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

Abstract

Objectives To 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. Methods We 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. Results The 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. Conclusions There is very little current research on the premedical experience. Given the importance of the premedical 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.

What must I do to succeed?: Narratives from the US premedical experience

“…However, this debate consists almost exclusively of editorials and commentaries focusing on the formal premedical curriculum (Gross et al, 2008; Thomas, 1978) and has not generated systematic empirical study of other facets of the premedical years. Thus there is a thin understanding as to how the premedical years contribute to the socialization processes that shape the character of the physician workforce (Conrad, 1986; Larson et al, 2012; Lin et al, 2013). …”

“…These studies examine issues such as: whether premedical academic performance is a good predictor of medical school performance (Caplan et al, 1996; Mitchell, 1990); how premedical students select courses; whether these decisions affect their chances of admission to medical school (Creditor & Creditor, 1982; Dornbush et al, 1987; Maguire, 1999); and how negative academic experiences, particularly performance in difficult “weeder” courses, can lead underrepresented minority and women students to leave the premedical track (Barr et al, 2008; Barr et al, 2010; Lin et al, 2013). A few foundational studies look beyond the academic experience of the premedical years to document and explain the utility of a “cutthroat” premedical stereotype (Conrad, 1986; Hackman et al, 1979; Sade et al, 1984).…”

Implementation of a pilot medical student mentoring program for premedical students and its effects on premedical student attitudes

“…This worsening may not necessarily be a negative outcome since it is common for premedical students to change their mind about their pursuit of medicine as they progress in their undergraduate education. This view not only is supported by numerous articles that attempt to explain the high attrition rate of premedical students, 9 but also partially explains the decreasing rate of response in the second survey, particularly among freshmen, who had a 25% response rate in the second survey. It is possible that the organization was able to help them come to that realization sooner than they would have otherwise, which therefore might be considered a positive outcome.…”

Subjective social status and premedical students' attitudes towards medical school

“…The central questions of this article align with recent calls to examine the educational ambitions of premedical students at earlier stages in their academic careers, with an emphasis on the experiences of students belonging to vulnerable populations (Lin et al, 2013). By examining how social status influences the stressors that premedical students face and the resources they possess, this research sheds light on the distinctive hardships countenanced by lower status premedical students and how these experiences inform their attitudes towards medical school.…”