title: A Content Analysis of Interviewee Reports of Medical School Admissions Interviews.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prospective medical school applicants use Internet websites to gain information about medical school interviews as well as to offer their experience in such interviews. This study examined applicants' reported experiences of interviews and compared them to the purposes of the interview as purported by medical schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  Content analysis of student feedback regarding medical school interviews at 161 medical schools was conducted for entries of over 4600 students applying to medical school who anonymously and voluntarily completed an online questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Across all medical schools, nearly one half of all cited interview questions addressed noncognitive characteristics of the applicants. Top ranked medical schools were reported to ask significantly more interpersonal and illegal questions and fewer academic/general knowledge questions than other medical schools. Lower ranked schools did not differ significantly in the types of questions reportedly asked applicants compared to other medical schools.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical school interviews are generally gathering types of information about applicants that admissions personnel identify as important in the admission decision. In addition to measuring interpersonal characteristics, medical school admissions interviews are assessing cognitive abilities and ethical decision-making. Sources on the Internet provide actual medical school interview questions to prospective students. This practice can help them gain an undue advantage in interviewing. Admissions committees and faculty who interview students may want to consider how best to obtain accurate and valid responses from applicants.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations College of Education University of Iowa.
authors.forename: A Elizabeth
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Rippentrop
authors.affiliation: a Division of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations College of Education University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yung-Sang Wong
authors.affiliation: b Division of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations, College of Education, and Department of Community and Behavioral Health College of Public Health University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Altmaier