Reliability of predictors of study success in medicine.
OBJECTIVE
Examination of the reliability of predictors for study success found in a prospective study in the year 2002/03. We report the results of a retest in an unselected students' sample taken from the following academic year 2003/04.


METHODS
In a comparison of successful and unsuccessful students in their first year at the Medical University of Vienna, four predictors for study success had been found (using a questionnaire in a prospective design). In a re-examination of this study, after testing for representativeness, all P values were first subjected to adjustment for multiple testing. Secondly, the items were retested in a student sample drawn in 2003/04 using the same procedures.


RESULTS
After Finner's adjustment for multiple testing, the four predictors (male sex, German mother tongue, performance at school, learning capacity and learning style) were confirmed. In the students' sample of 2003/04, eighteen out of 22 items remained significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of the prognostic factors found are reliable.
Haidinger
Gerald
G
Department of Epidemiology, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. gerald.haidinger@meduniwien.ac.at
Frischenschlager
Oskar
O
Mitterauer
Lukas
L
D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012570:School Admission Criteria / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires