We all know the figures published by the RCGP showing differences in male versus female, white versus BME, and UK graduates versus IMGs. However, I have suspected for years that the male/female difference is due to the male inability (relatively speaking), to process several possible outcomes, as opposed to jumping to the most likely and then re-evaluating, is at the centre of this issue. The possible solution to this is teaching exam technique.
I have always been puzzled by the IMG issue, as apparently has everyone else, with suggestions of bias and worse being made; similar differences also occur at AKT.
I suggest a seemingly ludicrous idea, that the difference occurs because of the fact that the data are published.
Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink includes the already accepted idea of ‘priming’. In brief, the fact that IMG candidates are told (repeatedly and unavoidably) that they have much less chance of success primes them to fail
As an example, the standardised test for US College entrance was given to two groups of applicants. Pre-test priming by including their race on a pre-test questionnaire reduced the scores of, in this case, the African-American candidates by up to 50%. Asked afterwards none of them agreed that the pre-test questionnaire had ANY effect.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2013
