Bridging the Gap: An Observational Study of Medical School Applicants with Rural Backgrounds
Poster #: 013
Session/Time: B
Author:
Brianna Elaine Armentrout, BA, MS
Mentor:
Amanda K Burbage, BS, PhD
Research Type: Educational
Abstract
INTRODUCTION:
Although 20% of the United States population lives in rural areas, only 9% of physicians practice in rural communities, reflecting the decline of rural medical school applicants in recent years. Research show that the single best predictor of where a doctor will practice is the individual's rural or urban identity Moreover, the success of rural hospitals depends upon the region's ability to both recruit and retain medical doctors. Yet, the population of rural medical school applicants is not well understood beyond the single dimension of rurality.
METHODS:
This observational study of 259,369 medical school applicants from 2017 to 2022 uses data procured by agreement from American Academy of Medical Colleges to describe the characteristics of the rural applicant demographic, including descriptions of racial and ethnic identities, socioeconomic distribution, priorities as future physicians, and standardized test scores.
RESULTS:
Although white applicants make up the plurality of rural applicants, the abundant racial and ethnic diversity of rural applicants overall offers opportunities for diversity and inclusion initiatives and to mitigate disadvantages faced by rural UriM students. Regarding matriculation odds, rural students are overrepresented in lower MCAT quartiles, but demonstrate higher overall GPA compared to non rural applicants. Additionally, ural applicants and their matriculation rates are influenced by socioeconomic status, availability of research and volunteer opportunities, and MCAT prep.
CONCLUSION:
Our results conclude that rural medical school applicants are an exceptionally diverse demographic and suggest that additional research is warranted to address advantages and disadvantages of rurality in applying to medical school, particularly through the interdependent and overlapping demographics they possess. Such possible interventions include those aimed at MCAT preparation and provision of research and volunteer opportunities.
Although 20% of the United States population lives in rural areas, only 9% of physicians practice in rural communities, reflecting the decline of rural medical school applicants in recent years. Research show that the single best predictor of where a doctor will practice is the individual's rural or urban identity Moreover, the success of rural hospitals depends upon the region's ability to both recruit and retain medical doctors. Yet, the population of rural medical school applicants is not well understood beyond the single dimension of rurality.
METHODS:
This observational study of 259,369 medical school applicants from 2017 to 2022 uses data procured by agreement from American Academy of Medical Colleges to describe the characteristics of the rural applicant demographic, including descriptions of racial and ethnic identities, socioeconomic distribution, priorities as future physicians, and standardized test scores.
RESULTS:
Although white applicants make up the plurality of rural applicants, the abundant racial and ethnic diversity of rural applicants overall offers opportunities for diversity and inclusion initiatives and to mitigate disadvantages faced by rural UriM students. Regarding matriculation odds, rural students are overrepresented in lower MCAT quartiles, but demonstrate higher overall GPA compared to non rural applicants. Additionally, ural applicants and their matriculation rates are influenced by socioeconomic status, availability of research and volunteer opportunities, and MCAT prep.
CONCLUSION:
Our results conclude that rural medical school applicants are an exceptionally diverse demographic and suggest that additional research is warranted to address advantages and disadvantages of rurality in applying to medical school, particularly through the interdependent and overlapping demographics they possess. Such possible interventions include those aimed at MCAT preparation and provision of research and volunteer opportunities.