[Academic performance of medical students: a predictable result?].
BACKGROUND
Traditionally, medical schools demand their students a high dedication in time, responsibility and integrity.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the predictive capacity of several specific variables, on the academic performance of medical students.


METHODS
All students who entered during 1984-1995 period were studied. The academic performance was assessed using two indices: an overall evaluation of successfulness as determined by the approval rate in different courses and grade-point average obtained during the first three years at the Medical School. The variables used to predict academic performance were year of enrollment, high school grades, university admission test scores, biomedical and demographic characteristics. All these were measured at the time when the student was enrolled.


RESULTS
Eight hundred and eight students were studied at the end of the third year. The most important predictive variables selected for both performance indices were: high school grades, admission biology test scores, place were high school studies were done, and previous university studies. In addition verbal and mathematics admission academic performance tests scores were selected for grade-point average index. Although, the overall admission score and high school academic performance were significantly associated with the two outcomes, they were not selected in the final models.


CONCLUSIONS
The best predictors of an optimal academic performance in these medical students were high school grades, admission biology test scores, residing in Metropolitan Santiago and previous university studies.
Bastías
G
G
Oficina de Educación Médica, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. gbastias@med.puc.cl
Villarroel
L
L
Zuñiga
D
D
Marshall
G
G
Velasco
N
N
Mena
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D002677:Chile; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011336:Probability; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D013337:Students, Medical