title: Predicting success in graduate entry medical students undertaking a graduate entry medical program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Success in undergraduate medical courses in the UK can be predicted by school exit examination (A level) grades. There are no documented predictors of success in UK graduate entry medicine (GEM) courses. This study looks at the examination performance of GEM students to identify factors which may predict success; of particular interest was A level score.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was collected for students graduating in 2004, 2005 and 2006, including demographic details (age and gender), details of previous academic achievement (A level total score and prior degree) and examination results at several points during the degree course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study group comprised 285 students. Statistical analyses identified no significant variables when looking at clinical examinations. Analysis of pass/fail data for written examinations showed no relationship with A level score. However, both percentage data for the final written examination and the analysis of the award of honours showed A level scores of AAB or higher were associated with better performance (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A prime objective of introducing GEM programs was to diversify admissions to medical school. In trying to achieve this, medical schools have changed selection criteria. The findings in this study justify this by proving that A level score was not associated with success in either clinical examinations or passing written examinations. Despite this, very high achievements at A level do predict high achievement during medical school.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that selecting graduate medical students with the basic requirement of an upper-second class honours degree is justifiable and does not disadvantage students who may not have achieved high scores in school leaver examinations.
authors: Warwick Medical School, Medical Eduation, Warwick University, Coventry, UK. theahaldane@btinternet.com
authors: Thea
authors: T
authors: Haldane
authors: Manjeet
authors: M
authors: Shehmar
authors: Colin Francis
authors: CF
authors: Macdougall
authors: Alec
authors: A
authors: Price-Forbes
authors: Ian
authors: I
authors: Fraser
authors: Stuart
authors: S
authors: Petersen
authors: Ed
authors: E
authors: Peile
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000328:Adult; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D013337:Students, Medical; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult