22 December 2009

Personality tests predict success of medical students

A new study reveals that psychometric tests on prospective medical students helps to predict which applicants will be successful.

Deniz Ones, one of the psychologists behind the study said that the findings show that personality factors do have a predictive value as to the success rate of admitted medical students.

The professor in the department of psychology at the University of Minnesota went on to say that considering the personality of applicants can be quite helpful to medical school admissions programs.

Ones conducted the study with colleagues Filip Lievens at Ghent University in Belgium and Stephan Dilchert from City University of New York's Baruch College.

Their study followed more than 600 Belgian students through seven years of medical studies to determine what, if any, impact personality might have on their performance.

The students, in their first year, completed a personality inventory and their progress was monitored during the remaining years of study.

Dilchert noted that though the study was conducted in Belgium, both personality factors and modern medical practices are similar around the world.

The researchers employed a commonly used test to measure several personality traits, including conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, openness and emotional stability - known by psychologists as the big five personality variables.

The results of the study are reported in a recent issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology.

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