Abstract
ObjectivesTo explore potential disparities in representation of Racially Minoritised (RM) persons and women in leadership roles in London Medical Schools compared to their RM and female student populations. MethodsGeneral Medical Council's Medical School Annual Return 2017-18 data and official leadership team webpages were used to determine percentages of RM and female students and percentages of RM and women leaders in London medical schools. Student and leadership team percentages were then compared using chi-squared tests to assess statistically significant differences. ResultsThe percentage of RM persons filling leadership roles in London medical schools combined was statistically significantly less than the percentage of RM persons that compose the combined student body (8.6% (N=81) versus 60.2% (N=8786, χ2(1, N=8,867)=88.83, p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the percentage of women filling leadership roles and the percentage of women in the combined student body (43.4% (N = 83) versus 52.5% (N=9026, χ2(1, N=9,109) =2.85, p=0.0913). ConclusionsResults mirror the underrepresentation of RM persons in leadership positions throughout the National Health Service (NHS) and in higher education but reflect the improved representation of women in leadership positions seen at the NHS board level. Greater effort is necessary to rectify RM representation within London medical school leadership teams. This is especially imperative given that racially similar role models for RM students are an important predictor in determining academic and future success.
Highlights
This study aims to address this gap in the literature by 1) quantifying the number of Racially Minoritised (RM) persons and women who hold leadership positions in five London medical schools and 2) compare the number of RM persons and women in these
Findings highlight that RM persons are significantly underrepresented in leadership positions within London medical schools when compared to the percentage of the student body that are RM
Women have made progress in terms of their representation in leadership roles, RM persons are significantly underrepresented in London medical school leadership teams when compared to the corresponding percentage of RM students
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought scholarly and public attention to racial health disparities in the United Kingdom with research demonstrating substantial negative health outcomes for Racially Minoritised (RM) persons compared to their white counterparts.[1,2] Inequality in COVID-19 and other health outcomes, in part, may potentially be attributed to the lack of diversity within the National Health System (NHS), and especially in terms of a lack of representation of RM persons at the highest levels of the medical profession and in decision-making roles.[3,4] previous research has shown that diversity in the medical profession is a contributing component to the health of RM persons and women.[5,6]Because medical schools are the first site for shaping future doctors, it could be argued that the decision-makers within these environments are an important factor in public health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought scholarly and public attention to racial health disparities in the United Kingdom with research demonstrating substantial negative health outcomes for Racially Minoritised (RM) persons compared to their white counterparts.[1,2] Inequality in COVID-19 and other health outcomes, in part, may potentially be attributed to the lack of diversity within the National Health System (NHS), and especially in terms of a lack of representation of RM persons at the highest levels of the medical profession and in decision-making roles.[3,4] previous research has shown that diversity in the medical profession is a contributing component to the health of RM persons and women.[5,6]. London is a fitting location for the current analysis for three reasons: 1) it is one of the most racially diverse cities in the world; 2) there remains heightened racial diversity of medical students in London as compared to other medical schools in the UK; and, 3) London was ranked in 2018 and 2019 by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) as the world's best student city.[7, 8]
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