Socio-economic and Educational Backgrounds of First-Generation College Students in Medicine: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Online Questionnaire Survey
10.11307/mededjapan.56.3_171
- VernacularTitle:大学第一世代医学生の社会経済的・教育的背景に関するオンライン質問紙調査
- Author:
Yasuyuki SUZUKI
1
;
Osamu NOMURA
1
;
Koji TSUNEKAWA
2
;
Takuya SAIKI
1
;
Yuko TAKEDA
3
Author Information
1. Medical Education Development Center, Gifu University School of Medicine
2. Department of Medical Career and Professional Development, Nagoya City University School of Medical Sciences
3. Department of Medical Education, Juntendo University, Faculty of Medicine
- Keywords:
medical students;
first-generation college students (FGCs);
socio-economic background
- From:Medical Education
2025;56(3):171-175
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
Objective: To determine the socio-economic and educational backgrounds of first-generation college students (FGCs) among Japanese medical students, with the aim of contributing to the improvement of medical school admissions. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted. A total of 1,849 medical students and 295 nursing students participated. Results: The proportion of FGCs among medical students was 12.1%, lower than that among nursing students (39.4%). The backgrounds of FGCs were compared with those of non-FGCs (students whose parents were university graduates). FGCs were more likely to come from small cities and from outside the Kanto/Kansai regions. They reported lower annual family incomes and had fewer doctors or dentists among their relatives. FGCs attended cram schools less frequently, were more likely to have graduated from national or public high schools, and had higher academic grades. They applied exclusively to national or public medical schools, were more likely to take regional quota or recommended AO entrance examinations, passed these exams immediately after high school graduation, and were more often enrolled in their first-choice and national or public medical schools. FGCs also expressed a stronger intention to work in less-populated areas in the future. Discussion: The backgrounds of FGCs differ significantly from those of non-FGCs. Further investigation into the challenges and potential of FGCs in medicine is warranted.
