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Research

Admissions processes for five year medical courses at English schools: review

BMJ 2006; 332 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38768.590174.55 (Published 27 April 2006) Cite this as: BMJ 2006;332:1005
  1. Jayne Parry, senior clinical lecturer1 (J.M.Parry.1{at}bham.ac.uk),
  2. Jonathan Mathers, deputy director2,
  3. Andrew Stevens, professor of public health2,
  4. Amanda Parsons, research assistant2,
  5. Richard Lilford, professor of clinical epidemiology1,
  6. Peter Spurgeon, professor of health services management3,
  7. Hywel Thomas, professor of economics of education4
  1. 1 Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT
  2. 2 Health Impact Assessment Research Unit, Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Birmingham
  3. 3 Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham
  4. 4 School of Education, University of Birmingham
  1. Correspondence to: J Parry
  • Accepted 2 February 2006

Abstract

Objective To describe the current methods used by English medical schools to identify prospective medical students for admission to the five year degree course.

Design Review study including documentary analysis and interviews with admissions tutors.

Setting All schools (n = 22) participating in the national expansion of medical schools programme in England.

Results Though there is some commonality across schools with regard to the criteria used to select future students (academic ability coupled with a “well rounded” personality demonstrated by motivation for medicine, extracurricular interests, and experience of team working and leadership skills) the processes used vary substantially. Some schools do not interview; some shortlist for interview only on predicted academic performance while those that shortlist on a wider range of non-academic criteria use various techniques and tools to do so. Some schools use information presented in the candidate's personal statement and referee's report while others ignore this because of concerns over bias. A few schools seek additional information from supplementary questionnaires filled in by the candidates. Once students are shortlisted, interviews vary in terms of length, panel composition, structure, content, and scoring methods.

Conclusion The stated criteria for admission to medical school show commonality. Universities differ greatly, however, in how they apply these criteria and in the methods used to select students. Different approaches to admissions should be developed and tested.

Footnotes

  • We acknowledge the support and collaboration of the UK Council of Heads of Medical Schools, and the admissions staff at each school.

  • Contributors JP, JM, AS, HT, PS, and RL conceived and prepared the study protocol for the National Evaluation of Medical Schools project of which this study (review of admissions processes) is a key component. JP, JM, and AP constructed the framework that informed the production of the data proforma. AP undertook the documentary analysis and interviews with admissions tutor, supervised by JM and JP. JP produced the first draft of the paper. All authors commented on subsequent drafts and have approved the final version. JP and JM are guarantors.

  • Funding Department of Health (Evaluation of the National Expansion of Medical Schools project; reference No 160056).

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Ethical approval The West Midlands multicentre research ethics committee (reference No 04/MRE07/58).

  • Comment made by an admissions tutor The problem was excluding people from interview, not taking them for interview, because they were all so good. That was the problem, you felt heartbroken when you got down to the last 10 forms and you had only three places left. How on earth would you select them? It's terribly difficult, and quite unfair. People would joke that we should throw them all up in the air and invite the first 40 you pick up for interview—it would have been just as fair. Several of my colleagues wanted to introduce lotteries.

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