Nathaniel Givner

The Way We Teach Basic Statistics in Medicine

This article describes an introductory, biostatistics course that combines the teaching of basic statistics with an introduction to use of the computer for statistical analysis. The course emphasises a problem-oriented approach to learning in which the student utilises the computer to minimise the laborious and error-prone task of data analysis. In this age of rapid technological advancement, both statistics and computer skill will no doubt prove valuable to the physician.

Effect of retaking the medical college admission test on applicants' scores.

This study was designed to determine whether or not retaking the Medical College Admission Test, a practice commonly engaged in by medical school applicants, results in significant improvement in test scores. A sample of 532 applicants, of which 93 applicants retook the test on two consecutive administrations, was studied. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the retake group initially was significantly lower than the non-retake group on all six scales. Although applicants who had retaken the test significantly improved their scores, the magnitude of this improvement was not impressive. Furthermore, scores of the retake group on their second test were still significantly lower than those of the non-retake group on two scales. Although retaking this test may lead to greater similarity between the two groups, retakers remain distinguishable from those who did not retake the test.

Medical Students’ Ethical Thinking: Prediction within Current Admission Practices

Abstract The present study examines whether academic admission variables and the medical school admission interview are predictive of scores on a measure of ethical reasoning administered during the first year of medical school. Results of a stepwise‐regression analysis suggest that principled ethical thinking, as measured by Rests (1979) Defining Issues Test, is only negligibly assessed in the admissions process. The results also indicate that the admissions interview neither contributed to the prediction of students’ principled thinking nor was it significantly correlated with principled thinking. Implications of this finding are discussed. Although the frequency and importance of ethical considerations in patient care are generally acknowledged, future work needs to address the philosophical issue of whether ethical thinking should be formally assessed in the admissions process.

New and Old MCAT A Preliminary Comparison

This study examines the relationships between the New and Old versions of the Medical College Aptitute Test (MCAT) . The New MCA T scales were introduced in order to measure problem-solving skills in addition to the ability to recall infor mation. The primary sample consisted of 401 medical school applicants who had responded to the Old MCAT. Scores on both the Old and New MCA T were available for 66 of the 401 applicants. Correlations between the Old MCA T scales and the New MCA T scales were corrected for restriction of range in order to estimate the correlations pertaining to the total group of applicants. Despite instances of moderate commonality between the Old and New MCA T scales, substantial variability on all of the New MCAT scales could not be explained by performance on the Old MCA T scales. The results provide preliminary support for the claim that the New MCA T is assessing skills not measured by the Old MCAT.