The winding pathway to medical school: The role of non-direct routes in achieving a diverse student population

Our findings show that diversity is diminished in the direct pathway to eligibility for medical school, and candidates with diverse backgrounds must follow winding pathways to formal eligibility. However, many candidates follow these winding pathways, as the diversity in medical school mostly reflects the general population's. School-specific admission procedures do not seem to impede students from diverse backgrounds from getting into medical schools. Research and policy should study and remove upstream obstacles and support winding pathways, turning them into an asset for diversity.