Aims: To review the important background details of students admitted to the Auckland School of Medicine over its 25 years.
Methods: Data collected at the time of application on 2448 students who successfully gained entry to the course has been analysed and compared with similar demographic variables in the New Zealand population as a whole, and with some of the findings from a survey performed on the total student population enrolling at Auckland University during 1990.
Results: Successful applicants had a mean age of 18.6 years, 39.7% were females and 77% were born in New Zealand. Eighty-three percent were European, 3.6% Maori, 2.4% Pacific Islanders and 10.8% Chinese, Indian or other Asian. Sixty-three percent came from cities over 100,000, 16% being from towns less than 20,000 people. State schools were attended by 77% of entrants and 55% went to single sex schools. University students enrolling in 1990 came from affluent backgrounds with 70% of medical students that year being from socioeconomic levels one and two. Parental occupation was found to clearly influence the career choice of students.
Conclusions: Auckland medical students are predominantly from large cities and affluent backgrounds with only those of European origin being admitted in the same proportion as they occupy in the New Zealand population. The high ratio of Asian students reflects their commitment to senior secondary school studies while the lower admission rate for Maori and Polynesian students is due in part to the large number who leave school without completing their secondary education. The possible impact of these demographic variables on recruitment and loss from the course and on the choice and location of practice is discussed.