Four in five medical students attending MD-granting medical schools earn their degree in four years, and 96% of nondual degree MD students graduate within six years.
Medical school graduation rates have remained consistently high in recent decades, as shown by data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) published in 2024. The data, covering a period from 1999–2019, found that the attrition rate for medical students was around 3%.
Behind the numbers
Medical school attrition rates are similar to those in other advanced-degree fields of study such as law and business, and far lower than those found at the undergraduate level. A report this year from the Education Data Initiative shows that 39% of first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree seeking students do not complete their degree program within eight years.
Medical student attrition rates remained stable over the 20-year sample published by the AAMC, peaking just below 4% and hitting its low at around 2%.
Looking at degree tracks, the highest attrition rate covered in the sample was for bachelor’s degree–MD programs, at 5.7%. A likely explanation is that many of those students completed their undergraduate studies and opted not to pursue a career in medicine.
The length of time to graduate from medical school also varied significantly by one’s training path. Among dual-degree tracks, the longest time commitment required was for MD–PhD programs. About 60% of MD–PhD students graduated within eight years of their matriculation to medical school. That share reached 92.9% within 10 years of matriculation.
Why medical students leave
The AAMC data shows that the few students who leave medical school do so primarily for nonacademic reasons. In traditional MD tracks, for instance, 1.8% of students left for nonacademic reasons, compared with 1.1% of students citing academic reasons as the cause of their attrition.
Cynthia Boyd, MD, is associate dean of admissions and recruitment and a professor of internal medicine at Rush Medical College. In her role, she is attuned to the reasons students leave medical schools.
On a personal level, “several notable factors contributing to students leaving medical school include mental health issues and burnout associated with stress, anxiety or depression,” said Dr. Boyd, an AMA member.
Mental health issues can lead to a decline in academic performance and, ultimately, to attrition, Dr. Boyd noted. The heavy workload that medical students take on can contribute to burnout and affect personal well-being.
Dr. Boyd cited several other factors that contribute to medical student attrition. These include:
- Career path changes, with students opting to leave medicine altogether.
- Financial concerns, including tuition and living expenses, a stressor that may be particularly prevalent for students from low-income backgrounds.
Meanwhile, some students discover once in medical school “that a medical career does not align with their interests or goals, resulting in their decision to leave the program,” Dr. Boyd said.
Getting proactive
On the institutional side, Dr. Boyd highlighted several practical interventions that can head off medical student attrition.
“Implementing strategies that enhance access to confidential mental health resources, wellness initiatives and mindfulness programs can help” address many factors that lead to attrition, she said.
To address these concerns, Rush offers medical students free resources to help them maintain well-being, with a focus on burnout and mental health support through its wellness center. These efforts are aligned with AMA policy that supports medical students’ confidential access to confidential health services, including mental health and substance-use disorder services.
Rush also offers free resources to help medical students maintain well-being, with a focus on burnout and mental health support through its wellness center. In addition to a focus on medical student wellness and well-being, Rush has implemented structural level changes to address other common stressors. These include:
- Giving medical students access to financial planning and budgeting assistance through a dedicated resource within the medical school throughout the four years of their medical education.
- Open and accessible lines of communication with the administration and faculty through which students can offer any concerns.
- Access to faculty mentors, advisors, and professional role models to assist with career planning, development, and work-life balance.
Rush University System for Health, the home of Rush Medical College, takes part in the AMA Health System Member Program that provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine.
Building community
Dr. Boyd also highlighted the importance of emphasizing community and a sense of belonging for all students, especially medical students from diverse backgrounds.
By providing co-curricular activities and events that are open and welcoming to all students, Rush serves to further enhance awareness and appreciation for the many types of diversity at Rush.
“Student-affinity groups at Rush support leaders in hosting diverse activities like lunch-and-learns, film screenings and festivals,” Dr. Boyd said in an email.
Rush’s co-curricular events further enhance awareness and appreciation of diversity. An affinity group called Together We Thrive specifically supports first-generation medical students.
Rush’s student diversity and community-engagement office “works with students, faculty, and staff to create and sustain a welcoming and inclusive university environment for individuals from all backgrounds,” Dr. Boyd said. Programming includes monthly interprofessional events “celebrating and educating about our varied backgrounds and beliefs,” she added.
“Although attrition rates in medical school are low, implementing both personal and structural changes, enhancing student support services, and developing targeted programs for marginalized groups are crucial for improving retention in medical school,” Dr. Boyd said.
