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Cited by 319Medical Education and AdmissionsInnovations in Medical EducationDiversity and Career in Medicine

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 8 of the 8 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Validity of the Medical College Admission Test for Predicting Medical School Performance

Julian, Ellen R.·2005·Academic Medicine
DOI 10.1097/00001888-200510000-00010
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Abstract

PURPOSE: Since the introduction of the revised Medical College Admission Test (MCAT(R)) in 1991, the Association of American Medical Colleges has been investigating the extent to which MCAT scores supplement the power of undergraduate grade point averages (uGPAs) to predict success in medical school. This report is a comprehensive summary of the relationships between MCAT scores and (1) medical school grades, (2) United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step scores, and (3) academic distinction or difficulty. METHOD: This study followed two cohorts from entrance to medical school through residency. Students from 14 medical schools' 1992 and 1993 entering classes provided data for predicting medical school grades and academic difficulty/distinction, while their peers from all of the U.S. medical schools were used to predict performance on USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3. Regression analyses assessed the predictive power of combinations of uGPAs, MCAT scores, and undergraduate-institution selectivity. RESULTS: Grades were best predicted by a combination of MCAT scores and uGPAs, with MCAT scores providing a substantial increment over uGPAs. MCAT scores were better predictors of USMLE Step scores than were uGPAs, and the combination did little better than MCAT scores alone. The probability of experiencing academic difficulty or distinction tended to vary with MCAT scores. MCAT scores were strong predictors of scores for all three Step examinations, particularly Step 1. CONCLUSIONS: MCAT scores almost double the proportion of variance in medical school grades explained by uGPAs, and essentially replace the need for uGPAs in their impressive prediction of Step scores. The MCAT performs well as an indicator of academic preparation for medical school, independent of the school-specific handicaps of uGPAs.

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Crossref · 10.1097/00001888-200510000-00010

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Metadata

Authors
Julian, E. R.
Affiliations
Association of American Medical Colleges (US)
Corresponding author
Julian, Ellen R.
Venue
Academic Medicine
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2005-10
Volume
80
Issue
10
Pages
910-917
ISSN
1040-2446 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1097/00001888-200510000-00010
OpenAlex
W2032031273
Cited by
319
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 27
FWCI
12.88
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Academic Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Education › Medical Education and Admissions
  • Social Sciences › Education › Innovations in Medical Education
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Diversity and Career in Medicine
Keywords
MCAT, medical school admissions, predictive validity, undergraduate grade point average, academic distinctions, academic difficulties, medical students
MeSH terms
Clinical Competence, College Admission Test, Education, Medical, Undergraduate, Humans, Internship and Residency, Licensure, Medical, Predictive Value of Tests, Probability, School Admission Criteria, Schools, Medical, Statistics as Topic, Students, Medical, United States, Cohort Studies

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