The undergraduate premedical experience in the United States: a critical review.

Renee R. Anspach,Sonali Parnami,Raymond G. De Vries,Brett Crawford,Katherine Y. Lin,Andrea Fuhrel-Forbis

doi:10.5116/ijme.5103.a8d3

Renee R. Anspach, Sonali Parnami + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.5103.a8d3

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Abstract

ObjectivesTo better understand the consequences of the premedical years for the character of (future) physicians by critically reviewing the empirical research done on the undergraduate premedical experience in the United States.MethodsWe searched ERIC, JSTOR, PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and PsycINFO from the earliest available date for empirical, peer-reviewed studies of premedical students in the United States. We then used qualitative methods to uncover overall themes present in this literature.ResultsThe initial literature search identified 1,168 articles, 19 of which were included for review. Reviewed articles were published between 1976 and 2010 with the majority published prior to 1990. Articles covered two broad topics: explaining attrition from the premedical track, and investigating the personality traits and stereotypes of premedical students. Self-selection bias and high attrition rates were among the limitations of the reviewed articles.ConclusionsThere is very little current research on the premedical experience. Given the importance of the pre-medical years on the process of becoming a medical professional, it is imperative that we do more and better research on how the premedical experience shapes future physicians.

Highlights

Scholars and policy makers have long been concerned with the selection and training of the future physician workforce--concerned with the academic competence of future doctors, and with the quality of their character, including their ability to reason morally, to listen to patients, and to empathize with patients as whole persons, rather than seeing them as collections of genes, cells, and organs
While prior research in this area has largely considered the influences of the criteria for admission into medical school or how students are influenced by their medical training,[1] more recently, scholars have begun to consider how the premedical years shape future physicians.[2,3,4]
This empirical work on premedical students can be categorized into two broad research agendas: explaining attrition from the premedical track, and investigating the personality traits and stereotypes of premedical students

Summary

Introduction

Scholars and policy makers have long been concerned with the selection and training of the future physician workforce--concerned with the academic competence of future doctors, and with the quality of their character, including their ability to reason morally, to listen to patients, and to empathize with patients as whole persons, rather than seeing them as collections of genes, cells, and organs. While prior research in this area has largely considered the influences of the criteria for admission into medical school or how students are influenced by their medical training,[1] more recently, scholars have begun to consider how the premedical years shape future physicians.[2,3,4] One indicator of this new interest in the premedical years is the recent decision by the Association of American Medical Colleges to revise the Medical College. Others have argued that students enter medical school with already formed values and ethical points of view that may be difficult to influence or alter with current bioethics curricula in medical schools.[10,11] Recent studies on physician depression and burnout indicate that physician wellbeing is diminished by the stress of medical and premedical education.[12,13,14] These studies and policy changes suggest that

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