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Research article
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Mismatch between the proposed ability concepts of the Graduate Record Examination and the critical thinking skills of physical therapy applicants suggested by an expert panel in the United States
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Emily Shannon Hughes
- J Educ Eval Health Prof. 2019;16:24. Published online August 27, 2019
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2019.16.24
- 13,497 View
- 204 Download
- 4 Web of Science
- 5 Crossref
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Abstract
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Supplementary Material - Purpose
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a general examination predictive of success in US-based graduate programs. Used to assess students’ written, mathematical, and critical thinking (CT) skills, the GRE is utilized for admission to approximately 85% of US physical therapist education (PTE) programs. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the CT skills measured by the GRE match those deemed by an expert panel as the most important to assess for PTE program acceptance.
Methods
Using a modified E-Delphi approach, a 3-phase survey was distributed over 8 weeks to a panel consisting of licensed US physical therapists with expertise on CT and PTE program directors. The CT skills isolated by the expert panel, based on Facione’s Delphi report, were compared to the CT skills assessed by the GRE.
Results
The CT skills supported by the Delphi report and chosen by the expert panel for assessment prior to acceptance into US PTE programs included clarifying meaning, categorization, and analyzing arguments. Only clarifying meaning matched the CT skills from the GRE.
Conclusion
The GRE is a test for general admission to graduate programs, lacking context related to healthcare or physical therapy. The current study fails to support the GRE as an assessment tool of CT for admission to PTE programs. A context-based admission test evaluating the CT skills identified in this study should be developed for use in the admission process to predict which students will complete US PTE programs and pass the licensure exam. -
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
- Psychometric evaluation of the Spanish version of the physiotherapy critical thinking in clinical practice questionnaire
Beatriz Hernández-Méndez, Àlex Ginés-Puertas, Javier Jerez-Roig, Joan-Daniel Martí-Romeu, David Cámara-Menoyo, Jordi Cuartero-Archs, Mercedes Piqueras-Céspedes, María Llaberia-Marcual, Esperanza Zuriguel-Pérez
Clinical Rehabilitation.2025; 39(10): 1355. CrossRef - Evaluating the role of GRE and students’ success in the didactic phase of PA school
Jeanetta Yuan, Benjamin Rispoli, Harrynauth Persaud
SN Social Sciences.2025;[Epub] CrossRef - The Doctor of Physical Therapy Admission Test (DPTAT): A Vision for a Primary Care, Doctoring Profession
Nathan J. Savage
Medical Science Educator.2025; 35(6): 2803. CrossRef - Diversifying the Physical Therapist Workforce Through Holistic Hiring, Admissions, and Retention Processes
Nipaporn Somyoo, Kimberly Varnado, Eder A Garavito, Janet Kneiss
Physical Therapy.2024;[Epub] CrossRef - Correlation between physician assistant students’ performance score of history taking and physical exam documentation and scores of Graduate Record Examination, clinical year grade point average, and score of Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam i
Sara Lolar, Jamie McQueen, Sara Maher
Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions.2020; 17: 16. CrossRef
- Psychometric evaluation of the Spanish version of the physiotherapy critical thinking in clinical practice questionnaire
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