Medical school students admitted under affirmative action still make good doctors: study

Affirmative-action students admitted to a California medical school despite lower grades, test scores or lower scores on other admissions criteria turned out to be just as good doctors as the higher-scoring applicants, a new study found.

The study found that 94 percent of the special-admissions students graduated, compared with 98 percent of the students who were admitted through regular admissions. While regular-admission students were more likely to receive honors or A grades, there was no difference in rates of failing core courses. And there was no difference between the groups in completing residency training, in their residency performance or in ultimately obtaining board certification.

The special-admission students did have a higher failure rate on the national science examinations taken in medical school, which is one of the tests doctors need to obtain licenses. The students had to repeat the exam more often before passing.

The study, conducted at the University of California (UC) at Davis, was authored by two UC doctors, Drs. Robert C. Davidson and Ernest L. Lewis. They were concerned about the rollback of affirmative action in the state university system.

They examined admissions at the institution from 1968 through 1987. The authors analyzed student files and sent questionnaires to graduates and directors of their residency programs.

During the period studded, 20 percent, or 356 of the 1,784 students admitted, were admitted with special considerations. They included minorities covered by affirmative action, who made up about 43 percent of that group.