Household economic and educational disadvantage is associated with poorer progression through medical school, with effects larger for progression than for selection¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · quant-synthesis r2–r3 · q2–q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 Students from economically and educationally disadvantaged households have a 44% lower chance of progressing through medical school (pooled OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.53–0.59, k=6). → Arianpoor Arash 2026 q3 i? Converted effect ratios indicated the predictors' effects were meaningfully larger for progression than for selection. → Arianpoor Arash 2026 (2)

Evidence¶

Arianpoor Arash 2026¶

Arianpoor Arash, Pena Alexia, Mercer Annette, Cox Jennifer, Lekkas Dimitra, Geronimo Francis Ruel, Waldron Heidi, Randal John, Dabner Marcus, Lynagh Marita, Pather Nalini, Shepherd Nicole, Robb Nigel, Berdin Rose, Wilkinson Tim, Hu Wendy, Shulruf Boaz, Huang Pin-Hsiang. (2026). Socioeconomic and economic factors affecting access and progression in medical schools: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions. https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2026.23.6

q3 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r2

Random-effects meta-analysis of 6 effect sizes for progression outcomes, using parental education (first-generation status) and parental income; effect sizes for parental occupation were not available. The pooled effect size was OR = 0.56 (95% CI 0.53–0.59).

"The pooled composite effect (k=6) revealed that students from economically and educationally disadvantaged households had a 44% lower chance of progressing through medical school (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.53–0.59)."

Arianpoor Arash 2026 (2)¶

Arianpoor Arash, Pena Alexia, Mercer Annette, Cox Jennifer, Lekkas Dimitra, Geronimo Francis Ruel, Waldron Heidi, Randal John, Dabner Marcus, Lynagh Marita, Pather Nalini, Shepherd Nicole, Robb Nigel, Berdin Rose, Wilkinson Tim, Hu Wendy, Shulruf Boaz, Huang Pin-Hsiang. (2026). Socioeconomic and economic factors affecting access and progression in medical schools: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions. https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2026.23.6

q2 · i? · quant-synthesis · r3

Authors' supplementary analysis converting ORs to Cohen's d and calculating progression-to-selection effect ratios for parental income, first-generation status, and the composite household disadvantage measure; no effect size value is printed in the text.

"The calculated ratios indicated that the effects of these predictors were meaningfully larger for progression than for selection (Supplement 8)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Socioeconomic Status — predictor: outcomes differ by group: a gap reflecting circumstances and treatment, not a cause

Related Claims¶

• Applicants from deprived geographic areas have lower odds of selection into medical programs (pooled OR = 0.69) — related
• Household economic and educational disadvantage is associated with reduced odds of admission to medical programs (pooled OR = 0.6) — related
• Socioeconomic disadvantage shows a persistent adverse association across both selection and progression stages of medical education — related
• Premedical debt is negatively associated with progression through medical school, though the evidence base is small — related