Increasing the Relative Weight of Noncognitive Admission Criteria Improves Underrepresented Minority Admission Rates to Medical School

Ballejos, Marlene P.; Rhyne, Robert L.; Parkes, Jay

doi:10.1080/10401334.2015.1011649

Cited by 35 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…GPA, MCAT) of the application stage can increase the proportion of URIM students accepted. 10 The converse has also been demonstrated, in that URIM acceptance rates decreased as the weighting on GPA and MCAT increased. 12 However, these conclusions have not been universal.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…8 Multiple investigators have studied the impact of different recruitment and admissions strategies on the diversity of matriculating medical students. These have included adding an "adjustment" to pre-interview scores for URIM applicants, 9 increasing the weighting on non-academic criteria 10 and the use of the MMI. The MMI interview style has gained support as studies have demonstrated that performance does not seem to be impacted by gender, family income level, size of community of origin, 11 or ethnicity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Performance of Black and Indigenous applicants in a medical school admissions process

2021

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Background: Diversity in medical schools has lagged behind Canada’s growing multicultural population. Dalhousie medical school allows Black and Indigenous applicants to self-identify. We examined how these applicants performed and progressed through the admissions process compared to Other group (applicants who did not self-identify). Methods: Retrospective analysis of four application cycles (2015-2019) was conducted, comparing demographic data, scores for application components (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer), MCAT, GPA, supplemental, discretionary, Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)), and final application status between the three groups. Results: Of 1322 applicants, 104 identified as Black, 64 Indigenous, and 1154 Other. GPA was higher in the Other compared to the Indigenous group (p < 0.001). CASPer score was higher in the Other compared to the Black group (p = 0.047). There was no difference between groups for all other application components. A large proportion of Black and Indigenous applicants had incomplete applications. Acceptance rates were similar between all groups. Black applicants declined an admission offer substantially more than expected (31%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Black and Indigenous applicants who completed their application progressed well through the admissions process. The pool of diverse applicants needs to be increased and support provided for completion of applications. Further study is warranted to understand why qualified applicants decline acceptance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Performance of Black and Indigenous applicants in a medical school admissions process

2021

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“…A variety of methodologies are available for scoring personal attributes, experiences, and metrics that can be equitably applied to enhance diversity or other outcomes, such as rural selection, 29 without changing minimum admission requirements or other academic metrics. 30 There are over 30 distinct factors that can be categorized in different ways as attributes, experiences, and metrics.…”

Section: Applicant-selection Methodologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Levers of change: a review of contemporary interventions to enhance diversity in medical schools in the USA

Vick¹,

Baugh²,

Lambert³

et al. 2018

AMEP

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A growing body of research illustrates the importance of aligning efforts across the operational continuum to achieve diversity goals. This alignment begins with the institutional mission and the message it conveys about the priorities of the institution to potential applicants, community, staff, and faculty. The traditional themes of education, research, and service dominate most medical school mission statements. The emerging themes of physician maldistribution, overall primary-care physician shortage, diversity, and cost control are cited less frequently. The importance and salience of having administrative leaders with an explicit commitment to workforce and student diversity is a prominent and pivotal factor in the medical literature on the subject. Organizational leadership shapes the general work climate and expectations concerning diversity, recruitment, and retention. Following the Bakke decision, individual medical schools, supported by the Association of American Medical Colleges, worked to expand the frame of reference for evaluating applicants for medical school. These efforts have come together under the rubric of “holistic review”, permitted by the US Supreme Court in 2003. A large diverse-applicant pool is needed to ensure the appropriate candidates can be chosen for the incoming medical school class. Understanding the optimal rationale and components for a successful recruitment program is important. Benchmarking with other schools regionally and nationally will identify what should be the relative size of a pool. Diversity is of compelling interest to us all, and should pervade all aspects of higher education, including admissions, the curriculum, student services and activities, and our faculties. The aim of medical education is to cultivate a workforce with the perspectives, aptitudes, and skills needed to fuel community-responsive health-care institutions. A commitment toward diversity needs to be made.

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“…This aligned with literature findings that increased weighting on noncognitive factors increases admissions potential for minority students while maintaining academic quality of applicants. 17 To assess the efficacy of this new model and selection process, the program performed a retrospective evaluation comparing students who graduated on-time (successful) to those who were delayed due to academic probation and those who failed courses and were eventually dismissed from the program.…”

Section: In Nt Tr Ro Od Du Uc Ct Ti Io On Nmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Evidence-Supported Medical Laboratory Science Program Admissions Selection Process

Conway-Klaassen

2016

Clin Lab Sci

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MedicalLaboratory Science program experienced a higher than desired student attrition rate due to a number of academic and non-academic student readiness factors. In an attempt to address retention and other issues, the program completed a curriculum update and revision as well as a conversion to a hybrid or flipped classroom delivery model, but in spite of an overall improvement in student learning outcomes, the program still experienced a high level of student attrition. Program faculty then developed and implemented a two stage holistic admissions selection process, which included an interview and skills test, in an attempt to assess candidate background knowledge and abilities in an equitable manner. Comparison of student factors associated with on-time successful graduation, probation (delayed graduation), or dismissal from the program indicated that the science and prerequisite science grade point averages were significantly higher for students who graduated on-time compared to delayed or nonsuccessful (dismissed) students. Review of applicants' performance in the interview and skills test showed significant differences for multiple factors for students who graduated on-time from the program compared to delayed (probation) and non-successful (dismissed) students. Continuing reviews of program retention rates are needed, however the attrition rate for the next cohort dropped from 24% to 4% when the program focused the selection process on factors shown to be associated with successful graduation.

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Increasing the Relative Weight of Noncognitive Admission Criteria Improves Underrepresented Minority Admission Rates to Medical School

Abstract: Admission rates of URM students can be increased by weighting noncognitive higher relative to cognitive criteria without compromising admission standards. Challenging conventional practice in the admissions process may improve health disparities and diversify the physician workforce.

Cited by 35 publications

References 18 publications

Performance of Black and Indigenous applicants in a medical school admissions process

Performance of Black and Indigenous applicants in a medical school admissions process

Levers of change: a review of contemporary interventions to enhance diversity in medical schools in the USA

An Evidence-Supported Medical Laboratory Science Program Admissions Selection Process

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