Attrition rate

[Denn]

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I know that this is not very nice subject to talk about, but I would just like to know what the attrition (drop-out) rate is in medical schools. This question is for anyone who came across some statistical data and also for people who are in medical schools.

 

[backrow]

I know that this is not very nice subject to talk about, but I would just like to know what the attrition (drop-out) rate is in medical schools. This question is for anyone who came across some statistical data and also for people who are in medical schools.

I don't have any direct data; however, just from my class. MS1 year I think 1 left on his own accord, ~4 were set back to repeat, and I think 1 or 2 were sent packing (out of a starting total of around 165).

MS2 year we have 10 who are repeating and I think 3 have been sent packing. Of those who were set back in MS1 year 1 has since been kicked out.

So overall the attrition rate at my school is not that high, looks like around 10%. I'm not sure if this is average for US schools or how it compares. I know of anecdotal evidence of several people every year realizing that maybe medicine isn't what they want to do and leaving on their own.

hope this helps

 

[Portier]

One guy was caught cheating on the first exam....minus 1
3-4 went to the five year plan, but are doing well.
2-3 went to the class 1 year behind us for varrying reasons (personal, grades)
1 quit.

Out of ~200 that's not bad...I only count the one that quit as being lost, but if you count the setbacks, that's 2%.

 

[PineappleGirl]

I don't have any stats to back this up, but one of my friends who is a doc said that at her school (Northwestern) only a few people ever dropped out/were kicked out, etc. When I started expressing an interest in med school over grad school she was really adamant on the point that once you are in med school they try their hardest to keep you in med school and will offer you lots of help to stay afloat, after all, you are in so much debt after even just a year or two, that it would really suck not to finish and have all those loans.

Overall, I think the attrition rates at med schools are fairly low, definitely under 10% I'd say as a best guess.

In the Caribbean, however, attrition is a huge problem. I've heard of classes of 400 dropping to 200 after second year.

 

[brightblueeyes]

Most US and Canadian schools seem to have very low attrition rates. And even those that do "drop out" seem to do so for personal rather than academic reasons. (One of the few people I know of who withdrew was the top student in his class at the time.)

Frankly, attrition rate is a reflection of school policy and no USMLE schools try to fail students.