Accepted Type
Oral
Code
OA1-2-1
Acceptance Declaration
Accept
Additional Information
I declare I have no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this program.
Was this work accepted for CCME 2020?
no
Category
General Call (Workshop, Oral Presentation, Poster Presentation)
Type
Oral
Sub Type
Education Research
Will the presenter be a:
Resident
Affiliation
Considered for Poster
yes
Title
Performance of Black and Indigenous applicants in the admissions process of a Canadian medical school
Length of Presentation
Background/Purpose
Diversity in medical schools has lagged behind Canada's growing multicultural population. Dalhousie medical school in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada allows Black and Indigenous applicants to self-identify, and they are considered for admission based on meeting academic and non-academic requirements. Our aim was to examine how Black and Indigenous applicants performed and progressed through the admissions process compared to the Other group (applicants who did not self-identify).
Methods
Retrospective analysis of four application cycles (2015-2019) was performed. The Admissions Office provided de-identified demographic data and scores for Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Grade Point Averages (GPA), supplemental, discretionary, and Multiple Mini Interview (MMI), and total application.
Results
Of the 1322 applicants, 104 had identified as Black, 64 as Indigenous, and 1154 were Other. GPA was higher in the Other compared to the Indigenous group (p< .001). CASPer score was higher in the Other compared to the Black group (p= .047). There was no difference between groups for all other application components. A significant proportion of Black (51%) and Indigenous (42%) applications were incomplete. Acceptance rates were similar between all groups. Black applicants declined an offer of admission (31%) more than expected (p< .001).
Conclusion
Black and Indigenous applicants who completed their application progressed well through the admissions process. The pool of diverse applicants needs to be increased and support provided for completion of their applications. Further study is warranted to understand why a significant number of qualified applicants choose to decline an acceptance.
Keyword 1
Diversity
Keyword 2
Underrepresented in Medicine
Keyword 3
Medical School Applications
Level of Training
Post Graduate
Abstract Themes
Admissions
Additional Theme (First choice)
Undergraduate
Additional Theme (Second Choice)
Additional Theme (Third Choice)
Authors
Presenter
Katie Girgulis
Term 1
Yes
Term 2
Yes
Term 3
Yes
Term 4
Yes
Term 5
Yes
