Don’t use only cognitive tests with a prevalent biological focus in the selection of candidates for the access to undergraduate and postgraduate medical and health sciences schools.

Don’t use only cognitive tests with a prevalent biological focus in the selection of candidates for the access to undergraduate and postgraduate medical and health sciences schools.

Type of practice

Other practices (health education)

Age

Topic Area

Medical Education

Using only knowledge tests for the selection of medical students introduces distortions based on socioeconomic and geographical factors, that in the long run could affect the equity of care. Furthermore this kind of tests, linked exclusively to the bio-medical model, fail to consider aptitude, vocation and skills belonging to the bio-psyco-social dimension, which is no less relevant in the medical professions. There is a wide and increasing literature on the alternative tools and strategies.

Sources

1. Stegers-Jager KM, Steyerberg EW, Lucieer SM, Themmen AP. Ethnic and social disparities in performance on medical school selection criteria. Med Educ 2015; 49: 124-33.
2. Southgate E, Kelly BJ, Symonds IM. Disadvantage and the ’capacity to aspire’ to medical school. Med Educ 2015; 49: 73-83.
3. Razack S, Hodges B, Steinert Y, Maguire M. Seeking inclusion in an exclusive process: discourses of medical school student selection. Med Educ 2015; 49: 36-47.
4. Lievens F. Diversity in medical school admission: insights from personnel recruitment and selection. Med Educ 2015; 49: 11-4.
5. Familiari G, Baldini R, Lanzone, et al. Studio osservazionale comparativo su un campione di studenti del Nord, del Centro e del Sud con valutazione della Maturità, del Test di accesso e delle scelte di sede effettuate al concorso con graduatoria nazionale 2013-2014. Osservazioni preliminari. Med Chir 2014; 62: 2794-2796.
6. Lia C, Cavaggioni G. L’iter di selezione nella Facoltà di Medicina: l’utilità di una valutazione psicoattitudinale. La Clinica Terapeutica, 2013; 164: 39-42.

Attention. Please note that these items are provided only for information and are not intended as a substitute for consultation with a clinician. Patients with any specific questions about the items on this list or their individual situation should consult their clinician.