EMERGe seminar: Explaining the underperformance of International Medical Graduates in UK postgraduate medical education

International medical graduates (IMGs) perform less well in UK postgraduate training than do UK graduates, despite having passed the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) assessments, which are meant to be set at an equivalent level to UK medical qualifications.

The issue has become controversial as a result of the recent judicial review of the MRCGP exam. In this talk Professor Chris McManus will look at data on the performance of IMGs in a range of assessments, in both the UK and elsewhere, and will present a statistical model of the effect which explains how despite 'entry equivalence' there is not necessarily 'outcome equivalence'. He I will also look at the question of why amongst UK medical graduates there is underperformance by BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) students and graduates, and ask whether a similar statistical model applies.

Chris McManus trained as a doctor in Cambridge (1969-72) and Birmingham (1972-75). After house-jobs (1975-76) he returned to Cambridge to do a PhD in the genetics and neuropsychology of handedness and cerebral dominance (1976-79). Since 1979 he has worked in various medical schools and colleges of the University of London.

The majority of his work has used transverse and longitudinal studies to look at the performance of Medical Professionals, and has been supported by a wide-range of stake-holders: Medical Schools, the Medical Schools Council, the GMC and the RCP. He has undertaken important work on whether applicants from ethnical minorities were disadvantaged during medical school selection processes, and led a major study looking at the attitudes of 17 year-olds that were considering applying to medical school.

Alongside this, Chris maintains his interest in lateralisation. He is a co-founding editor, since 1996, of “Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain and Cognition” and published a popular science book called Right Hand, Left Hand.

Part of his work on lateralisation was recognised with an Ig Nobel Prize, which “honours achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think”. Chris won in 2002 for his work, published in Nature, entitled “Scrotal Asymmetry in Man and In Ancient Sculpture”.

This event is supported by the Faculty Development fund.

Staff and students welcome.