Academic performance of psychiatrists compared to other specialists before, during, and after medical school.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to compare psychiatrists with other physicians on measures of academic performance before, during, and after medical school.


METHODS
More than three decades of data for graduates of Jefferson Medical College (N=5,701) were analyzed. Those who pursued psychiatry were compared to physicians in seven other specialties on 18 performance measures. Analysis of covariance was used to control for gender effect.


RESULTS
Compared to other physicians, psychiatrists scored higher on measures of verbal ability and general information before medical school and on evaluations of knowledge and skills in behavioral sciences during medical school, but they scored lower on United States Medical Licensing Examinations step 3.


CONCLUSIONS
The results generally confirmed the authors' expectations about psychiatrists' academic performance. More attention should be paid to the general medical education of psychiatrists.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science/Chicago Medical School, IL 60064, USA. frederick.sierles@rosalindfranklin.edu
Frederick S
FS
Sierles
Michael J
MJ
Vergare
Mohammadreza
M
Hojat
Joseph S
JS
Gonnella
D000124:Achievement; D002321:Career Choice; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004516:Education, Premedical / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008007:Licensure, Medical / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013038:Specialization; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States