Survival of the Richest: How the Process of Medical School Admissions Is Hindering Access for Low-Income Students

• In Event: 49.043 - Selection, Matriculation, and Success for Students in Educational Programs for the Professions

Abstract

Medical school is one of the most highly stratified segments of the American higher education system—and one of the most selective. The purpose of this paper is to outline the many ways in which access to important forms of capital (economic, social and cultural) limit access to medical school through the actual process of applying for admission. Using data readily available from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and individual medical school websites, we demonstrate how the bureaucracy and expense of the medical school admissions process presents a significant barrier to access to the medical profession for low-income students.

Authors

• W. Patrick Bryan, The University of Arizona

• Kadian McIntosh, The University of Arizona

• Jeffrey F. Milem, The University of Arizona

• Diana B Sesate, The University of Arizona