The ability of a medical school admission process to predict clinical performance and patients' satisfaction

Purpose. The authors evaluated the ability of a two-step admission process to predict clinical performance and patients' satisfaction on a third-year objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Method. Subjects were three matriculating classes ( 1993, 1994, 1995) at on e medical school. Data for the classes were analyzed separately. Independen t variables were the Academic Profile (AP), an initial ranking of applicant s based on grade-point ratio and MCAT scores, and the Selection Profile (Se P), an average of three interview scores. Interviews were offered based on AP rank, and admission was offered based on SeP rank. Dependent variables w ere total score on the faculty-graded portion of the OSCE and patients' sat isfaction scores completed by the OSCE standardized patients. The authors e valuated the correlations between AP and OSCE performance and between SeP a nd OSCE performance. The authors also compared the OSCE performances of stu dents whose ranks changed after interviews (SeP rank < AP rank or SeP rank > AP rank). The level of significance was adjusted for the number of compar isons (Bonferroni method). Results. Complete data were available for 91% of eligible students (n = 222 ). No class showed a significant correlation between either AP or SeP ranki ngs and OSCE performance (p >.01). Likewise, there was no difference in OSC E performance for students whose ranks changed after the interview. Conclusions. The admission ranking and interview process at this medical sc hool did not predict clinical performance or patients' satisfaction on this OSCE.