The introduction of admission testing significantly decreased the cumulative probability for dropout. In openly admitted students a significantly higher risk for dropout was found in female students and in older students, whereas no such effects can be detected after admission testing. Future research should focus on the sex dependence, with the aim of improving success rates among female applicants on the admission tests.
Medical Education 2010: 44 : 205–214 Context Although admission to university in Austria is generally open for applicants who have successfully completed secondary school, in some areas of study, including human medicine and dentistry, the selection of students by additional criteria has become legally possible as a result of a decision by the European Court in 2005. We studied the impact of this important change on the temporal pattern of medical students’ progress through the study programme. Methods All 2532 regular students admitted to the diploma programme in human medicine at the Medical University of Graz during the academic years 2002/03–2007/08 were included in the analysis. Non‐parametric and semi‐parametric survival analysis techniques were employed to compare the time required to complete the first two study semesters (first part of the curriculum) before and after the implementation of admission tests. Temporal patterns of dropout before this goal was achieved were also investigated. Sex, age and nationality of students were assessed as potential confounding variables. Results The cumulative probability of study success was dramatically better in selected students versus those who were admitted openly (P < 0.0001). Whereas only 20.1–26.4% of openly admitted students completed the first two study semesters within the scheduled time of 1 year, this percentage rose to 75.6–91.9% for those selected by admission tests. Similarly, the cumulative probability for dropping out of study was also significantly lower in selected students (P < 0.0001). By univariate as well as multivariate techniques, student nationality, age and sex were also identified as partly significant, albeit weak, predictors. Discussion The analysis convincingly demonstrates that, by contrast with open admission, performance‐based selection of medical students significantly raises the probability of successful study progress. Additionally, the proportion of dropouts is significantly reduced. Thus, admission tests save considerable costs, in terms of both student time and public resources.
BackgroundIn the framework of medical university admission procedures the assessment of non-cognitive abilities is increasingly demanded. As tool for assessing personal qualities or the ability to handle theoretical social constructs in complex situations, the Situational Judgment Test (SJT), among other measurement instruments, is discussed in the literature. This study focuses on the development and the results of the SJT as part of the admission test for the study of human medicine and dentistry at one medical university in Austria.MethodsObservational investigation focusing on the results of the SJT. 4741 applicants were included in the study. To yield comparable results for the different test parts, “relative scores” for each test part were calculated. Performance differences between women and men in the various test parts are analyzed using effect sizes based on comparison of mean values (Cohen’s d). The associations between the relative scores achieved in the various test parts were assessed by computing pairwise linear correlation coefficients between all test parts and visualized by bivariate scatterplots.ResultsAmong successful candidates, men consistently outperform women. Men perform better in physics and mathematics. Women perform better in the SJT part. The least discriminatory test part was the SJT. A strong correlation between biology and chemistry and moderate correlations between the other test parts except SJT is obvious. The relative scores are not symmetrically distributed.ConclusionsThe cognitive loading of the performed SJTs points to the low correlation between the SJTs and cognitive abilities. Adding the SJT part into the admission test, in order to cover more than only knowledge and understanding of natural sciences among the applicants has been quite successful.
IntroductionProgress testing is a special form of longitudinal and feedback‐oriented assessment. Even though well established in human medical curricula, this is not the case in dental education. The aim was the prospective development and implementation of the first reported German‐language Dental Progress Test (DPT) for the undergraduate dental curriculum at the Medical University of Graz, Austria.Material and methodsParticipation in DPT was compulsory for all dental students in terms 7‐12 (years 4‐6). Three tests, each consisting of 100 items out of a pool of 375, were administered within 3 consecutive terms in 2016 and 2017. Rasch analyses were used to evaluate the questionnaire and identify misfitting items.ResultsIn the item responses, 59.7% were “correct,” 27.0% were “false” and 13.3% were answered with “don't know,” with similar results at all 3 time points. The assumption of parallel ICC was met (T1: χ2 = 51.071, df = 74, P = .981; T2: χ2 = 57.044, df = 67, P = .802; T3: χ2 = 58.443, df = 72, P = .876) and item difficulties for the thematic fields were similarly distributed across the latent dimensions.ConclusionThe newly introduced DPT is appropriate for testing dental students and is well balanced for the tested target group.
A basic science knowledge gap in the Austrian applicants can be confirmed. The variable time can be interpreted as an opportunity for the reduction of a basic science knowledge gap.
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