58 percent of Austrian medical students are children of academics

In Austria, a significant majority of medical students, 58%, hail from academic households, a proportion notably higher than the 45% observed across all types of higher education institutions. This trend highlights a persistent social selectivity in accessing medical studies.

Since the introduction of entrance examinations in 2006, the path to medical school has become increasingly challenging for individuals whose parents do not hold university degrees. While these admission procedures aim to standardize entry, evaluations suggest they have inadvertently reinforced social disparities. For instance, at the Medical University of Vienna, only 31% of enrolled students in 2019/20 came from non-academic backgrounds, despite 40% of applicants belonging to this group.

Despite a federal government target to have 50% of new human and dental medicine students come from non-academic homes by 2025, progress has been slow. Recent data indicates a slight decline, with only about 43% fitting this criterion in 2023/24, down from 47% five years prior. While the Medical University of Vienna has narrowly met the 50% threshold in the last two years, the overall national trend remains a concern for equitable access to medical education.