[Admission to medical education at the School of Medical Sciences of the National University of La Plata: its effectiveness].
BACKGROUND
The present paper, based on studies carried out as from the year 1972 at the Department of Anatomy "C" of the Medical Sciences School of the National University of La Plata, analyzes the performance of students who entered the aforementioned School with and without entrance examination.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the performance achieved by the students, considering for the analysis a cross section of two groups, those who entered the School between the years 1985 and 1988 and those who did it between 1992 and 1999, without and with entrance examination respectively.


METHODS
The following variables were evaluated: Dropout average percentage. Average percentage of students who passed in November, December and March. Average percentage of students who passed the mid-term tests. Mid-term tests average mark. The performance records of each student in the department were audited: personal information, assistance, mid-term tests marks, homework, familiarity with topic of the day, interest in the practical activity and student overall impression. The statistical analysis evaluated whether there were any particular differences between the groups compared.


RESULTS
Dropout average percentage: without admissibility*: 27,15%, with admissibility: 7,91% Average percentage of students who passed in November, December and March: without admissibility: 50,75%, with admissibility: 90,43% Average percentage of students who passed the mid-term tests: without admissibility: 68,75%, with admissibility: 93,29% Mid-term tests average mark: without admissibility: 6,63%, with admissibility: 6,86% *Admissibility = entrance examination


CONCLUSIONS
The overall performance of the students with entrance selection surpasses the one of those who entered directly.
Albizu
Enrique Pérez
EP
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata Calle 60 y 120 S/N. (1900) La Plata.
Urrutia
María I
MI
D001118:Argentina; D003099:College Admission Test; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012577:Schools, Medical; D013337:Students, Medical