title: Selecting for creativity and innovation potential: implications for practice in healthcare education.
abstract: The ability to innovate is an important requirement in many organisations. Despite this pressing need, few selection systems in healthcare focus on identifying the potential for creativity and innovation and so this area has been vastly under-researched. As a first step towards understanding how we might select for creativity and innovation, this paper explores the use of a trait-based measure of creativity and innovation potential, and evaluates its efficacy for use in selection for healthcare education. This study uses a sample of 188 postgraduate physicians applying for education and training in UK General Practice. Participants completed two questionnaires (a trait-based measure of creativity and innovation, and a measure of the Big Five personality dimensions) and were also rated by assessors on creative problem solving measured during a selection centre. In exploring the construct validity of the trait-based measure of creativity and innovation, our research clarifies the associations between personality, and creativity and innovation. In particular, our study highlights the importance of motivation in the creativity and innovation process. Results also suggest that Openness to Experience is positively related to creativity and innovation whereas some aspects of Conscientiousness are negatively associated with creativity and innovation. Results broadly support the utility of using a trait-based measure of creativity and innovation in healthcare selection processes, although practically this may be best delivered as part of an interview process, rather than as a screening tool. Findings are discussed in relation to broader implications for placing more priority on creativity and innovation as selection criteria within healthcare education and training in future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. f.patterson@workpsychologygroup.com.|Work Psychology Group, 27 Brunel Parkway, Pride Park, Derby, Derbyshire, UK. f.patterson@workpsychologygroup.com.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Work Psychology Group, 27 Brunel Parkway, Pride Park, Derby, Derbyshire, UK.|Department of Psychology, City University London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lara Dawn
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Zibarras
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001519:Behavior; D003405:Creativity; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011340:Problem Solving; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012570:School Admission Criteria
keywords: Creativity; Healthcare education selection; Innovation potential; Predictive validity