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Does the MRCGP examination discriminate against Asian doctors?
R Wakeford1, A Farooqi, A Rashid
1Cambridge University School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital.
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
|July 11, 1992
Summary
The Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) exam does not discriminate against all Asian doctors. However, specific subgroups of Asian doctors, particularly those trained outside the UK, performed poorly, warranting further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Professional Licensure Examinations
- Health Equity
Background:
- The Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) examination is a critical gateway for medical practitioners in the United Kingdom.
- Concerns have been raised regarding potential ethnic bias in high-stakes professional examinations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether the MRCGP examination exhibits discriminatory practices against doctors of Indian subcontinent origin (Asian doctors).
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of data from five MRCGP examination administrations (December 1988-December 1990).
- Comparison of examination performance between 244 Asian first-time candidates and non-Asian candidates (3686 total).
- Subgroup analysis based on country of birth and primary medical training.
Main Results:
- Overall, Asian doctors scored lower on written components compared to non-Asian doctors (p < 0.001).
- This disparity was primarily driven by the poor performance of Asian doctors born and trained in the Indian subcontinent or outside the UK.
- Asian doctors born and trained in the UK, or born in Africa/West Indies and trained in the UK, performed comparably to non-Asian doctors.
Conclusions:
- The MRCGP examination does not appear to systematically discriminate against all Asian doctors.
- The significantly lower performance of specific Asian subgroups necessitates further investigation into underlying causes.