Factors Predicting Applicant Outcomes in Occupational Therapy Education

Abstract

Results provide evidence upon which to ground admissions decisions, and point to the need for further examination of the value of extensive pre-admission course requirements.

Candidates’ and Interviewers’ Perceptions of Multiple-Mini Interviews for Admission to an Occupational Therapy Professional Program

“…While preadmission academic average has been found to be the best predictor of student outcomes (Lysaght et al, 2009;Salvatori, 2001), there is minimal evidence supporting the effectiveness of letters of reference, personal interviews, and writing samples as predictors of academic success (Scott et al, 1995). Other studies in occupational therapy, although dated, have similarly cast doubt on the predictive value of most commonly used selection criteria including single traditional interviews (Kirchner & Holm, 1997;Posthuma & Noh, 1990;Posthuma & Sommerfreund, 1985).…”

Ability of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy Practice Test to Estimate the Probability of First-Time Pass Status on the National Certification Exam

“…Successful graduation from occupational therapy educational programs has historically been measured by student graduating GPA (Auriemma, 2002;Avi-Itzhak & Kellner, 1995;Hansen-Suchy, 2011;Kirchner et al, 2000;Lysaght et al, 2009;Posthuma & Sommerfreund, 1985). In recent years, a growing body of research estimating the probability of first-time pass status on the national occupational therapy certification exam has emerged.…”

“…Consequently, the aim of admissions committees of educational programs in occupational therapy and other health professions is to identify, from a pool of applicants, those who are most likely to successfully graduate from the program. Successful graduation from a health professions educational program indicates that the graduate was able to meet the academic and clinical requirements of the program, measured by the graduating grade point average (GPA; Auriemma, 2002;Avi-Itzhak & Kellner, 1996;Hansen-Suchy, 2011;Kirchner, Stone, & Holm, 2000;Lysaght, Donnelly, & Villeneuve, 2009;Posthuma & Sommerfreund, 1985) or was able to pass a licensure exam, measured by a first-time pass score (Aldridge, Keith, Sloas, & Mott-Murphree, 2010;Dadian, Geurink, Olney, & Littlefield, 2002;Edenfield & Hansen, 2000;Ennulat, Garrubba, & DeLong, 2011;Hagemaster, 2001;Sloas, Keith, & Whitehead, 2013).…”

Passing the NBCOT Examination: Preadmission, Academic, and Fieldwork Factors

“…A meta-analysis by Kuncel, Hezlett, and Ones (2001) determined that undergraduate GPA and performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are generally valid predictors of future academic performance in graduate school. This finding that past academic performance predicts future academic performance has been replicated in studies focused exclusively on OT graduate students (Kirchner & Holm, 1997;Kirchner, Stone, & Holm, 2000;Lysaght, Donnelly, & Villeneuve, 2009) as well as in studies on students in other related health care professions (Halberstam & Redstone, 2005;Jones, Simpkins, & Hocking, 2014;Keskula, Sammarone, & Perrin, 1995;Utzman, Riddle, & Jewell, 2007a). In addition, Bathje, Ozelie, and Deavila (2014) and Kirchner et al (2000) identified correlations between undergraduate GPA and GRE scores and future performance on fieldwork and academic performance at the graduate level among OT students.…”