jennyldb's admissions [123 articles]

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the incremental effects of selected psychosocial measures--beyond the effects of conventional admission measures--in predicting students' academic performances in medical school. METHODS. In 1989-90, 210 second-year students at Jefferson Medical College were each asked to complete 11 psychosocial questionnaires that were then used as predictors of performance measures in medical school. The students' scores on three subtests of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) were also used as predictors. Three composite measures of performance were used as the criterion ...

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Aim. To assess whether the prospect of waiving tuition fees influenced the academic performance of students with the lowest admission test scores and consequent mandatory tuition. Methods. We compared academic performance of 75 tuition-paying students with the students who did not have to pay tuition because they scored well on the 1995-1998 admission tests to the Kragujevac School of Medicine. We formed 3 control groups (high-, medium-and low-ranked students on the admission test), each with the similar number of students as ...

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The selection of students for the health professions is typically a very competitive multi-staged process that includes assessment of both cognitive abilities and personal qualities. The need for reliable and valid assessment measures is obvious. This review of the health professions literature examines the evidence to support the use of various selection tools. It is clear that pre-admission overall grade point average (GPA) is the best predictor of academic performance in all of the health professions; however, the relationship between pre-admission ...

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Background: Medical school admission committees differ in their decision-making procedures. Some assign ratings to groups of application materials to devise rank order acceptance lists, whereas others deliberate and vote on each separate application. Purpose: This study examined what the screening review and deliberative processes contribute to decision making in a medical school admission committee. Methods: We reviewed records of admission committee members' preliminary votes on applicants after initial screening, final votes after committee deliberation, and written comments regarding issues of concern ...

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The Flemish Admission Exam `Medical and Dental Studies' is comprised of four cognitive ability tests and four situational tests, namely two work samples (i.e., a lecture and a medical text) and two video-based situational judgement tests (i.e., a physician-patient interaction and a medical expert discussion). On the basis of the Admission Exam scores of 941 candidates (359 men, 582 women) this study shows that situational tests significantly can predict better than cognitive ability tests, with lecture and text emerging as significant ...

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In this paper, we examine the methods by which candidates are selected for the Oxford Medical School in the light of the literature on assessment in general and candidate selection in particular. We review changes in the process that attempt to capture the best of evidence-supported practice while preserving or enhancing the features identified as being peculiar strengths of the Oxford learning environment. These changes aim to improve fairness, reliability and validity, while permitting candidate-specific approaches that allow for differences of ...

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Objective To investigate what going to medical school means to academically able 14-16 year olds from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds in order to understand the wide socioeconomic variation in applications to medical school. Design Focus group study. Setting Six London secondary schools. Participants 68 academically able and scientifically oriented pupils aged 14-16 years from a wide range of social and ethnic backgrounds. Main outcome measures Pupils' perceptions of medical school, motivation to apply, confidence in ability to stay the Course, ...

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CONTEXT A new student selection instrument has been designed to assess candidate suitability for a problem-based learning, small group curriculum. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the performance of the new teamwork selection instrument in terms of its discriminatory power, fairness, validity, reliability and acceptability among candidates. SAMPLE A sample of 69 volunteer candidates attending for interview formed 13 teams of 5 or 6 candidates each. Each candidate was assessed independently by 2 assessors. Candidate performance in the exercise was used for instrument evaluation ...

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Background: Achievement on grade point average and Medical College Admissions Test contribute as unintentional barriers to advancement of underrepresented minorities. So long as noncognitive measures mimic random number generators, they merely perpetuate such discrepancies. As reliable noncognitive measures are developed, it is crucial to ensure immunity from bias, enabling them to better dilute unintended discrimination of cognitive measures. Purpose: The Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) is a recently developed, reliable (overall reliability=.70), noncognitive measure used for assessment of medical school applicants. Our purpose ...

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Admission to health-related professions is very competitive and selecting candidates with the best prospects for success is critical. A variety of measures are used to assess candidates to predict success. The purpose of this research was to assess the effectiveness of using selection interviews for admissions. Meta-analysis was applied to a sample of 20 studies examined in a comprehensive review article on the use of interviews in healthcare academic disciplines. Nineteen of these studies examined the relationship between performance in an ...

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Context Many medical schools administer postbaccalaureate premedical programs targeting underrepresented minority and disadvantaged students, with the goal of increasing the number of these students matriculating into medical school. Objective To determine whether University of California (UC) postbaccalaureate programs are effective in increasing medical school matriculation rates for program participants. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study assessing 5 UC medical school postbaccalaureate programs. The cohort comprised 265 participants in the postbaccalaureate programs in the 1999 through 2002 academic years and a ...

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ABSTRACT Purpose: To discuss the development, pilot testing, and analysis of a 34-item semantic differential instrument for measuring medical school applicants' emotional intelligence (the EI instrument). Method: The authors analyzed data from the admission interviews of 147 1997 applicants to a six-year BS/MD program that is composed of three consortium universities. They compared the applicants' scores on traditional admission criteria (e.g., GPA and traditional interview assessments) with their scores on the EI instrument (which comprised five dimensions of emotional intelligence), breaking the data ...

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Abstract The aim of medical school and residency training is to produce well-trained physicians. One problem has been in knowing which applicants to select. Academic criteria have not correlated well with clinical performance. The current study suggests consideration of an important variable that has been found to be associated with exemplary clinical performance. In recent studies a significant relationship between moral reasoning skills and clinical performance has been found for medical students and residents and dental and nursing students. A similar ...

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Abstract This study was designed to compare the performance of medical students in physiology when assessed by multiple choice questions (MCQs) and short essay questions (SEQs). The study also examined the influence of factors such as age, sex, O/level grades and JAMB scores on performance in the MCQs and SEQs. A structured questionnaire was administered to 264 medical students' four months before the Part I MBBS examination. Apart from personal data of each student, the questionnaire sought information on the JAMB ...

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BACKGROUND: Despite numerous initiatives, medical educators have failed to effect a sustainable increase in the number of underrepresented minority students at medical colleges in the United States. This study reviewed the recent literature regarding the admission process to specifically examine and determine if current policies are helping facilitate the proper representation of minority students. Papers were selected on the basis of their relevance to the topic of underrepresented minority students and medical school admission policies and were limited to the years ...

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Abstract BACKGROUND: In medical education, examinations must assess a logical progression toward problem-solving skills. Differences in cognitive development between underrepresented minority students (URMs) and non-URMs may affect examination performance and subsequent attrition rates. PURPOSE: The authors investigated URM and non-URM performances by retrospectively analyzing success rates on exam items of differing cognitive demand. METHOD: Mean correct responses to exam items classified as Recall, Interpretation, or Problem-Solving questions were calculated. Both URM and non-URM groups were stratified by grade point average (GPA) ...

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Abstract INTRODUCTION: Performance in an admission test and carefully conducted, structured interview provides a uniform basis for the assessment of applicants prepared in different systems of education for admission to an institute of higher professional learning. We studied the predictability of the system of education followed by the students prior to entrance into the Medical College, the admission test scores, and interview ratings on performance after five trimesters at the Aga Khan University Medical College. METHOD: A cohort of 374 medical ...

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Abstract PURPOSE: To address the effectiveness of a formal postbaccalaureate (PB) experience for underrepresented minority (URM) students before medical school. The program provided an intense year-long experience of course work, research, and personal development. METHOD: There were 516 participants from one medical school: 15 URM medical students had completed the formal PB program, 58 students had done independent PB work before matriculation, and 443 students were traditional matriculants. Cognitive and academic indicators [college science and non-science grade-point averages (GPAs); biology, physics, ...

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Abstract  This study examines the influence of several college factors and learning activities on student learning as measured by performance on a standardized test. The study uses a national sample of 495 students who completed the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) four years after entering college in the United States in 1989. Multiple regression analysis is used to examine the impact of between- and within-institution learning environments, and non-academic activities on student learning. The relative influence of between-institution characteristics is reported to ...

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Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate the academic performance in the first two years of medical school of underrepresented minority students (URMS) who participated in an early identification and admission program. METHOD: The study involved 39 early-selection URM students who entered one medical school from 1992 through 1999. Successful completion of the first two years of medical school and passing the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) Step 1 were correlated with Scholastic Aptitude Test I (SAT I) scores and Medical College Admission ...

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Abstract OBJECTIVE: To assess the predictive validity of the secondary school certificate (SSC), higher secondary certificate (HSC) and IBA admission test for academic performance of MBBS students at KMDC. METHODOLOGY: Data based study using the results of first four batches of KMDC, which graduated in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. Data was entered on SPSS-8, ANOVA, correlation and step-wise linear regression analysis was done using effect models. A total of 166 students record were used for analysis. RESULTS: The average IBA ...

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Abstract BACKGROUND: Although the relations among prematriculation, matriculation, and residency assessments have been studied, measures pertaining to clinical skills have rarely been incorporated in any analyses. PURPOSE: The purpose of this article was to investigate the relations between scores obtained on the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) prototype and aptitude-ability measures designed to select medical students, to assess medical students while in medical school, and to evaluate physicians in postgraduate training programs. The sample included 122 ...

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Abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation of SSC, HSC, ZMU achievement test and interview scores with the scores achieved in MBBS 1st, 2nd and 3rd Professional Examinations. METHOD AND PROCEDURE: The SSC, HSC, ZMU admission test and interview scores of 159 MBBS students admitted in 1995, 1996 and 1997 were correlated with the scores of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd professional examinations. Data analysis was done on SPSS Software. RESULTS: No significant relationship was found between the SSC, HSC, ZMU admission ...

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Abstract OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to examine the admission grades in Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) and Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examinations in relation to their performance at the pre-clinical class, at the University of Ibadan medical school. A descriptive, cross sectional study was carried out from December 1998-April 1999. Records of students' admitted into the medical school in 1991/92 session were studied. The results showed a stronger correlation in the performance of the students at ...

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Abstract BACKGROUND: Admissions committees face the daunting task of selecting a small number of candidates who are most likely to succeed in medical school from a large pool of seemingly suitable applicants. While numerous studies have shown moderate correlations among measures of academic performance, predictors of the non-cognitive domain (e.g. interpersonal, communication, ethical) remain elusive, in part because of the absence of a sound criterion measure. PURPOSE: We examined the utility of several cognitive and non-cognitive criteria used in the admissions ...

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Abstract AIMS: This study examined the relationship between the performance of first year medical students at the University of Newcastle, Australia, and admission variables: previous educational experience, and entry classification (standard -- academic or composite, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, or overseas), age and gender. METHODS: Admission and demographic information was obtained for students who entered first year medicine at Newcastle between the years 1994 and 1997 inclusive. Academic performance was measured according to results of first assessment ('satisfactory' vs. 'not ...

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Abstract RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The authors performed this study to examine the relationship, if any, of a large number of measures of medical school performance with radiology residency performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Applications of 77 radiology residents enrolled from 1991 to 2000 were reviewed. Medical school grades, dean's letter summary statements, letters of recommendation, selection to Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) and U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 scores were recorded. Student t tests, ...

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Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether United States Medical Licensing Examination scores during medical school predict resident-in-training examination scores and whether other criteria of medical student performance correlate with the faculty's subjective evaluation of resident performance. Study Design: United States Medical Licensing Examination step I and II scores for 24 residents were compared to their scores on in-training examinations. Faculty evaluated 20 graduated residents by rating both their cognitive and noncognitive clinical performance. Scores from these evaluations were ...

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Abstract Previous studies have shown the medical community to exhibit a relatively high level of certain mental health problems, particularly depression, which may lead to drug abuse and suicide. We reviewed prospective studies published over the past 20 years to investigate the prevalence and predictors of mental health problems in doctors during their first postgraduate years. We selected clinically relevant mental health problems as the outcome measure. We found nine cohort studies that met our selection criteria. Each of them had ...

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CONTEXT: Empathy is a major component of a satisfactory doctor-patient relationship and the cultivation of empathy is a learning objective proposed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) for all American medical schools. Therefore, it is important to address the measurement of empathy, its development and its correlates in medical schools. OBJECTIVES: We designed this study to test two hypotheses: firstly, that medical students with higher empathy scores would obtain higher ratings of clinical competence in core clinical clerkships; and ...

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AIM: The primary aim of the study was to compare the practice outcomes of doctors who graduated from a non-traditional, problem-based medical school (University of Newcastle) with those of graduates from a traditional programme (University of Sydney), matched randomly on the background characteristics of graduation year, age, gender, and rural primary and secondary school education. Our secondary aim was to differentiate admission from curricular influences by comparing the outcomes of Newcastle and Sydney graduates who entered medical school under similar admission ...

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The relationship between objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and standardized tests is not well known. We linked second-year medical students' physical diagnosis OSCE scores from 1998, 1999 and 2000 (n = 355) with demographic information, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 scores. The correlation coefficient for the total OSCE score with USMLE Step 1 score was 0.41 (p < 0.001). Two of 7 skills areas—diagnosis and identification of abnormality—were significant multivariate correlates ...

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Objectives: To compare the power of three traditional selection procedures (A levels, personal statements, and references) and one non-traditional selection procedure (personality) to predict performance over the five years of a medical degree. Design: Cohort study over five years. Setting: Nottingham medical school. Participants: Entrants in 1995. Main outcome measures: A level grades, amounts of information contained in teacher's reference and the student's personal statement, and personality scores examined in relation to 18 different assessments. Results: Information in the teacher's reference ...

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The authors analyze the challenges to using academic measures (MCAT scores and GPAs) as thresholds for admissions and, for applicants exceeding the threshold, using personal qualities for admission decisions; review the literature on using the medical school interview and other admission data to assess personal qualities of applicants; identify challenges of developing better methods of assessing personal qualities; and propose a unified system for assessment. The authors discuss three challenges to using the threshold approach: institutional self-interest, inertia, and philosophical and ...

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Context: Small local colleges may be sources of medical students with the gender, ethnicity, and background that promote identity with and empathy for underserved populations. Purpose: This study examined the impact of attendance at these premedical colleges on outcomes of medical education. Methods: Data for 2508 matriculates to the University of Alabama School of Medicine, a state-supported medical school, were examined according to premedical colleges attended. Findings: Medical students who had graduated from small local colleges were more diverse in gender, ...

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Background ⁄ Aims The new Peninsula Medical School (PMS) admitted its first undergraduate cohort in September 2002. Development of a new school has given rise to opportunities for critical appraisal of best practice in selecting students for medical school and development of new ways forward. Methods The authors developed a selection strategy and principles grounded in the objectives of the PMS programme and drawing extensively on best practice in assessment. Critical appraisal of custom and practice amongst other UK medical schools led to the rejection of hitherto commonly used instruments and procedures and ...

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Introduction Prior to 1997, the University of Adelaide, Australia selected medical students according to matriculation marks alone. After extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders and examination of empirical evidence, the selection process is now based on a national written examination of reasoning and interaction skills, a structured oral assessment and a threshold matriculation score. This paper presents a series of 4 case studies examining the process related to the procedure and early interim outcomes, with the aim of adding to the evidence ...

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10.1136/bmj.328.7439.585-a ...

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Objective To describe the current methods used by English medical schools to identify prospective medical students for admission to the five year degree course. Design Review study including documentary analysis and interviews with admissions tutors. Setting All schools (n = 22) participating in the national expansion of medical schools programme in England. Results Though there is some commonality across schools with regard to the criteria used to select future students (academic ability coupled with a "well rounded" personality ...

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10.1136/bmj.330.7486.269 ...

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OBJECTIVES: To identify academic and non-academic predictors of success of entrants to the Nottingham medical course over the first 25 completed years of the course's existence. SETTING, DESIGN AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Retrospective study of academic and non-academic characteristics of 2270 entrants between 1970 and 1990, and their subsequent success. Analyses were undertaken of two cohorts (entrants between 1970 and 1985 and entrants between 1986 and 1990). RESULTS: Overall, 148 of 2270 (6.5%) entrants left the course, with the highest proportion ...

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Objective: To assess whether the clinical experience of undergraduate medical students relates to their performance in final examinations and whether learning styles relate either to final examination performance or to the extent of clinical experience. Design: Prospective, longitudinal study of two cohorts of medical students assessed by questionnaire at time of application to medical school and by questionnaire and university examination at the end of their final clinical year. Subjects: Two cohorts of students who had applied to St ...