The Relationship between NMAT scores and the Rate of Taking Remedial Examinations during the First Year in Medical School of 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.

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 2

Introduction Concerns over the validity of such examinations – Admission selection – Values implied by this test – Social and personal consequences Necessity of validity studies 3

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 entrants of University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (USTFMS)? 4

Objective To investigate the relationship between NMAT scores and the rate of taking the remedial examinations during the first year in medical school of entrants to USTFMS 5

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 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 entrants of USTFMS 6

Methodology Population: 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 7

Results 8 Percentage of students who took remedial examinations per NMAT score Number of students NMAT Scores Total population: 144

Results Moderate negative correlation between NMAT and rate of taking remedial examinations (r = ; r 2 = 0.496) P-value=

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) 10

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 11

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 12

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 13

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 14

Discussion Findings of this study – Moderate negative correlation between NMAT and rate of taking remedial examinations (r = ; r 2 = 0.496) – Do not reject null hypothesis 15

Discussion Other factors affecting academic performance – Sociodemographics – Study habits – Learning styles – Personalities – Ethnicity – Poor schooling – Absent role models – Low expectations – Inappropriate motivation 16

Conclusion In conclusion, NMAT scores have a significant moderate negative correlation with the rate of taking remedial examinations among entrants to USTFMS. Approximately, 49.6% of the likelihood of taking remedial examinations is attributable to their NMAT scores. 17

Recommendations Use of GPAs Other measures that assess other student characteristics should be considered. 18

Thank You