title: A generalizability analysis of a veterinary school Multiple Mini Interview: effect of number of interviewers, type of interviewers, and number of stations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) stations and the type and number of interviewers required for an acceptable level of reliability for veterinary admissions requires investigation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal is to investigate the reliability of the 2009 MMI admission process at the University of Calgary.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each applicant (n = 103; female = 80.6%; M age = 23.05 years, SD = 3.96) participated in a 7-station MMI. Applicants were rated independently by 2 interviewers, a faculty member, and a community veterinarian, within each station (total interviewers/applicant N = 14). Interviewers scored applicants on 3 items, each on a 5-point anchored scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Generalizability analysis resulted in a reliability coefficient of G = 0.79. A Decision study (D-study) indicated that 10 stations with 1 interviewer would produce a G = 0.79 and 8 stations with 2 interviewers would produce a G = 0.81; however, these have different resource requirements. A two-way analysis of variance showed that there was a nonsignificant main effect of interviewer type (between faculty member and community veterinarian) on interview scores, F(1, 1428) = 3.18, p = .075; a significant main effect of station on interview scores, F(6, 1428) = 4.34, p < .001; and a nonsignificant interaction effect between interviewer-type and station on interview scores, F(6, 1428) = 0.74, p = .62.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall reliability was adequate for the MMI. Results from the D-study suggest that the current format with 7 stations provides adequate reliability given that there are enough interviewers; to achieve the same G-coefficient 1 interviewer per station with 10 stations would suffice and reduce the resource requirements. Community veterinarians and faculty members demonstrated an adequate level of agreement in their assessments of applicants.
authors: Department of Veterinary Clinical and Diagnostic Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. kghecker@ucalgary.ca
authors: Kent
authors: K
authors: Hecker
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Violato
mesh_terms: D000416:Alberta; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012582:Schools, Veterinary / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult