The Returns to Medical School: Evidence from Admission Lotteries

N. Ketel; E. Leuven; H. Oosterbeek; B. van der Klaauw

doi:10.1257/app.20140506

The Returns to Medical School: Evidence from Admission Lotteries

N. Ketel, E. Leuven, H. Oosterbeek, B. van der Klaauw

Economics

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

We exploit admission lotteries to estimate the returns to medical school in the Netherlands. Using data from up to 22 years after the lottery, we find that in every single year after graduation doctors earn at least 20 percent more than people who end up in their nextbest occupation. Twenty-two years after the lottery the earnings difference is almost 50 percent. Only a small fraction of this difference can be attributed to differences in working hours and human capital investments. The returns do not vary with gender or ability, and shift the entire earnings distribution.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	225-254
Journal	American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
Volume	8
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20140506
Publication status	Published - 2016

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1257/app.20140506

Handle.net

Persistent link

Replication data for: The Returns to Medical School: Evidence from Admission Lotteries
Ketel, N. (Contributor), Leuven, E. (Contributor), Oosterbeek, H. (Contributor) & van der Klaauw, B. (Contributor), Unknown Publisher, 1 Jan 2016
DOI: 10.3886/e113626v1, https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/project/113626/version/V1/view
Dataset

Cite this

@article{ff545190ce6c46478a479b817d375a1e,

title = "The Returns to Medical School: Evidence from Admission Lotteries",

abstract = "We exploit admission lotteries to estimate the returns to medical school in the Netherlands. Using data from up to 22 years after the lottery, we find that in every single year after graduation doctors earn at least 20 percent more than people who end up in their nextbest occupation. Twenty-two years after the lottery the earnings difference is almost 50 percent. Only a small fraction of this difference can be attributed to differences in working hours and human capital investments. The returns do not vary with gender or ability, and shift the entire earnings distribution.",

author = "N. Ketel and E. Leuven and H. Oosterbeek and {van der Klaauw}, B.",

year = "2016",

doi = "10.1257/app.20140506",

language = "English",

volume = "8",

pages = "225--254",

journal = "American Economic Journal: Applied Economics",

issn = "1945-7782",

publisher = "American Economic Association",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Returns to Medical School: Evidence from Admission Lotteries

AU - Ketel, N.

AU - Leuven, E.

AU - Oosterbeek, H.

AU - van der Klaauw, B.

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - We exploit admission lotteries to estimate the returns to medical school in the Netherlands. Using data from up to 22 years after the lottery, we find that in every single year after graduation doctors earn at least 20 percent more than people who end up in their nextbest occupation. Twenty-two years after the lottery the earnings difference is almost 50 percent. Only a small fraction of this difference can be attributed to differences in working hours and human capital investments. The returns do not vary with gender or ability, and shift the entire earnings distribution.

AB - We exploit admission lotteries to estimate the returns to medical school in the Netherlands. Using data from up to 22 years after the lottery, we find that in every single year after graduation doctors earn at least 20 percent more than people who end up in their nextbest occupation. Twenty-two years after the lottery the earnings difference is almost 50 percent. Only a small fraction of this difference can be attributed to differences in working hours and human capital investments. The returns do not vary with gender or ability, and shift the entire earnings distribution.

U2 - 10.1257/app.20140506

DO - 10.1257/app.20140506

M3 - Article

SN - 1945-7782

VL - 8

SP - 225

EP - 254

JO - American Economic Journal: Applied Economics

JF - American Economic Journal: Applied Economics

IS - 2

ER -

The Returns to Medical School: Evidence from Admission Lotteries

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Handle.net

Fingerprint

Datasets

Replication data for: The Returns to Medical School: Evidence from Admission Lotteries

Cite this