title: Traditional admissions variables as predictors of minority students' performance in medical school. A cause for concern.
abstract: This study explored the relationship between traditional admissions criteria, performance in the first semester of medical school, and performance on the National Board of Medical Examiners' (NBME) Examination, Part 1 for minority medical students, non-minority medical students, and the two groups combined. Correlational analysis and step-wise multiple regression procedures were used as the analysis techniques. A different pattern of admissions variables related to National Board Part 1 performance for the two groups. The General Information section of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) contributed the most variance for the minority student group. MCAT-Science contributed the most variance for the non-minority student group. MCATs accounted for a substantial portion of the variance on the National Board examination.
mesh_terms: D003099:College Admission Test; D004521:Educational Measurement; D008913:Minority Groups; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D013337:Students, Medical; D014481:United States