{"title":"Academic performance of Brazilian medical students during internship: Regular path versus affirmative action system.","authors":"Claudia Regina Zaramella, Fábio Ferreira Amorim","doi":"10.1080/0142159X.2026.2634074","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Affirmative action policies have been implemented to promote equitable access to higher education for socially vulnerable students, although their influence on student outcomes remains debated. This study compared the academic performance of students admitted through the regular path (RP) and affirmative action (AA) system, at a Brazilian public medical school.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This prospective cohort study included 236 fifth-year medical students from the School of Health Sciences (ESCS), between 2022 and 2024. Sociodemographic and economic data were obtained from institutional and national databases. Academic performance was assessed through cognitive, practical, and professionalism evaluations, as well as the final annual grade.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 236 students, 134 (56.8%) entered <i>via</i> RP and 102 (43.2%) <i>via</i> AA. AA students were older, less often self-declared white, had lower parental education, and worse socioeconomic indicators (all <i>p</i> < 0.001). In univariate analyses, RP students scored higher in three of four evaluations (<i>p</i> < 0.001). After adjustment, admission type was not associated with performance. Cognitive scores correlated with younger age at admission (β: -0.039; 95% CI: -0.065 to -0.014; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Mini-CEX showed no significant associations. Professionalism scores were higher among female (β: 0.165; 95% CI: 0.013 to 0.316; <i>p</i> = 0.033), married (β: 0.589; 95% CI: 0.151 to 1.027; <i>p</i> = 0.009), those with a parent holding higher education (β: 0.242; 95% CI: 0.036 to 0.448; <i>p</i> = 0.021), and younger entrants (β: -0.033; 95% CI: -0.055 to -0.011; <i>p</i> = 0.003). Final grades were higher among female (β: 0.146; 95% CI: 0.032 to 0.261; <i>p</i> = 0.013), married (β: 0.376; 95% CI: 0.044 to 0.708; <i>p</i> = 0.027), and younger students (β: -0.032; 95% CI: -0.048 to -0.015; <i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>After adjusting for sociodemographic and economic factors, RP and AA students performed similarly, supporting AA as an effective inclusion policy.</p>","PeriodicalId":18643,"journal":{"name":"Medical Teacher","volume":" ","pages":"1664-1675"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0000,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Medical Teacher","FirstCategoryId":"95","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2026.2634074","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/2/26 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Affirmative action policies have been implemented to promote equitable access to higher education for socially vulnerable students, although their influence on student outcomes remains debated. This study compared the academic performance of students admitted through the regular path (RP) and affirmative action (AA) system, at a Brazilian public medical school.
Methods: This prospective cohort study included 236 fifth-year medical students from the School of Health Sciences (ESCS), between 2022 and 2024. Sociodemographic and economic data were obtained from institutional and national databases. Academic performance was assessed through cognitive, practical, and professionalism evaluations, as well as the final annual grade.
Results: Of 236 students, 134 (56.8%) entered via RP and 102 (43.2%) via AA. AA students were older, less often self-declared white, had lower parental education, and worse socioeconomic indicators (all p < 0.001). In univariate analyses, RP students scored higher in three of four evaluations (p < 0.001). After adjustment, admission type was not associated with performance. Cognitive scores correlated with younger age at admission (β: -0.039; 95% CI: -0.065 to -0.014; p < 0.001). Mini-CEX showed no significant associations. Professionalism scores were higher among female (β: 0.165; 95% CI: 0.013 to 0.316; p = 0.033), married (β: 0.589; 95% CI: 0.151 to 1.027; p = 0.009), those with a parent holding higher education (β: 0.242; 95% CI: 0.036 to 0.448; p = 0.021), and younger entrants (β: -0.033; 95% CI: -0.055 to -0.011; p = 0.003). Final grades were higher among female (β: 0.146; 95% CI: 0.032 to 0.261; p = 0.013), married (β: 0.376; 95% CI: 0.044 to 0.708; p = 0.027), and younger students (β: -0.032; 95% CI: -0.048 to -0.015; p < 0.001).
Discussion: After adjusting for sociodemographic and economic factors, RP and AA students performed similarly, supporting AA as an effective inclusion policy.
期刊介绍:
Medical Teacher provides accounts of new teaching methods, guidance on structuring courses and assessing achievement, and serves as a forum for communication between medical teachers and those involved in general education. In particular, the journal recognizes the problems teachers have in keeping up-to-date with the developments in educational methods that lead to more effective teaching and learning at a time when the content of the curriculum—from medical procedures to policy changes in health care provision—is also changing. The journal features reports of innovation and research in medical education, case studies, survey articles, practical guidelines, reviews of current literature and book reviews. All articles are peer reviewed.