title: Situational judgment test as an additional tool in a medical admission test: an observational investigation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the framework of medical university admission procedures the assessment of non-cognitive abilities is increasingly demanded. As tool for assessing personal qualities or the ability to handle theoretical social constructs in complex situations, the Situational Judgment Test (SJT), among other measurement instruments, is discussed in the literature. This study focuses on the development and the results of the SJT as part of the admission test for the study of human medicine and dentistry at one medical university in Austria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational investigation focusing on the results of the SJT. 4741 applicants were included in the study. To yield comparable results for the different test parts, "relative scores" for each test part were calculated. Performance differences between women and men in the various test parts are analyzed using effect sizes based on comparison of mean values (Cohen's d). The associations between the relative scores achieved in the various test parts were assessed by computing pairwise linear correlation coefficients between all test parts and visualized by bivariate scatterplots.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among successful candidates, men consistently outperform women. Men perform better in physics and mathematics. Women perform better in the SJT part. The least discriminatory test part was the SJT. A strong correlation between biology and chemistry and moderate correlations between the other test parts except SJT is obvious. The relative scores are not symmetrically distributed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cognitive loading of the performed SJTs points to the low correlation between the SJTs and cognitive abilities. Adding the SJT part into the admission test, in order to cover more than only knowledge and understanding of natural sciences among the applicants has been quite successful.
authors.affiliation: Vice-Rector's Office for Teaching and Studies, Medical University Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 2/4, Graz, 8036, Austria. marion.habersack@medunigraz.at.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luschin-Ebengreuth
authors.affiliation: Vice-Rector's Office for Teaching and Studies, Medical University Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 2/4, Graz, 8036, Austria. hans.dimai@medunigraz.at.
authors.forename: Hans P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Dimai
authors.affiliation: Organizational Unit for Studies and Teaching, Medical University Graz, Harrachgasse 21/6, Graz, 8010, Austria. daniel.ithaler@medunigraz.at.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ithaler
authors.affiliation: Organizational Unit for Studies and Teaching, Medical University Graz, Harrachgasse 21/6, Graz, 8010, Austria. heide.neges@medunigraz.at.
authors.forename: Heide M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Neges
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Center for Physiological Medicine, Medical University Graz, Harrachgasse 21/II, Graz, 8010, Austria. gilbert.reibnegger@medunigraz.at.
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reibnegger
mesh_terms: D001317:Austria; D003657:Decision Making; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*