Accepted Type
Dedicated Poster
Code
P1 - 08
Was this work accepted for CCME 2020?
yes
Category
General Call (Workshop, Oral Presentation, Poster Presentation)
Type
Poster
Sub Type
Education Research
Will the presenter be a:
Other
Presenter Other
Faculty
Affiliation
Title
Do high grades prior to MD studies lead to higher academic achievement during the MD curriculum and higher scores on licensing examinations?
Length of Presentation
Background/Purpose
Until 2018, at our institution, student applying to the MD program were selected for admission based on 2 criteria: a standardized grade point average (GPA) and a multiple mini interview (MMI) score. The GPA accounted for 50% of the total score for admission.
With this study, we wished to answer this question: is the standardized GPA a reliable performance predictor for grades during the MD curriculum, and for the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part I (MCCQE I)?
Methods
From 2008 to 2015, data were prospectively collected from all students entering the MD program. Data included: GPA from pre-university or university studies, mean grades in years 0 (pre-med) 1 and 2, grades from project-based learning and courses throughout MD studies (eg: basic anatomy, digestion and nutrition, heart and circulation), end-of-curriculum written exam and OSCE scores, and MCCQE I results. Pearson's coefficient was used to analyse the relationship between these scores.
Results
GPA showed weak correlation to year 0 (r=0.296, n= 646, p<0.001), year 1 (r=0.231, n=1113, p<0.001), and year 2 (r=0.258, n=1098, p<0.001) mean grades. GPA presented no correlation to end-of-curriculum written examination scores (r=-0.034, n=579, p=0.416) or OSCE scores (r=0.008, n=838, p=0.813). GPA also correlated poorly (r=0.202, n=1805, p<0.001) with results at MCCQE I.
Conclusion
While high grades are still considered an important standard for admission to our MD program, they do not demonstrate a strong correlation to high-stakes, end-of-curriculum and licensing examinations. Further analysis will help to determine if different weighing assigned to GPA and MMI scores, or if additional criteria for admission to our MD program would yield improved results.
Keyword 1
Medical admission
Keyword 2
licensing examination
Level of Training
Undergraduate
Abstract Themes
Assessment
Assessment
Admission/selection
Additional Theme (First choice)
Undergraduate
Additional Theme (Second Choice)
Assessment
Additional Theme (Third Choice)
Authors
Presenter
Margaret Henri
Term 1
Yes
Term 2
Yes
Term 3
Yes
Term 4
Yes
Term 5
Yes
