The effect of curriculum sample selection for medical school.
In the Netherlands, students are admitted to medical school through (1) selection, (2) direct access by high pre-university Grade Point Average (pu-GPA), (3) lottery after being rejected in the selection procedure, or (4) lottery. At Radboud University Medical Center, 2010 was the first year we selected applicants. We designed a procedure based on tasks mimicking the reality of early medical school. Applicants took an online course followed by an on-site exam, resembling courses and exams in early medical school. Based on the exam scores, applicants were selected or rejected. The aim of our study is to determine whether curriculum sample selection explains performance in medical school and is preferable compared to selection based on performance in secondary school. We gathered data on the performance of students of three consecutive cohorts (2010-2012, N = 954). We compared medical school performance (course credits and grade points) of selected students to the three groups admitted in other ways, especially lottery admissions. In regression analyses, we controlled for out of context cognitive performance by adjusting for pu-GPA. Selection-admitted students outperformed lottery-admitted students on most outcome measures, unadjusted as well as adjusted for pu-GPA (p ≤ 0.05). They had higher grade points than non-selected lottery students, both unadjusted and adjusted for pu-GPA (p ≤ 0.025). Adjusted for pu-GPA, selection-admitted students and high-pu-GPA students performed equally. We recommend this selection procedure as it adds to secondary school cognitive performance for the general population of students, is efficient for large numbers of applicants and not labour-intensive.
Radboudumc Health Academy, Research of Learning and Education, Radboud University Medical Center, Huispost 42, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. marieke.devisser@radboudumc.nl.
Marieke
M
de Visser
Radboudumc Health Academy, Research of Learning and Education, Radboud University Medical Center, Huispost 42, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Cornelia
C
Fluit
Department of Rheumatology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Jaap
J
Fransen
Radboudumc Health Academy, Research of Learning and Education, Radboud University Medical Center, Huispost 42, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Mieke
M
Latijnhouwers
Center for Research and Innovation in Medical Education, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Janke
J
Cohen-Schotanus
Radboudumc Health Academy, Research of Learning and Education, Radboud University Medical Center, Huispost 42, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Roland
R
Laan
D000293:Adolescent; D003479:Curriculum; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055815:Young Adult
Academic performance; Selection; Undergraduate medical education