Academic performance of medical students: data from the intake of 1968

A study of the performance of the first Wyndham Scheme students in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales was undertaken. Forty-five percent of the cohort of 237 graduated in the minimum time, and 76% eventually graduated in succeeding years. Of the 130 entrants with Higher School Certificate (HSC) aggregates of 500+, 60% graduated in minimum time; in the case of the 107 entrants with HSC aggregates of less than 500, the figure was 28%. There was an extremely high correlation rate (r = 0.98) between HSC aggregate and success in the course at the first attempt. There was no significant difference between the minimum time or eventual graduation rates of males (211) and females (26), despite the fact that females had a significantly higher performance in the HSC; There was no improvement in the numbers graduating in the minimum time compared with the first intake of medical students at the University of New South Wales, or the last "pre-Wyndham" intake. A comment about wastage rates is made and suggestions for remedying the situation are put forth.