title: Narrative information obtained during student selection predicts problematic study behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Up to now, student selection for medical schools is merely used to decide which applicants will be admitted. We investigated whether narrative information obtained during multiple mini-interviews (MMIs) can also be used to predict problematic study behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective exploratory study was performed on students who were selected into a four-year research master's program Physician-Clinical Investigator in 2007 and 2008 (n = 60). First, counselors were asked for the most prevalent non-cognitive problems among their students. Second, MMI notes were analyzed to identify potential indicators for these problems. Third, a case-control study was performed to investigate the association between students exhibiting the non-cognitive problems and the presence of indicators for these problems in their MMI notes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most prevalent non-cognitive problems concerned planning and self-reflection. Potential indicators for these problems were identified in randomly chosen MMI notes. The case-control analysis demonstrated a significant association between indicators in the notes and actual planning problems (odds ratio: 9.33, p = 0.003). No such evidence was found for self-reflection-related problems (odds ratio: 1.39, p = 0.68).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Narrative information obtained during MMIs contains predictive indicators for planning-related problems during study. This information would be useful for early identification of students-at-risk, which would enable focused counseling and interventions to improve their academic achievement.
authors.affiliation: a Maastricht University , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mirjam G A
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Oude Egbrink
authors.affiliation: a Maastricht University , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lambert W T
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Schuwirth
mesh_terms: D001076:Aptitude; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D013337:Students, Medical; D058013:Test Taking Skills