This document summarizes a study conducted at the College of Medicine and Medical Sciences at Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain. The study aimed to determine how well admission factors like high school grades, admission test scores, and interviews predicted students' academic achievement in their first year. The results showed that admission science scores had the highest correlation with year 1 grades, followed by admission English scores and high school grades. Combining these three factors allowed the study to explain 58.7% of the variability in student performance. The admission interview scored had a lower correlation. The document concludes that admission tests are important predictors of success, especially at problem-based learning schools, and that admission procedures should evaluate both academic and non-academic attributes.

1. Admission Scores:
To what extent do they predict success?
Dr. Faisal A. Latif Alnasir, MICGP, FRCGP, FFPH, PhD.
Professor & Chair ; Dept. of Family & Community
Medicine
College of Medicine and Medical
Sciences
Arabian Gulf University
Email: faisal.alnasir@gmail.com
Prof Faisal Alnasir

2. Objective
• To determine the extent to which the
admission factors predict academic
achievement in the first year of
medical studies at the College of
Medicine and Medical Sciences,
Arabian Gulf University
Prof Faisal Alnasir

3. Cognitive
(knowledge)
Affective
(attitude)
Psychomotor
(physical
skills)
Practice of Medicine requires:
Bloom, 1956
Prof Faisal Alnasir

4. The College of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Arabian Gulf University
• Located in Bahrain
• Represents the six Gulf Cooperation Council Countries:
• Bahrain
• Saudi Arabia
• Kuwait
• United Arab Emirates
• Qatar
• Oman
• Established 1982
• Adopted a Problem-Based-Learning curriculum from
the onset
Prof Faisal Alnasir

5. Oman
10.3%
Kuwait
16.2%
Bahrain 26.5%
Qatar 16.2%
UAE
10.3%
Other Arab countries
4.4%
Saudi Arabia
16.2%
Our Student Distribution by GCC Country
Prof Faisal Alnasir

6. Academic Year 1998 – 1999
54 (79%) = Females Males = 14 (21%)
Total number of students = 68
Prof Faisal Alnasir

7. Studies show that:
• Combining cognitive and non-cognitive
variables has improved the prediction of
success during basic science years in
medical schools
Roessler et al., 1978
Prof Faisal Alnasir

8. Studies also show that:
A Medical College’s admission tests should include:
• Interviews that incorporate the student’s personal
characteristics and cognitive abilities (Aldrich, 1978,
Hojat et al., 1993)
• A written test (Sheen , 1997)
• Undergraduate grade point average (GPA) scores
(Leonarodson et al., 1987; Mitchell et al, 1994; Wiley &
Koenig, 1996)
• Institutional selectivity (Elmouzan et al, 1991)
All were significant predictors of grades obtained
in basic sciences courses
Prof Faisal Alnasir

9. AGU Student Admission Policy
High School Grades proved insufficient in themselves
We now require:
• Attainment of a minimum of 90% in the High School
final exams
• Written Admission Test
– English
– Biology
– Chemistry
– Physics
– Mathematics
• Structured Interview
Prof Faisal Alnasir

10. HSG: High School Grade
HSSG: High School Science Grade
AEG: Admission English Grade
ASG: Admission Science Grade
AIG: Admission Interview Grade
ATG: Admission Total Grade
Measures
Prof Faisal Alnasir

11. Structured Interview for Admission
• Self motivation
• Self-appraisal
• Sense of responsibility
• Sensitivity
• Communication skills
• Manners, attitude and overall personality
Prof Faisal Alnasir

12. Premedical Courses
• Premed year – students are expected to complete
the following courses for a total of 32 credit hours
– Biology 2 courses
– Chemistry 1 course
– Biostatistics 1 course
– Library Sciences 1 course
– Computer Studies 1 course
– Islamic Studies 2 courses
– Psychosocial Science 2 courses
– English Language 2 courses
Prof Faisal Alnasir

13. HSSG HSG ASG AIG
Requirements
25%
25%25%
25%
English
Passing
score
Prof Faisal Alnasir

14. Statistical Methods Used
• SPSS-pc version 9 to build a:
• Multivariate linear regression model
• T-test
• Analysis of variance
• Pearson’s correlation
Prof Faisal Alnasir

15. Results
Year 1 – Final cumulative score
• Written admission science examination scores
had the highest correlation (r=0.66, P<0.001)
• Admission interview score had a statistically
significant mild correlation
• 59% of the total variability could be explained
by the combination of High School, Science
and English admission scores
Prof Faisal Alnasir

16. RESULTS
There was a positive relationship between academic achievements by the
end of Year 1 and with the following factors in a descending order:
1. Overall admission test score, which includes Admission Science,
English and Interview scores (r=0.698, P<0.001)
2. The Admission Science Score (r=0.663, P<0.05)
3. Admission English Score (r= 0.456, P<0.05)
However, the admission interview score had a low correlation (r=0.275,
p<0.012). The best three predictors, which accounted for 58.7% of the
variability for student performance at the end of the year were:
 Admission Science Score P<0.001
 Admission English Score P<0.001
 High School Grade P<0.018
Prof Faisal Alnasir

17. N HSG % HSSG % AEG % ASG % AIG % ATG %
Bahrain 18 (26.5%) 97.4 98.2 61.1 62.8 81.4 80.2
Kuwait 11
(16.2%)
97.7 97.5 55.0 47.8 78.3 75.3
Oman 17 (10.3%) 95.0 90.2 37.7 47.0 69.8 68.4
Qatar 11 (16.2%) 94.0 95.3 46.8 52.5 75.9 72.9
Saudi Arabia 11 (16.2%) 96.6 96.1 51.6 59.7 83.8 77.6
UAE 7 (10.3%) 93.6 94.1 60.4 51.7 78.0 75.6
Other Arabs 3
(4.4%)
95.6 93.7 63.7 61.3 83.3 79.5
Overall 68 96.07 95.82 53.91 55.62 78.93 76.07
Government 48 (70.6%)
Private 20 (29.4%)
Male 14 (20.6%) 96.4 95.1 56.2 57.8 71.2 75.3
Female 54 (79.4%) 96.0 96.0 53.3 55.1 80.9 76.3
NationalityGender Table for Mean Scores
Prof Faisal Alnasir

18. Conclusions
• Admission tests are an important element in
selecting students for Medical School, especially in
those using a Problem-Based Curriculum
• Admission tests are strong predictors for student
performance during the first year in medicine
• Admission procedures should include academic
performance and non-academic attributes for the
selection of students
Prof Faisal Alnasir

19. R USSIA
ASIA
EUROPE
MIDDLEEAST
AFR IC A
U SA
SOUTH
AMERICA
AUSTRALIA
CANADA
ANTAR C TICA
GREENLAND
NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST
Arabian Gulf University
Bahrain
Middle East
Prof Faisal Alnasir