Research finds medical profession out of reach for most working class students

The research comes from The Sutton Trust and includes analysis by academics at Univ fersity College London. It finds that although the proportion of medical students from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds more than doubled since 2012, they still accounted for just 5% of entrants in 2021.

In contrast, 75% were from higher socio-economic backgrounds, based on their parents’ occupation.

Data was analysed on nearly 94,000 applicants to UK medical schools between 2012 and 2022, representing around half of all UK medical applicants.

It showed that a relatively small number of schools and colleges provided a very high number of medical students.

Of the 2,719 schools or colleges that provided any medical applicants between 2012 and 2022, most only had one applicant per year and 80% had fewer than five per year. But 58 schools and colleges, comprising just 2% of all institutions, had an average of 20 or more applicants per year.

One had over 850 applicants over this 10-year period, with an average of 85 applicants per year.

Crucially, applicants from independent schools were 1.5 times more likely to receive an offer to study medicine compared to those from non-selective state schools.

Nick Harrison, CEO of the Sutton Trust, said: “It’s outrageous that working-class kids make up just 5% of medical students, especially when the NHS is facing a chronic shortage of doctors and a heavy reliance on overseas recruitment.

“The medical profession is stretched to breaking point, and urgent action is needed to widen access and create a more diverse pipeline of talent from all parts of society. Patients benefit from doctors who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, but it’s clear that we’re a long way from that today.

“If you have the ability, where you grow up or your parents’ income shouldn’t be a barrier to becoming a doctor. Working-class entry into medicine is in a critical condition. The profession urgently needs a shot of equality.”