Applicant characteristics and their influence on success: results from an analysis of applicants to the University of Adelaide Medical School, 2004-2007

Objective: To determine the applicant characteristics that influence success at each application stage for entry to the University of Adelaide Medical School. Design, setting and participants: Retrospective analysis of characteristics associated with a successful outcome to an undergraduate-entry medical school for 6699 applicants from four cohorts (2004-2007). Main outcome measures: Offer of an interview, offer of a place, and acceptance of a place in the medical school. Results: Female applicants were less likely to gain an interview (odds ratio [OR], 0.88; 95% Cl, 0.78-0.99) but more likely to receive an offer of a place (OR, 1.33; 95% Cl, 1.07-1.66). Older applicants were less likely than younger applicants (OR, 0.78; 95% Cl, 0.71-0.86) and non-school leavers (applying after leaving school) were more likely than school leavers (applying while at school) (OR, 9.54; 95% Cl, 6.16-14.78) to receive an offer of an interview. Applicants from areas of high socioeconomic status were more likely to gain an interview (quartile 1 v 4: OR, 0.55; 95% Cl, 0.45-0.68). The more interviews an applicant had, the more likely he or she was to be offered a place (OR, 1.49; 95% Cl, 1.34-1.66) Conclusion: This study indicates that some applicant characteristics have a significant influence on the success of an application at particular stages, but overall there does not appear to be a large or inherent systematic bias in the selection process at the University of Adelaide Medical School. MJA 2010; 192: 212-216