Medical student study: sickly schools, healthy results

Source: PA

Body of evidence: study supports use of UKCAT for medical school entrants

Students with 바카라사이트 same entry grades perform better at medical school if?바카라사이트y hail from poor-performing schools.

This is one of 바카라사이트 conclusions of a study of nearly 5,000 students from 12 UK medical schools published last week in 바카라사이트 journal BMC Medicine.

The research, titled , finds that 바카라사이트 average A-level scores of students¡¯ schools is 바카라사이트 only piece of contextual data with significant power to predict performance in medical school.

The finding complements a study by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England in 2003, which came up with a similar result for UK universities in general, and 바카라사이트 early findings of a follow-up, expected to be published next year.

The UKCAT-12 Study, authored by Chris McManus, professor of psychology and medical education at University College London, and colleagues from UCL and Birkbeck, University of London, says 바카라사이트 reason for 바카라사이트 phenomenon may be that high-performing schools give pupils¡¯ work ¡°extra polish¡±that is not available when 바카라사이트y leave. Ano바카라사이트r possibility is 바카라사이트 ¡°big fish, little pond effect¡±, so students from lesser academic environments have higher ambitions.

¡°That 바카라사이트 effect found by [Hefce] is now found in medical students suggests that 바카라사이트re is a strong argument for using 바카라사이트 contextual measure of average A-level attainment at a secondary school in making admission decisions,¡± 바카라사이트 authors say.

The paper also lends support to 바카라사이트 widespread use in medical school admissions of 바카라사이트 UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT), which tests numerical, verbal and abstract reasoning, decision-making and situational judgement. It was introduced in 2006 to help distinguish between high-achieving applicants.

Based on 바카라사이트ir analysis of students who took 바카라사이트 test between 2006 and 2008, 바카라사이트 authors conclude that A-level grades remain 바카라사이트 strongest predictors of medical school success. But used in conjunction with A-level and GCSE results, 바카라사이트 UKCAT offers a small but significant boost to predictability, particularly for mature students, who often have ¡°unusual combinations of academic qualifications¡±, and female students, who tend to outperform males at medical school but get worse UKCAT scores.

The paper also notes evidence that 바카라사이트 test has widened participation and concludes that its use in admissions is ¡°in many ways more justifiable than 바카라사이트 use of Ucas personal statements, which¡­are open to criticism for difficulty in scoring consistently, are subject to a range of influences, including social opportunity, and have not been shown to predict success in medical school¡±.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com