Date of Conferral

9-25-2026

Date of Award

September 2026

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Kathy Zientek

Abstract

The problem addressed through this study was the disproportionate lower admission rates of Black students compared to their White counterparts at a Georgia medical school. Grounded in Bourdieu’s theory of social reproduction, the purpose of this study was to explore admission officers’ perceptions on the factors contributing to lower admission rates of Black applicants at a Georgia medical school. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews with 10 admissions officers were conducted. Through Saldaña’s first- and second-cycle coding procedures, the following nine themes emerged: (a) Medical College Admission Test scores create barriers for Black applicants; (b) unequal educational resources and opportunities affect preparation for medical school; (c) social and cultural capital influence applicants’ ability to navigate the admissions process; (d) holistic review can support more diverse admissions; (e) interview bias can influence admissions decisions; (f) institutional prestige and structural bias can disadvantage some applicants; (g) recruiting Black applicants remains challenging; (h) institutional norms and expectations shape admissions culture and practices; and (i) differing beliefs about bias influence how racial disparities are understood and addressed in admissions. A professional development for admissions officers was developed to increase awareness of structural, institutional, and individual decision-making and to strengthen equitable admissions practices. The implications for positive social change are that expanding equitable access to medical education might foster physician workforce diversity which, in turn, might improve healthcare outcomes for underserved communities through more inclusive practices.

Download

Included in

Education Commons

Share

 
COinS