Medical applicant general practice experience and career aspirations: a questionnaire study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• General Practice
• Career Development

Background:

• General practice work experience placements are used to boost recruitment.
• Evidence for effectiveness and equity of access is limited.
• Concerns exist regarding equitable access to general practice experiences for students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the link between general practice experience and its appeal as a career for prospective medical students.
• To identify socioeconomic factors influencing access to general practice experience.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in the UK.
• Participants (N=6391) were aged 16+ considering medicine applications, recruited via UCAT.
• Data analyzed using linear and logistic regression, adjusting for motivations and demographics.

Main Results:

• General practice experience positively correlated with appeal (b=0.37, P<0.00001).
• Experience was more common in private/grammar schools and higher socioeconomic groups (ORs 1.65, 1.33, 1.62).
• Less likely among 'other' ethnicity students (OR=0.37).

Conclusions:

• Prior general practice experience enhances career appeal, supporting its role in medical recruitment.
• Disadvantaged applicants have reduced access to general practice experience, potentially due to limited opportunities.
• Addressing access disparities is crucial for equitable general practice recruitment.