Is Medical School Selection Discriminatory
In an editorial in this week's BMJ Dr Kamran Abbasi, Assistant Editor,
commends the Council of Heads of Medical Schools for making data available on
the selection procedure into the UK's medical schools. The data which has been
analysed by Professor Chris McManus (and his interpretation is published in this
week's BMJ) reveals that in general ethnic minorities and men are disadvantaged
in the selection process. This aside, Abbasi welcomes the medical schools'
transparency and says that other selection bodies such as the police and legal
profession should learn by their example. He concludes that the deans of
medical schools "....should use the findings as a catalyst for change instead of
viewing criticism based on them as an assault on the credibility of their
institutions."
Contact:
Dr Kamran Abbasi, Assistant Editor, BMJ, Tavistock Square, London