title: The health sciences reasoning test in the pharmacy admissions process.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of including Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) scores in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) admissions process compared with other criteria used.
  
  
  METHODS
  The HSRT was administered to all prepharmacy students who were selected for an interview (n=122) as part of the PharmD program admissions process. The HSRT score and other evaluation criteria were used to establish candidate rankings. The correlation between total HSRT scores and other measures used in the admissions process then was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Candidate rankings were not noticeably different when the HSRT scores were excluded from the admission process. The HSRT scores were significantly and highly correlated with applicants' Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) cumulative percentile scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HSRT can be an effective method to evaluate critical-thinking ability as part of the admissions process into a PharmD program. However, the usefulness of the HSRT as an admissions screening tool is mitigated by information redundancies with other evaluation criteria, specifically the PCAT.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Kelsch
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota.
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Friesner
mesh_terms: D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012580:Schools, Pharmacy / Q000592:standards*; D013339:Students, Pharmacy
keywords: admissions; critical thinking; health sciences reasoning test