Episode 68: Inequalities in healthcare - differential attainment

RCP Medicine Podcast

Listen to Dr Rohan Mehra, RCP clinical education fellow, (Infectious diseases/microbiology SPR) and Dr Mumtaz Patel, as they shine a spotlight on differential attainment in healthcare. This is a pervasive issue within UK healthcare which requires work from everyone. Here Rohan and Mumtaz illustrate the issue, how it impacts people and what you can do to try and make a difference.

Dr Mumtaz Patel is a consultant in nephrology in Manchester as well as Senior censor and Vice President for education for the RCP. Mumtaz led nationally on the research around Differential Attainment for over 5 years and has led cross-collaborative research across organisations such as GMC, NHSE, royal colleges and within different specialties with a focus on earlier interventions and support to improve educational outcomes and trainee experience. Mumtaz has helped produce national guidance around supporting trainers and trainees in addressing and narrowing the Differential attainment gap. This work has had national and international recognition with presentations at multiple conferences.

Resources:

GMC: tackling differential attainment.

https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/standards-guidance-and-curricula/guidance/tackling-differential-attainment

Academic papers highlighting differential attainment and steps that need taken:

Woolf K, Potts HW. Ethnicity and academic performance in UK-trained doctors and medical students: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2011;342:d901.

Regan de Bere S, Nunn S, Nasser M. Understanding differential attainment across medical training pathways: a rapid review of the literature Final report prepared for The General Medical Council. 2015. https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/gmc-understanding-differential-attainment_pdf-63533431.pdf

Woolfe K, Rich A, Viney R, Needleman S, Griffin A. Perceived causes of differential attainment in UK postgraduate medical training: a national qualitative study. BMJ Open 2016;6:e013429

https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/14105.asp

Hawkridge A, Molyneux D. (2019) A description and evaluation of an educational programme for North West England GP trainees who have multiple fails in the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA). Education for Primary Care. 30(3):167-172.

https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/gmc-da-final-report-success-factors-in-training-211119_pdf-80914221.pdf

Jeremy Brown, Liam Jenkins, John Sandars, Julie Bridson, Mumtaz Patel (2023) Evaluation of the Impact of the Workshop ‘EQiT – Embedding Compassionate, Courageous, Cross-cultural Conversations into Training’ General Medical Council

Jeremy Brown, Liam Jenkins, John Sandars, Julie Bridson, Mumtaz Patel (2023) Evaluation of the impact of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Clinical Assessment of Skill and Applied Knowledge masterclass on reducing the attainment gap General Medical Council

Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, 2023 Principles for exam preparation, feedback and support for candidates to address the awarding gap.

Patel, M. Differential Attainment and implementing successful strategies, RCP commentary 2023, https://70b706f2.flowpaper.com/CommAugust2023v2/#page=18
Music by Bensound.com
This episode was funded by Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Limited. Vertex had no involvement in the creation and elaboration of this episode and all views and opinions expressed by the presenter and guests are solely their own.