PERSONALITY, CLINICAL-PERFORMANCE AND KNOWLEDGE IN PEDIATRIC RESIDENTS

This study examines the relationship between personality, knowledge an d teachers' evaluations of paediatric residents at a large, urban teac hing hospital. All residents (n = 30) were graduates of foreign medica l schools. Each resident completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MB TI) as a measure of personality and was rated (on a scale of 1-7) by t eachers on each of 35 items representing 14 different aspects of clini cal performance. These data were correlated with performance on the Am erican Board of Pediatrics In-training Examination (ABPITE), and with demographic data. Ratings of knowledge were directly associated with s cores on the ABPITE (r = 0.51, P < 0.01) and with the MBTI continuous score for extraversion (r = 0.51, P < 0.01), but inversely associated with age (r = -0.41, P < 0.01). ABPITE scores were also associated dir ectly with MBTI Extraversion (r = 0.44, P < 0.01) and inversely with a ge (r = -0.56, P < 0.001). Age and MBTI Extraversion were independentl y significant predictors of ABPITE (Multiple R = 0.64, P < 0.01) and r atings of knowledge (Multiple R = 0.59, P < 0.01). Results suggest tha t teachers' evaluations of knowledge have validity, and that age and i ntroversion/extroversion play a significant role in both subjective an d objective evaluations of paediatric knowledge. Demographic and perso nality variables may be predictive of knowledge acquisition, but are u nrelated to many dimensions of clinical performance.