Pre-entry Selection Assessment Results and Final Degree Outcomes of Occupational Therapy Students: Are There Relationships?

Abstract

Occupational therapy (OT) admissions tutors are tasked with ensuring the recruitment of high-quality candidates who can demonstrate both academic and professional skills throughout their education and subsequently into practice. While standardized admissions criteria do not exist, it is widely accepted that both cognitive and non-cognitive characteristics should be assessed to establish academic and professional qualities of applicants. Pre-admission qualifications are generally classed as a reliable assessment of academic (cognitive) ability, with literature supporting positive but variable relationships between academic qualifications and degree classifications. Evidence to support trusted assessments of pre-admission professional (non-cognitive) skills is lacking, with ambiguity surrounding relationships between pre-admission results and graduation data. This paper compares outcomes of cumulative cognitive and non-cognitive assessments for one cohort (n=44) of pre-registration BSc (Hons) OT students at one United Kingdom (UK) university, with final degree outcomes. Quantitative methods were employed to explore potential relationships between numerical pre-admission and graduation data. Correlations were not found between a) pre-entry qualifications and final degree classifications or b) selection assessment scores and final degree classifications. Nine candidates did not meet the university's minimum cognitive (n=3) or non-cognitive criteria (n=6) but were granted admission. All nine went on to graduate with a range of degree classifications preventing a loss to the university and OT profession. Results demonstrate pre-entry data is not necessarily a predictor of graduation outcomes, indicating further research into the variables which impact a student's journey between admission and graduation is warranted.

Selection and recruitment of pre-registration occupational therapy students in the United Kingdom: Exploring entry criteria across education providers

“…The study found no statistically significant differences in non-cognitive admissions criteria between those programmes that gained a 100% pass rate at NBCOT compared to those who did not across all four themes. Furthermore, comparing cumulative scores of a reflective essay and psychometric test with final degree outcomes found no significant correlations in either direction for one cohort of UK BSc (Hons) OT students ( n = 27; McGinley, 2020).…”

“…Even so, the use of MMIs and group interviews appear not to be commonplace in the UK, with 3% ( n = 2 MMIs) and 4% ( n = 3 group interviews) of programmes detailing these as part of their selection process. With a clear need to assess professional skills at selection, this adds weight to the call for OT admissions tutors to consider MMIs and BIs as a potential part of admissions criteria (Bowyer et al, 2018; McGinley, 2020). This is especially important given the considered value of the MMI in offering assessment of values-based scenarios (Eva et al, 2004), which may be a useful alternative for those candidates who cannot evidence direct exposure following Covid-19.…”

“…However, detail of the methodology used to rank the programmes was limited and may have skewed results (McNeil et al, 2021). Limitations aside, both studies agree final academic attainment is not directly correlated with academic entry criteria, highlighting the need for further research to explore variables beyond those collected at admission (McGinley, 2020; McNeil et al, 2021).…”

“…Submission of at least one Graduate Record Examination (standardised test used as an admissions requirement for many North American graduate schools) score was also required by 53.9% ( n = 84) of MSc and 68.8% ( n = 11) of OTD programmes (Bowyer et al, 2018). McGinley (2020) compared pre-admission undergraduate qualifications of one cohort of UK pre-registration BSc students ( n = 44), with final degree outcomes, finding no relationships. Three candidates entered under minimum academic requirements and achieved First Class ( n = 1) and Second Class ( n = 2) degrees.…”

A propensity to thrive: Understanding individual difference, resilience and entrepreneurship in developing competence and professional identity

“…The use of psychometric testing of candidates prior to admission onto healthcare programmes, advocated as being of benefit, could capture students who score highly in resilience, with a creative personality and desirable traits aligned with professionalism (Childs-Kean et al, 2020). However, Mason et al (2015) and McGinley (2020) suggest the need for further research around use of professionalism scales and predicting suitability within allied health. By fitting the person’s current skill set to the expected role (Patterson and Zibarras, 2017) brings a danger of excluding individuals who have potential to develop and opposes the notion that the constructs of professionalism, resilience and entrepreneurship are a dynamic process nurtured over time.…”