Quantitative Analysis of Challenges Encountered by UK Widening Participation Medical Students in Comparison With Their Non-Widening Participation Peers

OBJECTIVES Few studies have captured the experiences of widening participation (WP) medical students, and none have compared their experiences to their non-WP peers. This study aims to identify which challenges WP students are more likely to face. METHODS A 22-item questionnaire was distributed to medical students across all UK medical schools. Students were asked yes or no questions on whether they faced challenges in finances, socializing, physical and mental health, academic attainment, and COVID19-related teaching changes. RESULTS One-hundred seventy-six medical students from all year groups across the UK responded, with 97 students from a WP background. WP students were significantly more likely to have their personal background impacting their mental health (OR = 2.65, P = 0.002), more than twice as likely to feel that their job impacted their studies (OR = 2.53, P ≤.05), more likely to feel limited by their financial situation (OR = 2.29, P≤.05) and to receive support from student finance (OR = 2.08, P < .05). CONCLUSION WP students were more likely to face challenges in mental health and finances in medical school compared to their peers. These findings, further informed by qualitative insights can aid in advancing equity in medical training.