Factors associated with success in medical school: systematic review of the literature

Selection of medical students in the United Kingdom has come under intense scrutiny in recent years. Some authors have claimed that discrimination occurs in favour of white applicants, female applicants, and applicants from independent schools. 1-5, w1,w2 High profile cases, such as that of Laura Spence, have led to a public questioning of the selection, training, and validation of doctors. The process of selecting medical students is unsatisfactory from a logistical point of view (approximately 40 000 applications are allowed from 10 000 students for just 5000 places) and leads to chance playing a big part and to apparent unfairness.