Parting ways: Sex-based differences in premedical attrition

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Sociology of Education
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Women are less likely than men to persist in medical careers despite initial interest.
• Premedical coursework experiences are key factors in student retention, but gender differences are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how premedical students' coursework experiences contribute to gender disparities in attrition.
• To identify factors influencing women's persistence in premedical education.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining longitudinal survey data (n=268) and in-depth interviews (n=39) with premedical students.
• Analysis of survey data to compare stress levels, course evaluations, and attrition rates between genders.
• Qualitative analysis of interviews to explore students' perceptions of coursework and career fit.

Main Results:

• Women reported higher stress in premedical coursework, but this did not explain attrition gaps.
• Lower affinity for premedical coursework, including less positive evaluations and greater enjoyment of non-premed courses, significantly contributed to women's attrition.
• Negative faculty interactions and interpreting low grades as a poor fit diminished women's affinity for premedical studies.

Conclusions:

• Women's premedical attrition is linked to lower affinity for coursework, influenced by faculty interactions and self-perception of academic fit.
• Clinical experiences are vital for fostering resilience and sustaining women's aspirations in medicine.
• Findings highlight the need to address gendered experiences within premedical education to improve retention.