Rural medical school applicants: do their academic credentials and admission decisions differ from those of nonrural applicants?
OBJECTIVE
Medical schools located in states with sizable rural areas are concerned about preparing physicians for practice in these areas; this is of particular concern for medical schools that are part of a state-owned university with a responsibility to educate physicians for rural areas. Because individuals from rural areas are most likely to return to practice medicine in rural areas at the conclusion of their training, it is important to recruit these individuals to medical schools to educate them for rural practice.


METHODS
This study examines 7 years of admission data for students who applied and were accepted to the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine, which has as a specific mandate to prepare physicians for rural practice.


RESULTS
The study indicates that rural applicants are more likely to be admitted to the medical school, and based on admissions criteria they are at least as academically qualified as nonrural applicants.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrates that a medical school can maintain competitive admission criteria while at the same time accepting those students more likely to enter rural practice. This is valuable information that medical schools with a similar mission to prepare physicians for rural practice might consider in their admissions decision-making process.
Longo
Daniel R
DR
Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA. longod@health.missouri.edu
Gorman
Robert J
RJ
Ge
Bin
B
D000328:Adult; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008923:Missouri; D011365:Professional Practice Location / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000592:standards; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000078329:Workforce