Working in health access programme (WHAP): initial results

Academic achievement and social class are positively related and applications to medical schools reflect a class-based bias favouring middle-class candidates. Applying a measure that is class-free could be useful as an indicator of a potential good health professional may widen the pool of applicants. In the Working in Health Access Programme (WHAP), we report on the potential usefulness of such a measure. In addition, we describe a programme for raising awareness of higher education (HE) and careers in health care.

Pupils attending schools with low HE participation rates sat a battery of psychometric tests assessing both cognitive and non-cognitive skills. A total of 2349 pupils sat the tests and 1000 of them took part in the subsequent activities. These pupils are being followed up and have obtained their Standard Grade (Year 11) examination results.

Although social class influenced cognitive skills, it had no influence on non-cognitive abilities. Pupils with high levels of cognitive ability were found in all classes, including the most deprived. Both the testing and the awareness-raising programme were successful. Additional information was obtained on factors influencing the participants' choices of career.

Psychometric assessment could act as an early indicator for identifying potential in young people. For pupils with both cognitive and non-cognitive attributes that might indicate they would be successful in veterinary or human medicine, appropriate advice regarding subject choices for school examinations and future careers could be provided.