This paper reports the impact on admission to the University of Missouri-Kansas City's 6-yr. combined baccalaureate-doctor of medicine program of an innovation in selection procedures. In 1973 and 1974, the school's Council on Selection de-emphasized high school academic performance but continued to consider extensive biographical and interview data. Significant differences emerged in the correlations of various selection criteria with the Council's ratings of candidates in 1973 and 1974 in comparison with the prior year. Specifically, admission test score which had the highest correlation (.58) in 1972 was only .18 in 1973. The negative correlation (−.30) of race (discriminatory toward non-whites) in 1972 was not present in 1973 or 1974. Instead, the highest correlations were the interviewers' ratings and recommended decisions.
This study investigated the prediction of success in the six-year combined undergraduate and medical education program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Students enter this program directly from high school, and at the end of six years receive their bachelors and medical degrees simultaneously. In addition to the usual measures of academic success, criteria for this study included measures of personal development, participation in cultural and community activities, and attitudes and plans with respect to various kinds of medical careers. The best predictor for any given criterion variable tended to be previous standing on the same variable, and in general adding other predictor variables improved prediction only a little. Academic performance was largely independent of other criteria. Implications for selection policy are considered.
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