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More must be done to improve access to medical education for students from deprived areas, academics have said, as new research finds only 13 per cent of doctors come from working-class backgrounds.

A study by researchers from King¡¯s College London found that having a parent with a professional occupation makes you six times more likely to become a doctor than if they have a working-class job.

Academics analysed a nationally representative sample of 358,934 working-age respondents and found 13 per cent of doctors came from working-class backgrounds, as defined by the Social Mobility Commission, compared with 43 per cent of the general working-age population.

Children of doctors have a particular advantage, with their chances up to 100 times greater than those who are least likely to become doctors, such as the children of bus drivers, security guards, forklift operators, and care workers.

The study follows the publication of the government¡¯s?10-year plan for the future of the NHS?in July, which pledged to ¡°dramatically improve access to the medical profession for those from disadvantaged backgrounds¡±.?

The strategy said data on the background of medical students will be published, while any expansion of medical school places will be targeted at institutions ¡°with a proven track record of widening participation¡±.

Nicki Cohen, dean of medical education at King¡¯s College London, said the research ¡°underscores the urgent need to tackle the socioeconomic barriers that continue to limit access to studying medicine¡±.

In the paper, researchers suggest the government and universities should address ¡°financial and geographical barriers to application¡± to medical schools, as well as providing additional support to disadvantaged students during studies ¡°to compensate for lack of ¡®insider?knowledge¡¯ of the ¡®hidden curriculum¡¯ from which those from medical or professional families benefit¡±.?

Nathan Cheetham, senior postdoctoral data scientist at King¡¯s College London and lead author of the study, said he was ¡°surprised¡± to find that ¡°the chances of people from working-class backgrounds becoming doctors didn¡¯t meaningfully change between the 1960s and 2010s, revealing a stubborn class inequality¡±.?

He continued, ¡°In comparison, the share of female doctors dramatically increased from around 25 per cent to 60 per cent over the same period, making the stability of working-class underrepresentation all the more surprising.¡±

King¡¯s College London offers a six-year extended medical degree programme, which exclusively recruits students from non-selective state schools. According to the university, 90 per cent of students on the course are the first in their families to enter higher education.

¡°Providing support for students from school age through their medical education and beyond is essential to meet the nation¡¯s healthcare needs. Only through sustained, sector-wide action will we create a medical workforce that truly reflects the communities we serve,¡± said Cohen.

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com