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The effects of medical school on health outcomes: Evidence from admission lotteries

Author

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  • Leuven, Edwin
  • Oosterbeek, Hessel
  • de Wolf, Inge

Abstract

This paper estimates the effects of attending medical school on health outcomes by exploiting that admission to medical school in the Netherlands is determined by a lottery. Among the applicants for medical school, people who attended medical school have on average 1.5 more years of completed education than people who did not. They are also more likely to have been exposed to a health-related education curriculum. The results show only modest impacts on health outcomes. Attending medical school reduces alcohol consumption and being underweight somewhat, and has a small positive impact on self-reported health status. It has, however, a small negative effect on the frequency of physical exercise and no significant impact on smoking, and being overweight or obese. Attending medical school does have a large positive impact on the probability of being registered for donations of organs.

Suggested Citation

  • Leuven, Edwin & Oosterbeek, Hessel & de Wolf, Inge, 2013. "The effects of medical school on health outcomes: Evidence from admission lotteries," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 698-707.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:32:y:2013:i:4:p:698-707
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2013.04.001
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    3. Fiva, Jon H. & Hægeland, Torbjørn & Rønning, Marte & Syse, Astri, 2014. "Access to treatment and educational inequalities in cancer survival," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 98-111.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Education gradient; Admission lotteries; Medical school; Health outcomes; Organ donation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality

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