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BMJ 1998; 316 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.316.7145.3 (Published 30 May 1998) Cite this as: BMJ 1998;316:S3-7145

Dropout rates from medical schools vary from school to school, but the average attrition rate over the whole course seems to be between 6.8 and 13.9%. A recent study in Health Trends (1997;29:106-8) measured the dropout rate for all of the London schools at 8.9%, but found that relatively more of their students left during the clinical years of the course. The study's authors argue that relative student overcrowding and adherence to the traditional curriculum may be responsible for this observed difference.