ABSTRACT
Widening participation is an educational initiative to increase the number of disadvantaged students and students from under-represented groups who attend higher education. The difficulties for widening participant students to access higher education are well established. Students from the least deprived areas still make up the largest group that go on to study medicine, while those from the most deprived areas make up the smallest group.
This chapter explores further:
The relationship between having a lower economic status on education and accessibility to higher education options.
The impact of widening participation in addressing social inequality, social mobility and improving diversity and equality in higher education.
The importance of the medical profession being as diverse and representative as the population it serves.
Best practice suggestions and examples of successful widening participation models.
