title: A comparison of the United Kingdom clinical aptitude test (UK-CAT) with a traditional admission selection process.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UK-CAT) was introduced for the purpose of student selection by a consortium of 23 UK University Medical and Dental Schools, including the University of Aberdeen in 2006.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare candidate performance on UK-CAT with local medical student selection outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the outcomes of all applicants to Medicine, University of Aberdeen (UoA), in 2006 who undertook the UK-CAT. The candidates were selected into one of five outcomes (academic reject, reject following assessment, reject following interview, reserve list or offer). The candidate performance in the UK-CAT was compared to candidate performance on the UoA selection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data are reported on 1307 (85.0%) students who applied to UoA in 2006 and undertook the UK-CAT. Total UK-CAT scores were significantly correlated with local selection scores. However, of 314 students offered a place following the conventional selection process, only 101 were also in the highest scoring 318 on the UK-CAT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results from this study indicate that UK-CAT scores show weak correlation with success in our medical admissions process. It appears therefore that the UK-CAT examines different traits compared to our selection process. Further work is required to establish which better predicts success as an undergraduate or as a doctor.
authors.affiliation: Medical Education Unit, School of Medicine, University of Aberdeen Medical School, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK. n.fernando@abdn.ac.uk
authors.forename: Nishan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fernando
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Prescott
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cleland
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Greaves
authors.forename: Hamish
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McKenzie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001077:Aptitude Tests; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012577:Schools, Medical; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult