Overall aptitude tests predict early program academic results (d=0.550), end of program academic results (d=0.371), and end of program clinical exams (d=0.448), but not early program clinical exams¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r2 · q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2024 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2027: tool and model accuracy changes quickly

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 Overall aptitude tests predict early program academic results (0.550) and end of program academic results (0.371). → Huang Pin-Hsiang 2024 q3 i2 Overall aptitude tests predict end of program OSCE/OSLER/clinical exams (0.448), while the early program clinical exam effect was insignificant (0.106, CI crossing zero). → Huang Pin-Hsiang 2024

Evidence¶

Huang Pin-Hsiang 2024¶

Huang Pin-Hsiang, Arianpoor Arash, Taylor Silas, Gonzales Jenzel, Shulruf Boaz. (2024). Insights into undergraduate medical student selection tools: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions. https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2024.21.22

q3 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r2

Random-effects meta-analysis pooling effect sizes for overall aptitude tests (e.g., UK Clinical Aptitude Test, Undergraduate Medical Admissions Test) against academic and clinical outcomes, with printed pooled values d = 0.550, d = 0.371, and d = 0.448. The early program clinical effect was "insignificant (0.106; 95% CI, -0.059 to 0.270)".

"Aptitude tests overall best predict early program academic results (0.550; 95% CI, 0.390 to 0.710) and both end of program academic results (0.371; 95% CI, 0.278 to 0.463) and OSCE/OSLER/clinical exams (0.448; 95% CI, 0.019 to 0.877)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• General Cognitive Ability — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• Within aptitude test subtests, verbal reasoning (d=0.704) and quantitative reasoning (d=0.643) best predict early program academic results, while abstract and verbal reasoning predict end-of-program outcomes — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Prior academic achievement predicts medical program academic performance with medium effect sizes (d=0.697 early program; d=0.619 end of program) and end-of-program clinical exam performance (d=0.545) — related
• Examinees score higher on academic aptitude test verbal reasoning questions with proximal than with distal content — related
• In a high-stakes field exam, proximity improved performance of low-achieving examinees only on questions containing irrelevant details — related