Qualitative variables in medical school admission.

Full Abstract

Personal qualities, character traits, life experience, and adaptive capacities are all associated with effective professional life and work. Despite widespread acknowledgement that qualitative factors are crucial for success as a medical student and physician, the variables are rarely measured or considered when medical schools reach decisions about student admission. This essay examines the qualitative variables that medical school admission committees might consider when filling their classes, and it offers recommendations about using qualitative data for admission decisions. It concludes with an agenda for research on medical school admission.

Author information

Author/s: McGaghie, W C (WC);

Affiliation: Office of Educational Development, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill 27599-7530.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges (Acad Med), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1990-Mar; vol 65 (issue 3) : pp 145-9

Dates: Created 1990/04/11; Completed 1990/04/11; Revised 2005/11/16;

PMID: 2407255, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Acad Med. 1990 Mar;65(3):183-7. (PMID: 2407260)

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