Impact on Admission to a School of Medicine of an Innovation in Selection Procedures

Abstract

This paper reports the impact on admission to the University of Missouri-Kansas City's 6-yr. combined baccalaureate-doctor of medicine program of an innovation in selection procedures. In 1973 and 1974, the school's Council on Selection de-emphasized high school academic performance but continued to consider extensive biographical and interview data. Significant differences emerged in the correlations of various selection criteria with the Council's ratings of candidates in 1973 and 1974 in comparison with the prior year. Specifically, admission test score which had the highest correlation (.58) in 1972 was only .18 in 1973. The negative correlation (−.30) of race (discriminatory toward non-whites) in 1972 was not present in 1973 or 1974. Instead, the highest correlations were the interviewers' ratings and recommended decisions.

References

Burgess

M. M.

Predicting performance in the first year of a six-year medical school program. Journal of Medical Education, 1972, 47, 968–969.

Burgess

M. M.

Calkins

E. V.

Richards

J. M.

Jr.

The structured interview: A selection device. Psychological Reports, 1972, 31, 867–877.

Gough

H. G.

Non-intellectual factors in the selection and evaluation of medical students. Journal of Medical Education, 1967, 42, 642–649.

Holland

J. L.

The prediction of academic and non-academic accomplishment. In Proceedings of the invitational conference on testing problems. Princeton, N. J.: Educational Testing Service, 1967 Pp. 44–51.

Holland

J. L.

Nichols

R. C.

Prediction of academic and extracurricular achievements in college. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1964, 55, 55–65.

Holland

J. L.

Richards

J. M.

Jr.

Academic and non-academic accomplishment: Correlated or uncorrelated?

Journal of Educational Psychology, 1965, 56, 165–174.

Linn

R. L.

Fair test use in selection. Review of Educational Research, 1973, 43, 139–161.

Price

P. R.

Lewis

E. G.

Loughmiller

G. C.

Nelson

D. E.

Murray

S. L.

Taylor

C. W.

Attributes of a good practicing physician. Journal of Medical Education, 1971, 46, 229–237.

Richards

J. M.

Jr. Holland

J. L.

Lutz

S. W.

Prediction of student accomplishment in college. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1967, 58, 343–355.

10.

Richards

J. M.

Jr. Taylor

C. W.

Price

P. B.

The prediction of medical intern performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1962, 46, 142–146.

11.

Schwartzman

A. E.

Hunter

R. C.

Lohrenz

J. G.

Factors related to medical school achievement. Journal of Medical Education, 1962, 37, 749–759.

12.

Wilson

V. L.

(Ed.) Medical school admission requirements 1975–1976. (25th ed.) Washington, D. C.: Association of American Medical Colleges, 1974. P. 22.

13.

Wingard

J. E.

Williamson

J. W.

Grades as predictors of physicians' career performance: An evaluative review. Journal of Medical Education, 1973, 48, 311–322.