Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions

Research articles

Medical student selection process enhanced by improving selection algorithms and changing the focus of interviews in Australia: a descriptive study: Boaz Shulruf, Gary Mayer Velan, Sean Edward Kennedy; J Educ Eval Health Prof. 2022;19:31. Published online November 28, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2022.19.31

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Purpose
The study investigates the efficacy of new features introduced to the selection process for medical school at the University of New South Wales, Australia: (1) considering the relative ranks rather than scores of the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test and Australian Tertiary Admission Rank; (2) structured interview focusing on interpersonal interaction and concerns should the applicants become students; and (3) embracing interviewers’ diverse perspectives.
Methods
Data from 5 cohorts of students were analyzed, comparing outcomes of the second year in the medicine program of 4 cohorts of the old selection process and 1 of the new process. The main analysis comprised multiple linear regression models for predicting academic, clinical, and professional outcomes, by section tools and demographic variables.
Results
Selection interview marks from the new interview (512 applicants, 2 interviewers each) were analyzed for inter-rater reliability, which identified a high level of agreement (kappa=0.639). No such analysis was possible for the old interview since it required interviewers to reach a consensus. Multivariate linear regression models utilizing outcomes for 5 cohorts (N=905) revealed that the new selection process was much more effective in predicting academic and clinical achievement in the program (R2=9.4%–17.8% vs. R2=1.5%–8.4%).
Conclusion
The results suggest that the medical student selection process can be significantly enhanced by employing a non-compensatory selection algorithm; and using a structured interview focusing on interpersonal interaction and concerns should the applicants become students; as well as embracing interviewers’ diverse perspectives.

A novel tool for evaluating non-cognitive traits of doctor of physical therapy learners in the United States: Marcus Roll, Lara Canham, Paul Salamh, Kyle Covington, Corey Simon, Chad Cook; J Educ Eval Health Prof. 2018;15:19. Published online August 17, 2018; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2018.15.19

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Purpose
The primary aim of this study was to develop a survey addressing an individual’s non-cognitive traits, such as emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, social intelligence, psychological flexibility, and grit. Such a tool would provide beneficial information for the continued development of admissions standards and would help better capture the full breadth of experience and capabilities of applicants applying to doctor of physical therapy (DPT) programs.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional survey study involving learners in DPT programs at 3 academic institutions in the United States. A survey was developed based on established non-proprietary, non-cognitive measures affiliated with success and resilience. The survey was assessed for face validity, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to identify subgroups of factors based on responses to the items.
Results
A total of 298 participants (90.3%) completed all elements of the survey. EFA yielded 39 items for dimensional assessment with regression coefficients < 0.4. Within the 39 items, 3 latent constructs were identified: adaptability (16 items), intuitiveness (12 items), and engagement (11 items).
Conclusion
This preliminary non-cognitive assessment survey will be able to play a valuable role in DPT admissions decisions following further examination and refinement.

Citations

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A Systematic Review of Variables Used in Physical Therapist Education Program Admissions Part 2: Noncognitive Variables
Andrea N. Bowens
Journal of Physical Therapy Education.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Predictors of Success on the National Physical Therapy Examination in 2 US Accelerated-Hybrid Doctor of Physical Therapy Programs
Breanna Reynolds, Casey Unverzagt, Alex Koszalinski, Roberta Gatlin, Jill Seale, Kendra Gagnon, Kareaion Eaton, Shane L. Koppenhaver
Journal of Physical Therapy Education.2022; 36(3): 225. CrossRef
Grit, Resilience, Mindset, and Academic Success in Physical Therapist Students: A Cross-Sectional, Multicenter Study
Marlena Calo, Belinda Judd, Lucy Chipchase, Felicity Blackstock, Casey L Peiris
Physical Therapy.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Predicting graduate student performance – A case study
Jinghua Nie, Ashrafee Hossain
Journal of Further and Higher Education.2021; 45(4): 524. CrossRef
Examining Demographic and Preadmission Factors Predictive of First Year and Overall Program Success in a Public Physical Therapist Education Program
Katy Mitchell, Jennifer Ellison, Elke Schaumberg, Peggy Gleeson, Christina Bickley, Anna Naiki, Severin Travis
Journal of Physical Therapy Education.2021; 35(3): 203. CrossRef
Doctor of Physical Therapy Student Grit as a Predictor of Academic Success: A Pilot Study
Rebecca Bliss, Erin Jacobson
Health Professions Education.2020; 6(4): 522. CrossRef
Personality-oriented job analysis to identify non-cognitive factors predictive of performance in a doctor of physical therapy program in the United States
Maureen Conard, Kristin Schweizer
Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions.2018; 15: 34. CrossRef

Research Article

Developing a situational judgment test blueprint for assessing the non-cognitive skills of applicants to the University of Utah School of Medicine, the United States: Jorie M. Colbert-Getz, Karly Pippitt, Benjamin Chan; J Educ Eval Health Prof. 2015;12:51. Published online October 31, 2015; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2015.12.51

31,226 View
218 Download
9 Web of Science
5 Crossref

Abstract PDF

Purpose
The situational judgment test (SJT) shows promise for assessing the non-cognitive skills of medical school applicants, but has only been used in Europe. Since the admissions processes and education levels of applicants to medical school are different in the United States and in Europe, it is necessary to obtain validity evidence of the SJT based on a sample of United States applicants. Methods: Ninety SJT items were developed and Kane’s validity framework was used to create a test blueprint. A total of 489 applicants selected for assessment/interview day at the University of Utah School of Medicine during the 2014-2015 admissions cycle completed one of five SJTs, which assessed professionalism, coping with pressure, communication, patient focus, and teamwork. Item difficulty, each item’s discrimination index, internal consistency, and the categorization of items by two experts were used to create the test blueprint. Results: The majority of item scores were within an acceptable range of difficulty, as measured by the difficulty index (0.50-0.85) and had fair to good discrimination. However, internal consistency was low for each domain, and 63% of items appeared to assess multiple domains. The concordance of categorization between the two educational experts ranged from 24% to 76% across the five domains. Conclusion: The results of this study will help medical school admissions departments determine how to begin constructing a SJT. Further testing with a more representative sample is needed to determine if the SJT is a useful assessment tool for measuring the non-cognitive skills of medical school applicants.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

New Advances in Physician Assistant Admissions: The History of Situational Judgement Tests and the Development of CASPer
Shalon R. Buchs, M. Jane McDaniel
Journal of Physician Assistant Education.2021; 32(2): 87. CrossRef
The association between Situational Judgement Test (SJT) scores and professionalism concerns in undergraduate medical education
Gurvinder S. Sahota, Jaspal S. Taggar
Medical Teacher.2020; 42(8): 937. CrossRef
Exploring Behavioral Competencies for Effective Medical Practice in Nigeria
Adanna Chukwuma, Uche Obi, Ifunanya Agu, Chinyere Mbachu
Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development.2020; 7: 238212052097823. CrossRef
Situational judgment test validity: an exploratory model of the participant response process using cognitive and think-aloud interviews
Michael D. Wolcott, Nikki G. Lobczowski, Jacqueline M. Zeeman, Jacqueline E. McLaughlin
BMC Medical Education.2020;[Epub] CrossRef
Computerized test versus personal interview as admission methods for graduate nursing studies: A retrospective cohort study
Koren Hazut, Pnina Romem, Smadar Malkin, Ilana Livshiz‐Riven
Nursing & Health Sciences.2016; 18(4): 503. CrossRef

Review Article

Imperfect physician assistant and physical therapist admissions processes in the United States: Phillip Eugene Jones, Susan Simpkins, Jennie Alicea Hocking; J Educ Eval Health Prof. 2014;11:11. Published online May 9, 2014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2014.11.11

39,151 View
248 Download
3 Web of Science
8 Crossref

Abstract PDF

We compared and contrasted physician assistant and physical therapy profession admissions processes based on the similar number of accredited programs in the United States and the co-existence of many programs in the same school of health professions, because both professions conduct similar centralized application procedures administered by the same organization. Many studies are critical of the fallibility and inadequate scientific rigor of the high-stakes nature of health professions admissions decisions, yet typical admission processes remain very similar. Cognitive variables, most notably undergraduate grade point averages, have been shown to be the best predictors of academic achievement in the health professions. The variability of non-cognitive attributes assessed and the methods used to measure them have come under increasing scrutiny in the literature. The variance in health professions students’ performance in the classroom and on certifying examinations remains unexplained, and cognitive considerations vary considerably between and among programs that describe them. One uncertainty resulting from this review is whether or not desired candidate attributes highly sought after by individual programs are more student-centered or graduate-centered. Based on the findings from the literature, we suggest that student success in the classroom versus the clinic is based on a different set of variables. Given the range of positions and general lack of reliability and validity in studies of non-cognitive admissions attributes, we think that health professions admissions processes remain imperfect works in progress.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

TESOT: a teaching modality targeting the learning obstacles in global medical education
Xiaoran Wang, Xiao-Yu Liu, Shuwei Jia, Runsheng Jiao, Yunhong Zhang, Liyong Tang, Xiaoli Ni, Hui Zhu, Fengmin Zhang, Vladimir Parpura, Yu-Feng Wang
Advances in Physiology Education.2021; 45(2): 333. CrossRef
Examining Demographic and Preadmission Factors Predictive of First Year and Overall Program Success in a Public Physical Therapist Education Program
Katy Mitchell, Jennifer Ellison, Elke Schaumberg, Peggy Gleeson, Christina Bickley, Anna Naiki, Severin Travis
Journal of Physical Therapy Education.2021; 35(3): 203. CrossRef
Effect of Repeating Undergraduate Prerequisite Courses on Academic Performance in Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
Richard C. Clark, Yi-Po Chiu
Journal of Physical Therapy Education.2019; 33(1): 49. CrossRef
Current Practices and Perceptions of Admission Criteria at Physical Therapist Education Programs in the United States
Katy Mitchell, Jennifer Ellison, Peggy Gleeson
Journal of Physical Therapy Education.2019; 33(1): 55. CrossRef
Preadmission predictors of graduation success from a physical therapy education program in the United States
Gretchen Roman, Matthew Paul Buman
Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions.2019; 16: 5. CrossRef
Using the Core Competencies for New Physician Assistant Graduates to Prioritize Admission Criteria for PA Practice in 2025
Constance Goldgar, Karen J. Hills, Stephane P. VanderMeulen, Jennifer A. Snyder, William C. Kohlhepp, Steven Lane
Journal of Physician Assistant Education.2019; 30(2): 111. CrossRef
Noncognitive Attributes in Physician Assistant Education
Anthony E. Brenneman, Constance Goldgar, Karen J. Hills, Jennifer H. Snyder, Stephane P. VanderMeulen, Steven Lane
Journal of Physician Assistant Education.2018; 29(1): 25. CrossRef
Identifying Demographic and Preadmission Factors Predictive of Success on the National Physical Therapy Licensure Examination for Graduates of a Public Physical Therapist Education Program
Bryan Coleman-Salgado, Edward Barakatt
Journal of Physical Therapy Education.2018; 32(1): 8. CrossRef

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