The Relationship between NMAT scores and the Rate of Taking Remedial Examinations during the First Year in Medical School of 2009-2010 Entrants

to University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

FACTON, Rosabelle T.GERALDOY, Isabelle Reyna G.

KARAAN, Christopher James M.QUE, Scylla Kneisel C.

TAN, Ernie Joe L. Adviser: Romulo M. Buzon, M.D.

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Introduction

• National Medical Admission Test (NMAT)– To upgrade the selection of applicants seeking

admission to Philippine medical schools– To measure mental and academic skills regarded

necessary in the successful pursuit of medical education

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Introduction

• Concerns over the validity of such examinations– Admission selection– Values implied by this test– Social and personal consequences

• Necessity of validity studies

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Research Question

What is the relationship between NMAT scores and the rate of taking the remedial examinations during the first year in medical school of 2009-2010 entrants of University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (USTFMS)?

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Objective

To investigate the relationship between NMAT scores and the rate of taking the remedial examinations during the first year in medical school of 2009-2010 entrants to USTFMS

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Hypothesis

• Null hypothesis– There is no correlation between NMAT scores and

the rate of taking the remedial examinations during the first year in medical school of 2009-2010 entrants of USTFMS

• Alternative hypothesis– There is a correlation between NMAT scores and

the rate of taking the remedial examinations during the first year in medical school of 2009-2010 entrants of USTFMS

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Methodology

• Population: 2009-2010 entrants to USTFMS • Data provided by answering a questionnaire– NMAT scores– Incidence of taking the remedial examinations

• Pearson correlation coefficient• P-value of the correlation coefficient

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Results

95-99

90-94

85-89

80-84

75-79

70-74

65-69

60-64

Below 60

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

10%

7.1%

22.9%

16.7%

6.25%

15.4%

14.3%

33.3%

33.3%

No. Of students who did not take remedial exams

Percent of students who took remedial exams

Percentage of students who took remedial examinations per NMAT score

Number of students

NM

AT S

core

s

Total population: 144

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Results

• Moderate negative correlation between NMAT and rate of taking remedial examinations (r = -0.70; r2 = 0.496)

• P-value= 0.03

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Discussion

• Validity studies– Strong predictive relations• Mitchell (1990)• Mitchell, Haynes & Koenig (1994)

– Poor predictive relations• Bartlett (1967)• Fredericks & Mundy (1967)• McManus et. Al. (2003)• McManus et. Al. (2005)

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Discussion

• Mitchell (1990)– Usefulness of undergraduate grade point average

(GPA), medical college admission test (MCAT) scores, selectivity data, and transcript information for predicting basic science grades, clinical science grades, and academic difficulty

– Predictive relations stronger in the earlier years of medical school and for criterion data closer in assessment domains and measurement methods of preadmission indicators

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Discussion

• Mitchell, Haynes & Koenig (1994)– Predictive validity results reflect the usefulness of

undergraduate grades, MCAT scores, and undergraduate institutional selectivity information for predicting performance in the first year of medical school

– MCAT scores provide unique and useful information for the prediction of students’ performances

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Discussion

• Bartlett (1967)– Low MCAT scorers’ school performances and later

careers did not differ measurably from other medical students

• Fredericks & Mundy (1967)– Academic achievement was not related to MCAT

scores

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Discussion

• McManus et. Al. (2003)– Intelligent do not predict eventual medical

performance, academic or career-wise• McManus et. Al. (2005)– Citation of three different studies concluding that

academic aptitude adds little predictive information to medical school performance

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Discussion

• Findings of this study– Moderate negative correlation between NMAT

and rate of taking remedial examinations (r = -0.70; r2 = 0.496)

– Do not reject null hypothesis

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Discussion

• Other factors affecting academic performance– Sociodemographics– Study habits– Learning styles– Personalities– Ethnicity– Poor schooling– Absent role models– Low expectations– Inappropriate motivation

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Conclusion

• In conclusion, NMAT scores have a significant moderate negative correlation with the rate of taking remedial examinations among 2009-2010 entrants to USTFMS.

• Approximately, 49.6% of the likelihood of taking remedial examinations is attributable to their NMAT scores.

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Recommendations

• Use of GPAs• Other measures that assess other student

characteristics should be considered.

Thank You