online resource is being developed to provide clear, centralised information on entry requirements and selection processes.
- Guidance is being prepared to help medical schools support WP students once they begin their studies.
- Research is underway to improve consistency in selection methods and explore contextualised admissions.
- A statement on the core values required to study medicine is being developed, informed by patient focus groups and existing professional standards.
- Work continues to build an evidence base on the social demographics of the medical profession and to track WP students through national data sets.
- Outreach guidance has been issued to help medical schools strengthen their engagement with students from underrepresented backgrounds.
- Two pilot outreach schemes have been commissioned in partnership with the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Foundation.
Recommendations
- Finalise and promote the work experience guidelines to ensure clarity for applicants.
- Launch the online admissions resource to improve transparency.
- Continue developing consistent and evidence-based selection methods.
- Support WP students through tailored guidance and institutional support.
- Strengthen outreach through flexible, evidence-informed approaches.
Next steps
The project will conclude with a final report and recommendations in December 2014. Continued collaboration with Health Education England, outreach organisations and medical schools will be essential to ensure that access to medicine becomes more equitable and inclusive.
Download this report
