Student selection for medicine: Still a “Thorny” issue

Despite the growth in literature and concerted efforts on many fronts to improve the selection process for medicine, there remain a number of contentious issues. Medical schools worldwide need to consider the often disparate priorities of multiple stakeholders when selecting students. They seek to recruit students who are likely not only to succeed in their program but also need to meet their own and often their government's agenda to meet equity and workforce targets. Academic performance prior to medical school predicts academic success at medical schools and beyond, but if weighed too heavily will restrict access to disadvantaged groups. This article outlines the various components of medical student selection and describes the different contexts in which they are used. We aim for this to be an informative article for reference as medical school selection committees worldwide constantly evaluate whether admissions processes are fulfilling their criteria. Discussion among medical schools must surely improve efficiency and cross-cultural understanding in the global medical education environment to provide suitable doctors needed for the 21 st century.