Widening access to medical school

As the UK government plans to double places at medical school by 2031,1 tackling persistent inequalities in access to medicine is critical to ensure that expansion delivers a diverse future workforce. The Sutton Trust’s Unequal Treatment? report offers a timely analysis of how this expansion could either mitigate or entrench existing disparities.2 Drawing on admissions data from medical schools in England between 2012 and 2021, the report shows that, despite increasing efforts to widen participation, only 5% of entrants in 2021 came from the lowest socioeconomic groups. This reflects a longstanding trend: students from less affluent backgrounds are less likely to apply and less likely to receive offers to study medicine.3

As an immediate measure, the Sutton Trust recommends that the UK government prioritises expansion of capacity at medical schools that have successfully widened participation. This is a positive first step, aiming to ensure that expansion delivers immediate diversity gains by directing growth to institutions already equipped to support disadvantaged students.

The report urges greater collaboration between medical schools and …