To address the US physician shortage, the likelihood that medical matriculants transition to graduation and physicianhood must increase.¹ One factor that has negative consequences for medical school graduation rates is taking a leave of absence (LOA).² Students take LOAs for academic, financial, health, or personal reasons. This study of US medical school matriculants explores potential factors and academic outcomes associated with taking an LOA.

This cross-sectional study was reviewed and approved by the Albany Medical College institutional review board, which waived the need for informed consent because the data were from a national data set and were deidentified. The study followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) reporting guideline. We used deidentified, individual-level data provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)^3-5 for 48 406 medical matriculants from academic years 2007-2008 to 2011-2012. The AAMC Matriculating Student Questionnaire represents between 68.2% and 78.4% of matriculating students and includes complete data for fields of interest. It follows participants for 5 years after matriculation. The majority of medical students pursuing only a doctor of medicine graduate in 5 years.¹

Premedical school experiences associated with the likelihood of an LOA were examined using a multivariable logistic regression model. Factors associated with an LOA included Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, being a first-generation (no parent with a 4-year degree) or continuing-generation (at least 1 parent with a 4-year degree) college graduate, sex, racial/ethnic identity, matriculation age, the Carnegie classification of the student’s undergraduate institution, premedical school experiences, and parental household income. The MCAT metrics were for the MCAT version used from 1991 through January 2015. The composite score ranges from 3 to 45, with lower scores indicating fewer correct answers. The first-generation variable was derived from the American Medical College Application Service; applicants who responded “some college or less” for both parents or guardians were included in the first-generation classification. Race/ethnicity was derived from self-identification from students who were US citizens or permanent residents.

为了解决美国医生短缺的问题，医学预科生过渡到毕业和医生的可能性必须增加。¹对医学院毕业率产生负面影响的一个因素是请假 (LOA)。²学生出于学术、财务、健康或个人原因参加 LOA。这项对美国医学院预科生的研究探讨了与 LOA 相关的潜在因素和学术成果。

这项横断面研究得到了奥尔巴尼医学院机构审查委员会的审查和批准，该委员会免除了知情同意的需要，因为数据来自国家数据集并且是去识别化的。该研究遵循加强流行病学观察性研究报告 (STROBE) 报告指南。我们使用了美国医学院协会 (AAMC) 提供的去识别化的个人级别数据^{3 -5}2007-2008 学年至 2011-2012 学年 48 406 名医学预科生。AAMC 预科学生问卷代表了 68.2% 到 78.4% 的预科学生，包括感兴趣领域的完整数据。它在入学后跟踪参与者 5 年。大多数只攻读医学博士学位的医学生在 5 年内毕业。¹

使用多变量逻辑回归模型检查与 LOA 可能性相关的医学预科学校经历。与 LOA 相关的因素包括医学院入学考试 (MCAT) 分数、第一代（父母均未获得 4 年学位）或下一代（至少有 1 名父母获得 4 年学位）大学毕业生、性别、种族/民族认同、入学年龄、学生本科院校的卡内基分类、医学预科学校经历和父母家庭收入。MCAT 指标适用于 1991 年至 2015 年 1 月使用的 MCAT 版本。综合得分范围为 3 到 45，得分越低表示正确答案越少。第一代变量来自美国医学院申请服务；父母或监护人都回答“一些大学或更少”的申请人被包括在第一代分类中。种族/民族来自美国公民或永久居民的学生的自我认同。