Across the UK, access to medical school remains challenging for those from non-traditional backgrounds. Applicants from private schools have 1.5x the odds of receiving an offer compared to state school applicants, and applicants from the highest socioeconomic backgrounds make up 75% of entrants. Establishing equity in admissions to medical school serves not only to promote social mobility, but is implicated in improved patient care.

In this Widening Participation in Physiology Prize Lecture, I will explore the barriers to equitable medical school admissions, discuss the educational and societal benefits of recruiting students from diverse backgrounds, and reflect on the impact of the widening participation initiatives we have developed to improve access to medicine.