State schools students are more likely to become high-flying doctors because they are used to battling against the odds, a study has found.

Medical students are nearly twice as likely to graduate top of their class if they were educated in the state sector rather than at fee-paying schools, according to research by the University of Aberdeen. It comes despite the fact students from private institutions score slightly higher in the entry tests.

Professor Jen Cleland, lead author of the paper, said that state school students tend to be more motivated and resilient than their privately educated counterparts, which means they are better equipped for the challenges of medical school.

"While this study didn't look at why students from state schools significantly outperform students from independent schools, one possibility is that that once given equal access to resources, state-educated students take advantage of the opportunities available to them," she said.