title: Predictive validity of a selection centre testing non-technical skills for recruitment to training in anaesthesia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Assessment centres are an accepted method of recruitment in industry and are gaining popularity within medicine. We describe the development and validation of a selection centre for recruitment to speciality training in anaesthesia based on an assessment centre model incorporating the rating of candidate's non-technical skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expert consensus identified non-technical skills suitable for assessment at the point of selection. Four stations-structured interview, portfolio review, presentation, and simulation-were developed, the latter two being realistic scenarios of work-related tasks. Evaluation of the selection centre focused on applicant and assessor feedback ratings, inter-rater agreement, and internal consistency reliability coefficients. Predictive validity was sought via correlations of selection centre scores with subsequent workplace-based ratings of appointed trainees.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and twenty-four candidates were assessed over two consecutive annual recruitment rounds; 68 were appointed and followed up during training. Candidates and assessors demonstrated strong approval of the selection centre with more than 70% of ratings 'good' or 'excellent'. Mean inter-rater agreement coefficients ranged from 0.62 to 0.77 and internal consistency reliability of the selection centre score was high (Cronbach's α=0.88-0.91). The overall selection centre score was a good predictor of workplace performance during the first year of appointment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An assessment centre model based on the rating of non-technical skills can produce a reliable and valid selection tool for recruitment to speciality training in anaesthesia. Early results on predictive validity are encouraging and justify further development and evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Anaesthesia Recruitment Validation Group, Department of Anaesthesia, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Plymouth PL6 8DH, UK. thomas.gale@phnt.swest.nhs.uk
authors.forename: T C E
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Sice
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Langton
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: P R F
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D016544:Patient Simulation; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results