Relationship between quota-based admission and academic performance of Medical students

Introduction: The quota policy aims to expand access to higher education for historically underrepresented groups. However, its impact on the academic performance of medical students remains controversial. Objective: To analyze the academic performance, measured by the General Academic Performance Coefficient (GPA), of medical students admitted to the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) between 2010 and 2018, comparing quota and non-quota students. Method: This was an observational, cross-sectional, and quantitative study analyzing data from 1,340 medical students at UFPA’s Belém campus. GPA scores were compared between groups using the independent samples Student’s t-test and quartile analysis. Categorical variables were analyzed using the chi-square test (χ²), with a significance level of p<0.05. Results: The overall mean GPA was 7.55±1.18. Quota students had a lower mean GPA than non-quota students (7.35±1.22 vs. 7.78±1.09; p<0.001). The performance gap was more pronounced in the first quartile (6.4%) and decreased in higher quartiles. Conclusion: The lower academic performance of quota students-particularly those in the lower quartiles-highlights persistent inequalities that influence academic trajectories. These findings emphasize the importance of institutional support and retention policies that address the socioeconomic conditions of students, thereby promoting equity in medical education.