Medical colleges admission test in Punjab, Pakistan.

نویسندگان

  • Junaid Sarfraz Khan
  • John S G Biggs
  • Tahira Bano
  • Osama Mukhtar
  • Saima Tabasum
  • Malik Hussain Mubasshar
چکیده

BACKGROUND Nearly 18,000 candidates securing 60% and above marks in Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) examination contest for admission in Medical Colleges, in Punjab, Pakistan by sitting in the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) each summer. This cross-sectional study was conducted to identify patterns related to demographic, economic and educational backgrounds, over a two-year-period, in this population, and how HSSC and MCAT marks predict future performance of the selected candidates. METHODS Marks obtained by candidates in HSSC, MCAT, and 1st Professional MBBS (Part-I) Examinations over two years 2008-2009, were analysed using parametric tests in SPSS. RESULTS Total 18,090 candidates in 2008 and 18,486 in 2009 sat in the MCAT. National IHSSC candidates scored higher marks in HSSC and MCAT but lower marks than their foreign qualified HSSC counterparts (e.g., Advanced-levels from Cambridge University, UK) in Part-I overall and in all its subcomponents individually (p < 0.05). Female students scored higher marks than males in HSSC (p > 0.05). MCAT (p > 0.05) and Part-I theory, practical, viva voce, continuous assessment and Objective-Structured Performance Evaluation (OSPE) components (p < 0.05). In both years, students from the Dera Ghazi Khan District scored the highest marks in the HSSC Examinations (p < 0.05) but least marks in MCAT in 2008 (p < 0.05) and in Part-I in 2008 and 2009 (p < 0.05). Students from 'tougher' Boards like Rawalpindi in 2008 and the Federal Board in 2009 who scored least marks in HSSC scored highest marks in MCAT. and in Part-I Examinations (p < 0.05). Linear regression on Part-I by taking HSSC and MCAT marks as independent variables showed that the MCAT marks exerted the greatest positive influence consistently at 0.104 (2008) and 0.106 (2009). In 2009 HSSC marks were shown to exert a negative influence (-0.08) on Part-I. CONCLUSION There is need to standardise HSSC education and examination across all Intermediate Boards. MCAT is a better predictor of Medical Students' future performance.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Predictive validity of medical and dental colleges' entrance test in Punjab: the way forward.

OBJECTIVE To identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current selection process for admissions to public medical colleges being followed in the province of Punjab and to suggest changes. METHODS The prospective study comprised candidates sitting the Medical and Dental Colleges Entrance Tests administered by the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, from 2008 to 2011. The marks of pre- an...

متن کامل

Comparison of gender performance on an intelligence test among medical students.

BACKGROUND Since the Government of Pakistan abolished the gender based system of admission to medical colleges, all colleges have seen a huge influx of female medical students, reaching up to 70-80% of all students in some colleges. This trend is still persisting about 15 years after the decision. The objectives of the current study were to assess if there is any significant difference between ...

متن کامل

Determination of medical education environment in Punjab private and public medical colleges affiliated with University of Health Sciences, Lahore-Pakistan.

BACKGROUND The main purpose of this study was to identify differences, if any, in the Medical Education Climate between the Private and Public Medical Colleges in the Province of Punjab affiliated with the University of Health Sciences, Lahore and to gather recommendations from students on measures that need to be taken to improve the environment. METHODS This Mixed Quantitative and Qualitati...

متن کامل

Nasal Colonization and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Staphylococcus Species among Children in Lahore, Pakistan

Introduction: Staphylococcus is a genus of pathogenic bacteria, which asymptomatically colonizes the upper respiratory tract of the human. The incidence of invasive Staphylococcal infections and the disease burden are high among children in South Asia, including Pakistan. This study aims to determine the nasal colonization and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Staphylococcus species isola...

متن کامل

Independent prescription of medicines and diagnostic test advice by final year medical students in Punjab.

Sale of medicines is not rigorously controlled in Pakistan. Therefore, medical students start prescribing drugs and advising diagnostic tests before they graduate. This cross-sectional study investigated the frequency of independent medical prescription by 180 stratified, randomly selected final year medical students from 3 public medical colleges in Punjab, Pakistan. Data were obtained by self...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • Journal of Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad : JAMC

دوره 25 1-2  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2013