Compounded Challenges: The Impact of Race and Disability on Leave of Absence and Time to Graduation During Undergraduate Medical Education

Abstract

Purpose: Medical students with disabilities (MSWD) from racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in medicine (URiM) may experience disparate educational paths compared to their peers, including disruption during training. This study examined whether MSWD who are also URiM experienced disproportionate rates of unintended leaves of absence (LOA) or extended time to graduation (TTG) compared to those who are only URiM, only MSWD, or neither.

Method: The authors analyzed data from 372 MSWD and 689 matched nondisabled controls across 9 U.S. MD-granting programs. Students were matched by gender, graduation cohort, and Medical College Admission Test scores. MSWD were categorized into cognitive, physical/sensory, and chronic health disabilities, while race/ethnicity was classified as underrepresented in medicine (e.g., American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander), Asian, or White. Likelihood of LOA and extended TTG outcomes were assessed using mixed-effect logistic regression models.

Results: MSWD were 2.6 times more likely to take an LOA (25.0% vs 12.6%, P < .001) and 2.6 times more likely to have extended TTG than nondisabled peers (38.6% vs 21.9%, P < .001). URiM students were 1.7 times more likely to take an LOA (22.9% vs 15.3%, P = .01) and 2.1 times more likely to experience extended TTG than White students (36.2% vs 22.5%, P < .001). Adjusted analysis showed URiM MSWD were 5.9 times more likely to take an LOA (40.6% vs 13.4%, P < .001) and 4.9 times more likely to experience extended TTG than nondisabled White peers (56.4% vs 28.7%, P < .001).

Conclusions: URiM MSWD faced disproportionately heightened risks for academic disruptions in the form of LOA and extended TTG, underscoring the need for interventions that are more supportive of students with overlapping identities.