These researchers explored ethnic stereotypes of UK medical students in the context of academic underachievement of medical students from ethnic minorities, in a cohort of Year 3 medical students and their clinical teachers, purposively sampled for ethnicity and sex. They participated in one to one interviews and focus groups. Analyses revealed that the clinical teachers as well as the medical students themselves had negative stereotypes about UK Asian medical students, who were perceived as being over-reliant on book learning and excessively quiet in class. Students also reported being unable to learn from unenthusiastic or intimidating teachers. No evidence of direct discrimination was found.
