The Validity of Standardized Interviews Used for University Admission Into Health Professional Programs

Nelson Ositadimma Oranye

doi:10.1177/2158244016659119

Abstract

In addition to the use of grade point average and academic background to assess candidates for admission into professional graduate programs, many university programs today use structured interviews to further assess candidates’ suitability. The Master of Occupational Therapy program at the University of Manitoba has in recent years adopted a standardized interview designed to capture specific psychometric characteristics of applicants considered relevant for scholarship in Occupational Therapy professional program. This study applied the Rasch Analysis Model to test the reliability and validity of the structured interview to determine whether the tool is invariant and fits the Rasch probabilistic model. A three-cohort interview data from 258 applicants were analyzed. The result indicates that the tool has high reliability (person separation index [PSI] = 0.8715), and was invariant across the participants. This Rasch analysis result supports the use of structured interview as an additional tool for students’ admission.

Highlights

The process of selecting students into health professional education programs has become increasingly competitive
Admission committees for graduate programs select students based on their grade point average (GPA) obtained at the undergraduate or prior entry degree/certificate program
In the context of these diverse expectations, admission committees have to ensure that they select students who do have high GPAs but are most likely to succeed in the program and become successful clinicians (Kuncel, Hezlett, & Ones, 2001; Salvatori, 2001; Timer & Clauson, 2011)

Summary

Introduction

The process of selecting students into health professional education programs has become increasingly competitive. In the context of these diverse expectations, admission committees have to ensure that they select students who do have high GPAs but are most likely to succeed in the program and become successful clinicians (Kuncel, Hezlett, & Ones, 2001; Salvatori, 2001; Timer & Clauson, 2011). The selection criteria are designed to reflect expectations of a wide range of stakeholders, which includes the university, employers, professional bodies, governments, and society at large (Puddey & Mercer, 2014). Health profession programs strive to ensure that students admitted into the programs have the potential to graduate with high GPA, and demonstrate the competencies for effective clinical practice as established by their respective professional

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