Why are there so few working-class applicants to medical schools? Learning from the success stories

Abstract

Interventions that aim to increase participation rates in medicine must address this disjuncture. This might be achieved by re-orienting working-class identities and perceptions of medicine as a profession. However, it should be acknowledged that 'identity conflict' is related to the elite image that medicine maintains within contemporary society and, as such, efforts to re-orient individual working-class identities may have only a limited impact on overall participation rates.

Unpacking the career aspirations of Australian school students: towards an evidence base for university equity initiatives in schools

“…Much of the research on students' higher education aspirations focuses on specific careers rather than looking across careers. For example, recent studies have focused on understanding and raising the aspirations of girls for science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers (Archer et al, 2012;Broadley, 2015;Cheryan, Master, & Meltzoff, 2015) and on the underrepresentation in medicine of students from low SES areas (Greenhalgh, Seyan, & Boynton, 2004;Mathers & Parry, 2009) and disadvantaged backgrounds (Griffin & Hu, 2015). In nursing and teaching, studies have focused on motivations (McLaughlin, Moutray, & Moore, 2010;Richardson & Watt, 2006) and other influences on the choice of career (Bullough & Hall-Kenyon, 2011;Mooney, Glacken, & O'Brien, 2008).…”

An analysis of school pupils’ (with low social economic status) perceptions of university, regarding programmes of study

“…All students especially during Stage 1 complained about the lack of interesting information from teachers. Evidence shows close connection to the sociocultural context with anti-education and anti-academic cultures amongst pupils from "lower achieving" schools (Mathers and Parry 2009). …”

“…There does appear to be a gap in the type and amount of information which is made available to all potential HE students and this is especially more challenging with SES pupils who may lack input at school and at home. For example, parents appeared to be ignorant unless a sibling had attended university, yet research shows parents can play a vital role in student decision-making (Johnson 2008;Smith 2009;Vander Schee 2006) with high-achieving pupils receiving more family support than low-achieving pupils (Foskett and Hesketh 1997;Mathers and Parry 2009).…”

“…Increasing diversity and social inclusion has created challenges for the HE sector as well as affecting student choice (Lunt 2008) and research shows that SES factors do impact the HE decision-making process (Iannelli 2007;Johnson 2008;Mathers and Parry 2009). The government refers to Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS) in highlighting increasing numbers from disadvantaged groups, but the percentage of students from socio-economic classifications (4-7) in the Russell Group of universities is 19% in comparison to 40% in the Million+ Group of universities (HESA 2008).…”

Partners in learning?: A qualitative study of the intimate relationships of partnered mature students in post-secondary education

“…To this end, Nesbit (2005) realizes an interconnectedness between policy, teaching, learning, identity, and relationships between class, race, and gender that is necessary to support adult learners. For mature students, this interconnectedness creates a need for strong policies that meet their unique needs (Amaral & Magalhães, 2009), inclusive teaching practice (Toynton, 2005), a set of different learning habits (Hoult, 2006), mature student identity construction (Baxter & Britton, 2001), and a close awareness of how class, race, and gender all impact the lives of mature students (Maher, 2001;Mathers & Parry, 2009). Since Gouthro (2002) states that "the homeplace is linked to the individual's sense of identity, forms a centre of interpersonal relationships, and is also a site of paid and unpaid labour" (p. 7), through this research project we add that intimacy and relationship satisfaction in the homeplace is also an important consideration in this interconnectedness.…”