ArticlePloS one2024
The burden of unexpected costs in medical school.
Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Healthcare utilization, preventive care, and structural barriers among medical students at a three-campus U.S. medical school.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Board exam preparation resource trends in academic health sciences libraries serving colleges of osteopathic medicine programs.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2026Article
- Accessibility and challenges to ophthalmic instruments acquisition among optometry students in Ghana.BMC research notes · 2025Article
- How Art Museums Can Foster the Flourishing of Future Physicians.Perspectives on medical education · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe cost of medical school continues to climb. What has yet to be well-understood are the so-called "unexpected costs" of medical school that, while not explicitly required, are considered paramount to success. This study aims to identify, quantify, and analyze the impacts of these costs of medical school and offer suggestions in alleviating these burdens.
methodsMedical students across the United States were administered a questionnaire inquiring about the unexpected costs of medical school including test prep materials, clinical supplies, student fees, and the impact of these costs on mental and financial health. In this multi-institutional, cross-sectional survey study, outcomes included total cost, perception of expected vs. actual cost, and impact on well-being.
resultsFrom January to June 2022, 499 survey responses were collected. The average total additional costs were $4,937, with 83% of respondents stating they spent more during medical school than expected. 51% reported their institutions' cost of attendance did not accurately predict expenses. These costs were a financial constraint for 68% of students, with a significant increase in constraint for first-generation college students (89% vs 65%, p = 0.02). Financial concerns impacted 65% of students' mental health and well-being during their medical career, with a significantly increased impact on first-generation college students (85% vs 62%, p = 0.045).
conclusionsMost students believed the total cost of medical school was significantly more than expected, serving as a source of stress and negatively impacting their mental health. The financial constraints and impact on mental health and well-being were most pronounced for first-generation college students. This study illuminates the importance of improving communication regarding costs outside of tuition and providing support and advocacy to alleviate those costs. Future investigation should further examine how other demographics are impacted by the burden of unexpected costs in medical school.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.