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Introduction: The multiple mini interview (MMI) has been incorporated into the holistic review process in the selection of students to US medical schools. The MMI has been used to evaluate interpersonal and intrapersonal attributes which are deemed as necessary for future physicians. We hypothesized that there would be little difference in overall MMI evaluation data compared with traditional interview ratings. Methods: The University of North Carolina School of Medicine developed an interview process that included a traditional interview and MMI format during the 2019 admissions cycle. Evaluation data along with key demographic variables for 608 MD program applicants were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Results: The MMI format slightly favored female over male applicants (p = 0.002) but did not select for or against applicants based on age, race/ethnicity, underserved/rural area upbringing, or indicators of disadvantage. Out of 608 applicants, 356 (59%) completed a post-interview survey in which the experience was positively rated. Discussion: Based on our experience, the use of a hybrid model of traditional interviews complemented with MMI stations provided greater details in the assessment of medical school applicants while obtaining equivalent data and acceptability amongst applicants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The socioeconomic status of applicants to Canadian medical schools has been understudied in the past two decades. Institutional efforts have been made to address the lack of socioeconomic diversity across Canada during this time. We investigated the income characteristics of medical school applicants, as well as the relationship between applicant income and offer of admission, to characterize the current state of socioeconomic diversity in medical admissions. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 26,120 applicants at one Ontario medical school from 2013 to 2018. Characteristics of applicants who were offered admission were compared to the general population and applicants not offered admission. Regression analyses were used to investigate the association between median total neighborhood income and successful admission. Results: The median total neighborhood income for medical school applicants was $98,816, which was approximately $28,480 higher than the Canadian general population. Those not admitted to the medical school had a median total neighborhood income of $98,304 compared to $105,984 for those offered admission (p < 0.001). This trend was seen in every province and territory in Canada. Median total neighborhood income was a predictor of an offer of admission; applicants in the >75th percentile income group had 54% increased odds of being offered admission when compared to applicants in the <25th percentile in our unadjusted model. Income was not significant in our adjusted models but showed that the income medians drastically shifted between pre-interview and post-interview periods, from $98,816 to $104,960 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Medical school applicants are from higher economic strata compared to the general population. Despite already representing a high economic stratum, a higher median total neighborhood income relative to other applicants was associated with an offer of admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Social comparisons strongly influence an individual's concept of self, their aspirations and decisions. This study investigates how non-traditional applicants used social comparison to shape their preferences, beliefs and predictions whilst preparing an application for medical school. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 UK medical students from non-traditional backgrounds to explore their process of 'getting ready' for medical school, and the role social comparison played in their experiences. Thematic analysis was used to inductively develop themes in the data, before findings were interpreted through the 'triadic model' of social comparison. Results: Findings revealed that participants looked to the opinions of those with similar norms and backgrounds to accept their desire to study medicine. They sought the opinions of 'experts' to affirm a belief in their suitability but lacked confidence until success in crucial examinations 'proved', in their own view, that they had the ability to do medicine. Social comparison to peers who were perceived to be less committed to medicine, and to relatable role models, reassured participants that someone from their background could succeed in medicine. Discussion: Our findings further understanding about 'how' and 'why' exposure to relevant experts, peers and role models can positively influence application to medicine through the lens of social comparison. We recommend widening access initiatives promote and foster various opportunities for social comparison to help counter non-traditional students' feelings of uncertainty about their ability and prospects, and to reorient their focus away from achieving the required grades before preparing the non-academic aspects of their application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: National eligibility cum entrance test (NEET) was first proposed in the Vision 2015 by Board of Governors (BOGs) in India. This exam was supposed to be a single window for admissions into medical colleges and dental colleges. NEET-UG (Undergraduate) was put into action in order to reduce stress of multiple examinations which was conducted in different states within India. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of National eligibility cum entrance test (NEET) among the first and second year undergraduates studying in various dental colleges in Chennai, India, qualified through the NEET examination. Materials and Method: A cross sectional questionnaire study was conducted among 17 to 22 year old dental undergraduate students. 110 participants were recruited by simple random sampling. A pre tested self- administered questionnaire was distributed to all the participants and data were obtained about NEET. Data was collected during the period of September to October 2017.Descriptive statistics and SPSS version 23.0 was used to analyze the data. Results: Out of the total 110 participants, 55 (50%) were males and 55 (50%) were females. 71(64.5%) chose dentistry by choice. 75 (68.2%) studied state board syllabus. A significant p value (0.005) was obtained while assessing the association between difficulty of NEET and efficiency of syllabus. Conclusion: It is evident to a certain extent that the system has attained stability and the admission procedures have become easy and transparent for the students as well as for the institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the long-lasting economic stagnation, the popularity of medical school has dramatically increased among pre-medical students in Japan. This is primarily due to the belief that medicine is generally a recession-proof career. As a result, pre-medical students today who want to enter medical school have to pass a more rigorous entrance examination than that in the 1980s. This paper explores the association between the selectivity of medical school admissions and graduates' later career choices.Methods: A unique continuous measure of the selectivity of medical school admissions from 1980 to 2017, which is defined as the deviation value of medical schools, was merged with cross-sectional data of 122 990 physicians aged 35 to 55 years. The association between the deviation value of medical schools and various measures of physicians' career choices was explored by logistic and ordinary least square regression models. Graduates from medical schools in which the deviation value was less than 55 were compared with those from more competitive medical schools, after controlling for fixed effects for the medical school attended by binary variables.Results: From 1980 to 2017, the average deviation value increased from 58.3 to 66.3, indicating a large increase in admission selectivity. Empirical results suggest that increasing selectivity of a medical school is associated with graduates having a higher probability of choosing a career in an acute hospital as well as having a lower probability of opening their own clinic and choosing a career in primary health care. Graduating from a highly competitive medical school (i.e., deviation value of more than 65) significantly increases the probability of working at typical acute hospitals such as so-called 7:1 hospitals (OR 1.665 2, 95%CI 1.444 0-1.920 4) and decreases the probability of working at primary care facilities (OR 0.602 6, 95%CI 0.441 2-0.823 0). It is also associated with graduates having a higher probability of becoming medical board certified (OR 1.294 6, 95%CI 1.108 8-1.511 4).Conclusion: Overall, this paper concludes that increased selectivity of medical school admissions predicts a higher quality of physicians in their own specialty, but at the same time, it is associated with a lower supply of physicians who go into primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The desire of medical students to eventually work with underserved and vulnerable populations (hereafter 'service interest'), has been shown to be shaped by individual factors including job satisfaction and financial considerations. School-level factors such as required longitudinal primary care experiences and the availability of extracurricular opportunities to work with underserved patients also affect service interest, but little is known about the impact of student volunteer activities. Methods: This cross-sectional study gathered data from preclinical medical students via an online questionnaire. The data were linked to academic records, deidentified, and analysed using an ordinal logistic regression model with interest in caring 'primarily for underserved or vulnerable populations' as the outcome variable. Results: Of 121 respondents (33% response rate), 24.8% expressed a definite interest, 55.3% expressed possible interest, and 19.9% expressed no service interest. Intent to work with the underserved was not related to age, sex, race/ethnicity, being from a rural hometown, academic qualifications prior to medical school, or anticipated debt at medical school graduation. Students with no service interest had a higher average academic performance in medical school and plans of subspecialising. When considering volunteerism prior to medical school, students in the highest and middle volunteerism tertiles had 5.68 (95% CI: 1.63, 19.81) and 4.34 (1.32, 14.32) times the odds, respectively, of having definite or possible service interest relative to those who were in the lowest volunteerism tertile, after adjusting for potential confounders. Volunteerism in a student-run clinic for the underserved during medical school was not correlated with service interest. Conclusions: Medical schools looking to enroll more students interested in working with underserved or vulnerable populations may choose to emphasise applicant premedical volunteerism record in their admissions decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physicians have to deal with uncertainty on a daily basis, which requires high tolerance for ambiguity. When medical decisions have to be made in ambiguous situations, low levels of need for cognitive closure and high levels of adaptive perfectionism are beneficial. It might be useful to measure such personality traits during medical school selection processes. In our study, we explored the expression of need for cognitive closure, tolerance for ambiguity, and perfectionism in medical school applicants who participated in a multiple mini-interview selection process with respect to the final decision of admission or rejection. Methods: After participating in the multiple mini-interview procedure (HAM-Int) at Hamburg Medical School in August 2019, 189 medical school applicants filled out a questionnaire including the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale by Hewitt and Flett (MPS-H), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale by Frost (MPS-F), the Tolerance for Ambiguity Scale (TAS), the 16-Need for Cognitive Closure Scale (16-NCCS), and sociodemographic data. After the final admission decision, the scores of need for cognitive closure, tolerance for ambiguity, and perfectionism of admitted and rejected applicants were compared. We also assessed the predictive power of need for cognitive closure and age for the admission decision in a binary logistic regression model. Results: Compared to the admitted applicants, the rejected applicants showed a significantly higher need for cognitive closure (p =.009). A high need for cognitive closure correlated significantly positively with maladaptive perfectionism (p <.001) and significantly negatively with tolerance for ambiguity (p <.001). Low need for cognitive closure and older age were associated with a positive admission decision. Conclusions: Regarding the personality traits need for cognitive closure, tolerance for ambiguity, and perfectionism we identified interesting differences and correlations of relevance for physicians' daily work in medical school applicants who were admitted or rejected after participating in a multiple mini-interview selection procedure. Further studies are needed to investigate these characteristics and their development longitudinally in medical students and to correlate them with students' medical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical schools apply a range of selection methods to ensure that admitted students succeed in the program. In Australia, selection tools typically include measures of academic achievement (e.g. the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank – ATAR) and aptitude tests (e.g. the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admissions Test – UMAT). These are most commonly used to determine which applicants are invited for additional selection processes, such as interviews. However, no previous study has examined the efficacy of the first part of the selection process. In particular, are compensatory or non-compensatory approaches more effective in evaluating the outcomes of cognitive and aptitude tests, and do they affect the demographics of students selected for interview? Methods: This study utilised data from consecutive cohorts of mainstream domestic students who applied to enter the UNSW Medicine program between 2013 to 2018. A compensatory ranked selection model was compared with a non-compensatory ranked model. Initially, ATAR marks and UMAT scores for each applicant were ranked within each cohort. In the compensatory model, the mean of the ATAR and UMAT ranks were used to determine the outcome. In the non-compensatory model, the lowest rank of ATAR and UMAT determined the outcome for each applicant. The impact of each model on the gender and socioeconomic status of applicants selected to interview was evaluated across all cohorts. Results: The non-compensatory ranked selection model resulted in substantially higher ATAR and UMAT thresholds for invitation to interview, with no significant effect on the socioeconomic status of the selected applicants. Conclusions: These results are important, demonstrating that it is possible to raise the academic threshold for selection to medicine without having any negative impact on applicants from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Overall, the evidence gathered in this study suggests that a non-compensatory model is preferable for selecting applicants for medical student selection interview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Those setting objective structured clinical exams (OSCEs) are likely to encounter candidates who dispute the examiners' scores and feedback. At our own institution, candidates have requested video recording to aid in later academic appeals. Before ceding to such requests, we wished to be certain that the marking of recorded OSCEs would give comparable results to live marking, and that technical challenges could be met within reasonable cost. Methods: We adopted a mixed‐methods approach to explore the use of video recording OSCEs. Following an initial literature review, we surveyed and interviewed the assessment leads of UK medical schools and postgraduate institutions setting high stakes OSCEs to explore their views and experience in using recordings as part of summative OSCE assessments. Results: Results from our literature review reveal inconsistent findings about the comparability of marks awarded from video marking and those awarded by examiner in‐station marking, with suggestions that video marking generates lower scores. The majority of UK medical education institutions were neither videoing OSCEs nor considering doing so. Many logistical and assessor‐related drawbacks to video review were identified, with significant concerns raised about how such a process could be feasibly managed. Discussion: Although the videoing of OSCEs may superficially appear an easy solution to provide defensibility of the process, the potential use is beset with challenge, going beyond purely logistical and technical difficulties. The use of videoing for the purpose of OSCE appeals is not currently supported by the literature, nor by the majority of UK undergraduate and postgraduate medical education institutions delivering high‐stakes summative OSCEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was devoted to assessing the quality of applicants' admission to universities based on the results of the Unified State Exam ("USE") in Russia. The problem area of the study included the issues of students' integration in the learning environment. The power of integration has a rigid projection on the student's successes in the learning process and after graduation from the university when applying for work. The literature review established the applicants' susceptibility to following a given strategy of vertical academic mobility. The existing patterns made it possible to state that applicants' behaviour throughout the entire period of study at the university is predictable. Based on the empirical data of one of the leading universities of Russia, an analysis of the factors affecting students' motivation was carried out, which is of great importance for improving the efficiency of the educational process. The quality of admission of applicants to universities varies in degree of training, which requires the identification of factors affecting academic performance. Static methods investigated the link between students' attitudes toward risk and their academic results. The obtained results showed some steady trends. It turned out that the USE results in Mathematics, Russian and English are significant for the prediction of the final rating of a firstyear student. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The importance of self-directed learning (SDL) and collaborative learning has been emphasized in medical education. This study examined if there were changes in the pattern of SDL and group cohesion from the time of admission to medical school under the criterion-referenced grading system, increased group activities, and interaction of medical education curriculum. Second, it was examined whether group cohesion influences self-directed learning. Methods: The participants were 106 medical students (71 males, 35 females) who enrolled in Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea in March 2014. They were asked to complete a Korean version of the self-directed learning readiness scale (SDLRS) and group cohesion scale (GCS) at the end of each semester for three years. A repeated measures ANOVA and a correlation and regression analysis were conducted. Results: All the participants completed the questionnaires. There were differences in the SDLRS scores over the three years. A significant increase was observed one year after admission followed by stable scores until the third year. There was a significant increase in GCS scores as students progressed through medical school years. Positive relationships were found between SDLRS and GCS scores, and the regression model predicted 32% variance. Conclusions: SDLRS and GCS increased as medical school years progressed. In addition, GCS is a significant factor in fostering SDLRS. Medical schools should develop various curriculum activities that enhance group cohesion among medical students, which would in turn promote SDL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Numbers of academic medicine trainees have been declining internationally. Many countries have taken differing approaches to improving recruitment, with some having established pathways. In the UK, the academic foundation programme (AFP) is one such pathway aimed towards those interested in an academic medical career. Variation exists amongst universities with respect to application and success rates. As a group of AFP doctors, we aimed to explore these issues. Numbers of academic medicine trainees have been declining internationally Methods: We created and implemented a 1‐day national course, comprising lectures and small group workshops, geared towards informing applicants about the AFP. It was evaluated via pre‐ and post‐course questionnaires using a Likert scale, ranging from 1 to 5. We created and implemented a 1‐day national course, comprising lectures and small group workshops, geared towards informing applicants about the AFP Results: A total of 150 attendees were present from 16 different medical schools; 95% (143/150) of the attendees filled in both questionnaires. Attendees appeared unaware of the stages involved in the application process and felt underprepared. Following the course, learners reported median scores (with interquartile limits) that demonstrated increased overall knowledge, from 2 (1) to 4 (1) (p < 0.01), and increased preparedness, from 2 (1) to 3 (1) (p < 0.01). Discussion: Our findings indicate that recruitment remains challenging, even in countries with established pathways. In the UK, the awareness of these pathways appears to be poor and courses such as ours may remedy that. Further exploration into the most effective methods to increase recruitment is necessary. The effect of institutional disparities in research culture and impact on application success needs investigation. Perhaps medical schools should introduce students to the prospect of academic careers earlier in training. Globally, efforts still need to be concentrated largely towards establishing integrated pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical school worldwide adopt different admission criteria. While the high school grades and English proficiency levels are the common criteria for selection, some medical schools use entrance tests or interviews along with other methods to screen the student population. Keeping in mind the diversity in the educational background of students, these admission criteria need to be evaluated and updated on a regular basis. Admission is granted to the College of Medicine, Ajman University on the basis of English proficiency, SAT scores, high school grades and student performance in an interview. Our study aims to determine any correlation(s) between gender, nationality, English proficiency, SAT scores, high school grades, curriculum type, and students' scores at the end of the foundation year. Medical terminology course is included in the medical curriculum in a bid to improve the comprehension of students and is likely to have an impact on their performance. We also aim to look at the correlation between the student scores in medical terminology and other subjects in the foundation year of medicine. A cross sectional study design was used. Test scores of 50 students were analyzed at the end of the foundation year. It was found that student gender, nationality and high school grades have no significant correlation with any of the foundation year subjects. However, the type of curriculum followed in high school is found to have significant correlation with the scores in human biology. Medical terminology scores also show significant correlation with the rest of the scores in the semester. Our results also show significant correlations between proficiency in English language and performance in the first semester of foundation year. An important issue is the fact that in the local curriculum all science subjects are delivered in Arabic language These results strongly suggest addressing the issue of English proficiency in countries where English is not the native language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sex and gender influence health and disease outcomes, therefore, doctors should be able to deliver gender-sensitive care. To train gender-sensitive doctors, relevant sex and gender differences have to be included in medical education. In order to develop appealing, relevant, and effective education for undergraduate medical students, education should be tailored to students' level and anticipated on their ideas and assumptions. Therefore, we wanted to answer the following research questions: 1. What do aspiring medical students want to learn about gender medicine?; 2. How would they like to learn about gender medicine?; and 3. What are their ideas and assumptions about sex and gender differences in health and disease? Methods: We performed an explorative thematic document analysis of educational assignments made by successful applicants (n = 50) during the selection procedure of their entry into medical school. To test aspirants' capacity for self-directed learning, students were asked to formulate their own study plan after they watched a video that resembled a future practical experience (a consultation with a patient). As the content of this video was gender-sensitive, the assignments of the successful applicants gave us the unique opportunity to examine aspiring medical students' views about gender medicine. Results: Aspiring medical students were eager to start their training to become gender-sensitive doctors. They believed in better care for all patients and thought doctors should obtain gender competences during their medical training. Students preferred to start with acquiring basic biomedical knowledge about differences between men and women and continue their training by developing gender-sensitive communication skills in (simulated) practical settings. Students differed in their interpretation of the gender-sensitive video, some generalized potential differences to all men and all women. Teachers were considered as important role models in learning about gender medicine. Conclusions: We advise medical schools to teach gender medicine from the beginning of medical school, by focusing on sex differences first and adding gender related themes later on in the curriculum. As students may interpret gender-sensitive information differently, structurally embedding reflection on gender medicine with gender competent teachers is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Society expects physicians to perform perfectly but high levels of perfectionism are associated with symptoms of distress in medical students. This study investigated whether medical students admitted to medical school by different selection criteria differ in the occurrence of perfectionism. Methods Newly enrolled undergraduate medical students (n = 358) filled out the following instruments: Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS-H), Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS-F), Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7). Sociodemographic data such as age, gender, high school degrees, and the way of admission to medical school were also included in the questionnaire. Results The 298 participating students had significantly lower scores in Socially-Prescribed Perfectionism than the general population independently of their way of admission to medical school. Students who were selected for medical school by their high school degree showed the highest score for Adaptive Perfectionism. Maladaptive Perfectionism was the strongest predictor for the occurrence symptoms of depression and anxiety regardless of the way of admission. Conclusions Students from all admission groups should be observed longitudinally for performance and to assess whether perfectionism questionnaires might be an additional useful instrument for medical school admission processes.

Many medical students believe that third-year clerkship rotation sequence affects their success. We hypothesized that students who completed the internal medicine clerkship before the surgery clerkship received higher surgery shelf examination scores compared with the students who did not. Deidentified academic data including preclinical data and National Board of Medical Examiners shelf examination scores for surgery for all third-year medical students at a single institution from 2012 to 2017 were analyzed. Students who did not complete all six core clerkships during the standard third-year time frame were excluded. Data were analyzed using 2-tailed t -tests and Z-scores. Four hundred and twenty four students were included in the study. Average undergraduate grade point average, Medical College Admission Test scores, and United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores showed no significant differences between groups. In aggregate, average shelf examination scores of students who completed the internal medicine clerkship before the surgery clerkship were significantly higher than those of students who did not. When the average shelf examination scores for the two groups were analyzed by individual rotation slot, no significant difference was found between the two groups. Initially, it appeared that students who completed the internal medicine clerkship before the surgery clerkship scored higher on their surgery shelf examinations. When the data were analyzed by individual rotation slot, we found no difference between the students who had already completed the internal medicine clerkship and those who had not. Experience over the year rather than completion of the internal medicine rotation was associated with higher surgery shelf examination scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various factors have been found to affect the medicine study and academic performance of medical students, among which the socioeconomic factors seem to have a major role in applicants' success when they enter medical schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the socioeconomic status of medical students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences and to compare it with those of surgical technology, occupational health, and environmental health students. Methods: Data regarding demographic characteristics, parental education, occupation, income, number of siblings, marital status, and schooling of students were collected by using a questionnaire. Moreover, some data were checked with Students' Electronic Database of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Results: Medical students have better socioeconomic status than other students (p=0.029). Specifically, they have more educated parents (p<0.05) with more professional jobs (p <0.039), have fewer siblings (p=0.006) and encounter less economic challenges (p<0.0001). In addition, during their high school education, medical students attended more fee-paying schools than state schools (p<0.0001). Conclusion: There are obvious socioec onomic differences between medical students and other stude nts in this study. To decrease the inequalities in medical schools, it is important to address socioeconomic issues when considering potential applicants for medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This retrospective descriptive study compared the academic performance of postbaccalaureate career changer students with that of traditional students during the classroom-based, science-dominated early years of medical school. Earlier studies documented the eventual success of nontraditional medical students, although we found little information specific to the medical school performance of career changers. Our objective was to determine whether postbaccalaureate career changer medical students perform differently from traditionally prepared medical students in the science-dominated early years of medical school classroom education.Methods: This study analyzed the admission data and academic performance of medical students at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine across 8 years (N = 630). Differences in performance were assessed using examination grades from the first 2 years of medical school, and US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 scores.Results: Statistically significant differences were found between traditional and career changer students for all science modules in year 1, and 4 of the 5 modules in year 2. Traditional students performed better on USMLE Step 1. Significant differences between the groups disappeared by USMLE Step 2.Conclusions: Career changer medical students show a small, persistent academic lag in the first 2 years of medical school and on USMLE Step 1 scores. By USMLE Step 2 the difference disappears. Similar undergraduate grade point averages and Medical College Admission Test scores suggest that science exposure, not ability may explain these differences. An unexpected finding is the number of career changer students is not increasing proportional to the proliferation of postbaccalaureate programs in the United States. This study may benefit student advisors and residency directors, and, it is hoped, provide reassurance to career changer students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Struggling medical students is an under-researched in medical education. It is known, however, that early identification is important for effective remediation. The aim of the study was to determine the predictive effect of medical school admission tools regarding whether a student will struggle academically. Methods: Data comprise 700 students from the University of New South Wales undergraduate medical program. The main outcome of interest was whether these students struggled during this 6-year program; they were classified to be struggling they failed any end-of-phase examination but still graduated from the program. Discriminate Function Analysis (DFA) assessed whether their pre-admission academic achievement, Undergraduate Medicine Admission Test (UMAT) and interview scores had predictive effect regarding likelihood to struggle. Results: A lower pre-admission academic achievement in the form of Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) or Grade Point Average (GPA) were found to be the best positive predictors of whether a student was likely to struggle. Lower UMAT and poorer interview scores were found to have a comparatively much smaller predictive effect. Conclusion: Although medical admission tests are widely used, medical school rarely use these data for educational purposes. The results of this study suggest admission test data can predict who among the admitted students is likely to struggle in the program. Educationally, this information is invaluable. These results indicate that pre-admission academic achievement can be used to predict which students are likely to struggle in an Australian undergraduate medicine program. Further research into predicting other types of struggling students as well as remediation methods are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) are important for trainee medical knowledge assessment and licensure, medical school program assessment, and residency program applicant screening. Little is known about how USMLE performance varies between institutions. This observational study attempts to identify institutions with above-predicted USMLE performance, which may indicate educational programs successful at promoting students' medical knowledge. Self-reported institution-level data was tabulated from publicly available US News and World Report and Association of American Medical Colleges publications for 131 US allopathic medical schools from 2012–2014. Bivariate and multiple linear regression were performed. The primary outcome was institutional mean USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores outside a 95% prediction interval (≥2 standard deviations above or below predicted) based on multiple regression accounting for students' prior academic performance. Eighty-nine US medical schools (54 public, 35 private) reported complete USMLE scores over the three-year study period, representing over 39,000 examinees. Institutional mean grade point average (GPA) and Medical College Admission Test score (MCAT) achieved an adjusted R2 of 72% for Step 1 (standardized βMCAT 0.7, βGPA 0.2) and 41% for Step 2 CK (standardized βMCAT 0.5, βGPA 0.3) in multiple regression. Using this regression model, 5 institutions were identified with above-predicted institutional USMLE performance, while 3 institutions had below-predicted performance. This exploratory study identified several US allopathic medical schools with significant above- or below-predicted USMLE performance. Although limited by self-reported data, the findings raise questions about inter-institutional USMLE performance parity, and thus, educational parity. Additional work is needed to determine the etiology and robustness of the observed performance differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the issue of health disparities in rural areas and the potential role of medical school admissions in addressing this issue. It highlights the shortage of healthcare providers in rural areas and the negative impact on health outcomes for rural communities. The article suggests that giving special consideration to applicants from rural backgrounds in the medical school admission process could help address this shortage. It also emphasizes the need for diversity and inclusion initiatives to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all members of rural communities, particularly minority populations. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a study that evaluates the performance of ChatGPT, an AI-driven chatbot, on a French medical school admission exam. The study used a sample of practice questions and found that ChatGPT had an overall test score of 33.0%. It performed better in anatomy and histology/embryology than in biostatistics and did not significantly outperform the entire test in obstetrics and gynecology. However, the study is limited by the lack of a comparison between ChatGPT and human test-takers, which makes it difficult to assess the chatbot's effectiveness. The article also highlights the importance of considering ethical implications and continuously developing and monitoring AI systems. Overall, further research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and limitations of using AI chatbots in medical education evaluations. [Extracted from the article]

The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) in Japan has been discussing the establishment of priority quotas for infectious disease and emergency medicine departments within university medical school admissions, focusing on developing personnel to handle measures against novel coronavirus and other infectious diseases.[1] This proposal was presented at an expert meeting held by the MHLW on 27 August 2021. In order to address this situation, the current proposal aims to eliminate the 44 slots allocated to dental departments and other fields within the regional quota system and allocate them to securing infectious disease and emergency medicine physicians. For example, when looking at the number of physicians by clinical department, out of 42 clinical departments, infectious disease specialists rank 38th with only 531 individuals, and non-specialist physicians are also struggling with infection prevention measures. [Extracted from the article]

Additionally, US medical schools should seek to create more transparent, standardised and objective admissions criteria, as is more common in European medical schools.3 While these changes may not entirely stop legacy from playing a role in medical school admissions, they would certainly be a significant start to doing so. Despite these influences of legacy preference on medical school admissions, some argue that such influences are relatively minimal in the admissions process and thus that legacy need not be addressed. [Extracted from the article]

A student subcommittee formed, providing a forum for WP medical student societies and advocacy for lived experiences of WP initiatives. To develop public engagement strategies To develop strategies to support medical students from WP backgrounds To raise the voice of medical students involved in WP work To ensure the student voice is central to our mission, we appointed a student representative in 2018. Medical schools offer guaranteed interview and grade reduction for WP students engaged with individual medical school outreach programmes. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "Losing Our Dignity: How Secularized Medicine is Undermining Fundamental Human Equality" by Charles C. Camosy discusses the impact of secularized medicine on the human dignity of patients, particularly the elderly and vulnerable. Camosy argues that modern medicine has excluded certain individuals, such as those with cognitive disadvantages, from the circle of protection based on human equality. He provides evidence of the loss of respect for human dignity in healthcare, including the rejection of religious perspectives and discrimination against religious applicants in medical school admissions. The article examines specific cases, such as the debate over brain death and the Terri Schiavo case, to illustrate the erosion of dignity in medical decision-making. While the author's perspective may be seen as one-sided and polemical, the article raises important questions about the need for a more inclusive and ethical approach to healthcare. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: The concept of perfectionism comprises high standards of performance as needed in medicine, but also concerns about making mistakes and dealing with social reactions about not being perfect. Perfectionism is associated with motivation and deep learning strategies but high expression of perfectionism has been found to be associated with symptoms of stress and anxiety in students. We aim to gain insights into the longitudinal development of different dimensions of perfectionism in medical students with respect to their way of medical school admission.Methods: At the Medical Faculty of Hamburg University, 167 undergraduate medical students completed validated questionnaires (MPS-H and MPS-F) of different dimensions of perfectionism and sociodemographic data including medical school admission procedures, personality traits (BSI-10 and GSE), and symptoms of depression and anxiety (PHQ-9 and GAD-7) at the start of their first year and at half term of their second year. Results: On average, after controlling for baseline and age, a significant decrease (p≤0.05) in Self-Oriented Perfectionism was found during the first two years in students who were admitted after a waiting period (M: -12.57; 95% CI: [-21.94 – -3.35]), by other ways of medical school entrance (M: -6.36; 95% CI: [-12.71 – -0.02]), by multiple mini-interviews (HAM-Int) (M: -5.52; 95% CI: [-9.90 – -1.14]), and by a natural science test (HAM-Nat) (M: -3.41; 95% CI: [-6.71 – -0.11]. Waiting period students also showed a significant longitudinal decline in the scale Personal Standards (M: -4.62; 95% CI: [-8.04 – -1.21].Conclusions: Since medical students from all admission groups except from the high school degree group showed a significant longitudinal decrease in Self-Oriented Perfectionism, high levels of aspects of perfectionism associated with intrinsic motivation or deep learning strategies could be included medical school admission processes. Additionally, particular attention needs to be paid not to induce a loss of intrinsic motivation or deep learning strategies during undergraduate medical education.

Aim: Graduation rates among medical students who have been admitted to medical school from the waiting list quota are significantly lower than those for medical students who are directly admitted on the basis of their competitive secondary school academic record or through the universities’ selection process. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors that can predict a longer length of study or dropping out and potential resilience factors predictive of timely and successful graduation.Method: First, students admitted from the waiting list were asked in qualitative interviews at the beginning of their studies about risk factors connected with dropping out. These students were then followed until completion of the first state medical exam, or at least until the end of their fourth semester.In parallel, personality traits were measured using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory according to Costa and McCrae (NEO-FFI). Successful study was defined as a length of study time lasting four semesters before taking the first section of the state medical exam (Physikum). Serving as indicators for students at risk were a prolonged period of study and dropping out before taking the first state medical examination. Finally, the factors associated with successful study were identified.Results: Students from the waiting list who displayed a stronger than average conscientiousness in their personality and stated being underchallenged in their prior (medicine-related) occupation as the motivation for studying medicine were significantly more often successful than students from the waiting list who displayed a less pronounced conscientious personality and named dissatisfaction with their previous occupation as their motivation to pursue medical study. In addition, successful students were often distinguished by ambition and reported placing high academic demands on themselves. Early failures on exams were found to be predictive of an uncertain course of study at Rostock Medical School.Conclusions: The reason for studying medicine and an ambitious personality appear to be basic predictors of study success and could therefore be considered not only as a selection criterion for admission, but also monitored during the course of study as a predictive marker for prolonged study or drop-out. Regardless how students are selected for admission, medical schools should take a closer look at the academic performance of the enrolled students to identify at-risk students who are failing exams early in the course of study and to adequately advise them on course scheduling, motivation and exam preparation.

Background: Medical school acceptance rates in the United States (US) have been lower for applicants who identify as Underrepresented-in-Medicine (UiM) compared to non-UiM applicants. The gap between UiM and no-UiM groups is narrowing in recent years. Less well-studied are associations of acceptance decisions with family income and parental education. This study's purpose is to evaluate the relationships between medical school acceptance and family income, parental education status, racial/ethnic background, Grade Point Average (GPA), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score, and participation in extracurricular activities., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of first-time US medical school applicants between 2017 and 2020. Acceptance rates for first-time applicants were calculated for first-generation (FG), low-income (LI), and UiM applicants. Associations of these attributes with MCAT scores, science GPAs, and seven categories of extracurricular activities were evaluated. Regression analyses estimated associations between acceptance to medical school with all variables with and without interaction terms (FG*URM, LI*URM, FG*LI)., Results: The overall acceptance rate for first-time applicants from 2017-2020 was 45.3%. The acceptance rates among FG, LI and UiM applicants were 37.9%, 39.6% and 44.2%, respectively. In univariable logistic regression analyses, acceptance was negatively associated with being FG (OR: 0.68, CI: 0.67-0.70), LI (OR: 0.70, CI: 0.69-0.72), and UiM (OR: 0.95, CI: 0.93-0.97). In multivariable regression, acceptance was most strongly associated with science GPA (OR: 7.15, CI: 6.78-7.54 for the highest quintile) and UiM (OR: 5.56, CI: 5.48-5.93) status and MCAT score (OR: 1.19, CI: 1.18-1.19), FG (OR: 1.14, CI: 1.10-1.18), and most extracurricular activities. Including interaction terms revealed a negative association between acceptance and LI (OR:0.90, CI: 0.87-0.94) and FG was no longer significant (OR:1.10, CI:0.96-1.08)., Conclusions: Collectively these results suggest medical school admissions committees may be relying on holistic admission practices. While MCAT and GPA scores continue to predict acceptance, individuals from racially and ethnically UiM backgrounds have favorable odds of acceptance when controlling for MCAT and GPA. However, these positive associations were not seen for low-income and first-generation applicants. Additional preparation for college and the MCAT for these latter groups may help further diversify the medical profession., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Despite admitting the best of qualified applicants, the approaches of these students to learning in Ghanaian medical schools has not been sufficiently examined. We sought to examine medical students' approach to learning, the factors influencing their choice of learning approach, and their motivations to continue in a particular approach. An interpretive qualitative study was undertaken using a purposive sample of 10 medical students in their clinical years of training at the School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (SMS-KNUST). Separate semi-structured interviews were conducted for the participants followed by thematic analysis of the data. Students were found to pursue understanding and recall capability when learning. Participants also portrayed considerable preoccupation with examination demands and performance, which we termed the "assessment complex". Some underlined the almost indispensable role of memorisation in their study of medicine. It is our observation that when faced with the decision on an approach to learning, students of SMS-KNUST would settle for "what works best" for them under the given circumstances. Student obsession with test results sometimes influenced the adoption of surface learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the Gender differences on personality traits & IQ levels during admission in medical college 2017. No significant study on the subject has been carried out in Pakistan especially in Balochistan. Material and Methods: A total of 145 students enrolled in the study, 65 males and 80 females all over the Pakistan and foreign country. A questionnaire along with the IQ test and personality traits Inventory (TIPI) were administered to assess the IQ level and personality traits for the study of medicine. Both questionnaires were in English and distributed to the large group in 4 phases. Approximately an hour was spend on this activity on each phase, some interviews were conducted on Skype (foreign & Rest of country category) both test were taken at the time of admission. Researcher was explained everything to the students. Results: From QIMS 145 Students males and females enrolled, IQ levels & Personality Traits were tested such as openness to experience, conscientiousness, Extroversion, agreeableness and Neuroticism. Data had been analyzed using SPSS version (21). Described data with percentages for categorical variables means and standard deviations for numerical variables T-test was used to compare the gender differences P Value < 0.05 was consider significant. It can be summarized means of IQ level male (108) and female (109) and calculated P value of IQ (P= 0.447 > 0.05) there is insignificant difference between male and female IQ scores. Agreeable (P = 0.009, N = 145, P < 0.05) . Extroversion (P = 0.372, N = 145, P > 0.05). Conscientiousness (P = 0.244, N = 145, P > 0.05). Neuroticism / emotional instability (P = 0.314, N = 145, P > 0.05). Openness to experience (P = 0.287, N = 145, P > 0.05) indicates that there are insignificant difference between the score of males & females. Conclusion: scores shows those majority IQ levels of males, (108) & females, (109). A medical student needs minimum IQ level (106 to 119), the significant difference is observed in "agreeableness" This must be considered during the course of instructions. Changes should also be incorporated in method of instruction. Insignificant difference is observed in other four personality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gauging medical education quality has always remained challenging. Many studies have examined predictors of standardized exam performance; however, data sets do not distinguish by institution or curriculum. Our objective is to present a summary of variables associated with the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores, and thus identify institutions (and therefore curriculums) which deviate from trend lines by producing higher USMLE scores despite having lower entrance grade point averages and medical college admissions test (MCAT) scores. Methods: Data was obtained from U.S. News and World Report's 2014 evaluation of allopathic U.S. medical schools. A univariate analysis was performed first for each variable using two sample t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test for categorical variables, and Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients for continuous variables. A multivariable linear regression model was developed to identify the factors contributing to USMLE scores. All statistical analyses were two-sided and performed using SAS software version 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Results: Univariate analysis reveals a significant association between USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores with medical college admissions test scores, grade point averages, school type (private vs. public), full-time faculty-to-student ratio, National Institute of Health funds, residency director assessment score, peer assessment score, and class size. Of these nine variables, MCAT scores and Step 1 scores display the strongest correlation (corr = 0.72, P <.0001). Multivariable analysis also supports a significant association between MCAT scores and Step scores, meanwhile National Institute of Health funding size demonstrates a negative correlation with USMLE Step 2 scores. Although MCAT scores and National Institute of Health funds are significantly associated with USMLE performance, six outlier institutions were identified, producing higher USMLE scores than trend line predictions. Conclusions: Outlier institutions produce USMLE scores that do not follow expected trend lines. Their performance might be explainable by differences in curriculum. Having identified these institutions, their curriculums can be further studied to determine what factors enhance student learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty years after the landmark Supreme Court decision in U.C. Regents v. Bakke, medical schools remain predominantly white institutions. In Bakke, Justice Powell infamously rejected the concept of societal discrimination, which was offered as a justification for the U.C. Davis medical school's race-conscious admissions program, as "an amorphous concept of injury that may be ageless in its reach into the past." In affirming the application of strict scrutiny analysis to policies involving benign racial classifications, the Court ushered in a strict scrutiny regime under which public universities must develop and defend their consideration of race in higher education admissions. With the Bakke decision, the Court effectively endorsed a false equivalency between laws intended to subordinate Black people and laws intended to remedy the effects of anti-Black discrimination. Consequently, since 1978 courts and universities have diverted their attention from mitigating the impact of past and present racial discrimination to safeguarding the diversity rationale, which has proven vulnerable to ongoing litigation and faces the possibility of being eliminated entirely with the revamp of the federal courts into a solidly conservative judiciary under President Trump. As the reality of the end of affirmative action looms, empirically derived justifications for raceconscious remedies pose a direct challenge to the arguments advanced by its most staunch opponents. The persistence of racial disparities in various areas of wellbeing such as education, criminal justice, and health militates against notions of racism as amorphous or an evil of the past. Racial health disparities in particular have recently become the subject of widespread media attention, due in part to the health challenges faced by tennis star Serena Williams during her pregnancy, and related reports highlighting the crisis of maternal mortality which disparately impacts Black women. This crisis in Black maternal health illustrates only part of a broader health crisis facing BlackAmericans, and compels a closer look at the history of racismwithin our medical institutions and the medical profession. In this Comment, I argue that the persistence of racial health disparities today is not only a relic of a long history of anti-Black racismin healthcare, but a consequence of theCourt's colorblind approach to affirmative action jurisprudence since Bakke and the restrictions in access to predominantlywhite institutions that have resulted. In recounting the history of racismin medical experimentation and healthcare policy since the antebellum period, this analysis seeks to locate racism in a particular form and illustrate how notions of racism as amorphous--and therefore outside the scope of a constitutional remedy--elide the state's role in perpetuating racial disparities that persist to this day. In reevaluating the justifications for race-conscious medical school admissions that were ultimately rejected in Bakke, this Comment explores the empirical research related to physician racial bias and Black patients' mistrust of the medical institution, and the efficacy of raceconcordant healthcare as an intervention. Collectively, the data proffered suggests that there is an interactional racial dynamic that significantly affects medical service delivery, which should inform race-conscious admissions practices in medical schools. Finally, the legal analysis brings both of these strands together by reexamining the Court's seminal affirmative action cases from the past four decades in light of the history and the empirical evidence documented here. The end result makes a compelling case for affirmative action that harkens back to its original intent--to ameliorate the effects of racial discrimination--precisely at a moment where it is on its last legs. It clarifies why affirmative action was always necessary, and why affirmative action must stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This is an empirical study to better understand commonly used medical school admission measures and disenrollment decisions during undergraduate medical education as well as graduate medical education (GME) probation or termination decisions.Materials and Methods: Based on the data of USUHS medical students matriculating between 1998 and 2011 (N = 2,460), we compared medical school graduates and those disenrolled from medical school on MCAT scores, undergraduate BCPM (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math) GPA, and undergraduate overall GPA. We also reported more specific reasons for disenrollment decisions. Next, we compared the students who were referred to the student promotion committee (SPC) with other students on these measures. Moving onto GME, we compared trainees who were put on probation or terminated from training with those who were not on MCAT and undergraduate GPA measures. In addition, we examined the association between being referred to the SPC and GME probation or termination.Results: There were 2,347 graduates and 113 disenrolled students from medical school (4.8%). For the disenrolled students, 43 (38.7%) students were disenrolled for exclusively (or primarily) non-academic reasons, and 68 (61.3%) were disenrolled for exclusively (or primarily) academic reasons. The t-tests showed statistically significant differences on the MCAT score of the first attempt (t(2,449) = 7.22, P < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.70), average MCAT score (t(2,449) = 4.22, P < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.41), and highest MCAT score (t(2,449) = 3.51, P < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.34). Logistic regression model selection also revealed that the best predictor for disenrollment was the first MCAT score (exp(b) = 0.83, 95% CI = (0.78, 0.88)). No significant differences on these measures were found from the group comparisons on SPC and GME probation or termination. There was no significant association between SPC appearance and GME probation or termination.Conclusions: Academic difficulties, especially in the basic sciences, appear to be the most common factor for disenrollment from medical school. These students also had lower MCAT scores, particularly on the first attempt. The MCAT performance indicators and undergraduate GPA were consistently lower, but not statistically significant, for those who appeared before SPC or were put on probation or terminated from training during GME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As medical schools cope with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new cohort of students will be admitted in the fall. Administrators are again challenged to make unprecedented enrollment decisions without standardized exams. This challenge provides unique opportunities to re-evaluate admission processes that has been employed since 1928 and support holistic admissions. This article highlights key factors that are being considered during current medical school admission cycles, including limited opportunities to take standardized exams, heightened student anxiety, and potential exam alternatives. These factors are framed and discussed within the context of the medical college admission test (MCAT) exam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance-based assessment in the 21st century: when the examiner is a machine I see a coming paradigm shift in performance-based assessments away from human-rated scenarios to examinations in which human judgment is first distanced and made anonymous and then augmented or replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). For the moment, most such examinations are human rated, but increasingly AI and machine learning will augment pattern recognition and perhaps begin to replace human judgment. [Extracted from the article]