title: Does an emotional intelligence test correlate with traditional measures used to determine medical school admission?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As medical school admission committees are giving increased consideration to noncognitive measures, this study sought to determine how emotional intelligence (EI) scores relate to other traditional measures used in the admissions process.
  
  
  METHODS
  EI was measured using an ability-based test (Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, or MSCEIT) in two consecutive cohorts of medical school applicants (2006 and 2007) qualifying for the admission interview. Pearson correlations between EI scores and traditional measures (i.e., weighted grade point average [wGPA], autobiographical sketch scores, and interview scores) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 659 applicants, 68% participated. MSCEIT scores did not correlate with traditional measures (r = -0.06 to 0.09, P > .05), with the exception of a small correlation with wGPA in the 2007 cohort (r = -0.13, P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lack of substantial relationships between EI scores and traditional medical school admission measures suggests that EI evaluates a construct fundamentally different from traits captured in our admission process.
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada. jleddy@uottawa.ca
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Leddy
authors.forename: Geneviève
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moineau
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Puddester
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Humphrey-Murto
mesh_terms: D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012577:Schools, Medical