Kaplan Survey: Nearly Half of Aspiring Doctors Say Abortion Rights Ruling Will Impact Where They Apply to Medical School

A new Kaplan survey of more than 300 pre-med students across the country finds that the Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision holding that the Constitution provides a fundamental “right to privacy” protecting a woman’s choice to have an abortion, may have a significant impact on the educational paths of aspiring physicians*.

Nearly half say the decision will affect their choice of where to apply to medical school, with 26 percent saying it probably will and 21 percent saying it definitely will; 17 percent say it will probably not affect their decision; 9 percent say it will definitely not affect their decision; and 27 percent say the ruling may or may not impact their decision.

Among those who say the ruling will make a difference in where they apply, opinions run strong:

• “The Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade deeply impacts how I feel about certain states and especially working within healthcare in that area.”
• “I refuse to apply to any medical school in states where women don’t have rights to their bodies.”
• “It would be important to me to be in an area where access to abortion is not restricted so that I can learn about such procedures.”

Those who say the ruling will not impact their decisions told us the following:

• “I would like to go to a school that is the best fit for me. No matter their stance on reproductive healthcare.”
• “I will still evaluate which med schools I apply to based on other factors that are more relevant to me.”
• “A med school's beliefs do not define my own. I'm looking for the best education.”

“It’s clear from our survey results that the Supreme Court’s decision is causing waves among pre-medical students, since this issue intersects both science and, for many, deeply held moral views — both for those who are pro-choice and those who are pro-life. Pre-meds are not only very career-focused, but we see an increasingly strong strain of social activism among them on a variety of issues. Over the next few years, we’ll see how this particular issue impacts actual application and enrollment numbers,” said Jennifer Moore, executive director of pre-med programs, Kaplan.

Reporters interested in covering Kaplan’s survey results can contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

*Based on results of an e-survey conducted between September and October 2022 of 328 pre-med students who took an MCAT® course with Kaplan. Test names are the property of the respective trademark holders.

About Kaplan

Kaplan, Inc. is a global educational services company that helps individuals and institutions advance their goals in an ever-changing world. Our broad portfolio of solutions help students and professionals further their education and careers, universities and educational institutions attract and support students, and businesses maximize employee recruitment and development. Stanley Kaplan founded our company in 1938 with a mission to expand educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Today, all of our employees across 27 countries continue Stanley’s mission, working with hundreds of thousands of students and professionals and 12,000 corporate and 4,000 school and university clients worldwide. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). Learn more at kaplan.com.

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A new Kaplan survey of more than 300 pre-med students across the country finds that the Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade may have a significant impact on the educational paths of future doctors.