Exploring the Barriers Faced by Medical Students and the Impact of Their Involvement in a Widening Participation Charity

Purpose: Few studies have explored the challenges faced by medical students from widening participation (WP) backgrounds compared to their non-WP peers. This study aimed to identify these challenges in medical school and evaluate how well a national charity enabled them to address these challenges. Participants and Methods: A 26-item online Qualtrics questionnaire was circulated to all medical student volunteers within the charity Medics & Me. This explored potential challenges faced by students, including finances, networking opportunities, career development, and their sense of belonging in medical school. Fischer’s exact test and unpaired t -testing were used to statistically compare mean scores between WP and non-WP students, and thematic analysis elicited student views on Medics & Me. Ethics approval was obtained for the study. Results: Forty-seven out of a national cohort of 196 Medics & Me medical student volunteers (23.9%) responded to the questionnaire. 19 were from a WP background and 28 from non-WP backgrounds. WP students were significantly more likely than non-WP students to feel that finances impacted their studies (p=0.0152), more likely to work to fund their studies (p=0.0011), and less likely to consider their medical school as inclusive to the needs of all students. (p=0.0267). All students cited poor support with career development, networking, and pastoral care, and a feeling that they did not belong. Positive aspects of Medics & Me included the sense of community and networking opportunities. Key themes for improvement included clearer guidance for developing career portfolios, more networking opportunities, and closer working with medical schools. Discussion: WP students reported significantly more concerns with finances and belonging than non-WP students. All students scored their medical school poorly for support, particularly regarding career development and networking opportunities. Medics & Me should consider supporting students with career development and networking opportunities and work closely with faculty.