Marshall Ross1, Ian Walker, Lara Cooke, Maitreyi Raman, Pietro Ravani, Sylvain Coderre, Kevin McLaughlin. 1. M. Ross is a resident, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I. Walker is clinical associate professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, and director of admissions, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. L. Cooke is associate professor, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, and associate dean of continuing medical education, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. M. Raman is clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, and associate director of admissions, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. P. Ravani is professor, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. S. Coderre is professor, Department of Medicine, and associate dean of undergraduate medical education, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. K. McLaughlin is professor, Department of Medicine, and assistant dean of undergraduate medical education, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The multiple mini-interview (MMI) improves reliability and validity of medical school interviews, and many schools have introduced this in an attempt to select individuals more skilled in communication, critical thinking, and ethical decision making. But every change in the admissions process may produce unintended consequences, such as changing intake demographics. In this article, two studies exploring gender differences in MMI ratings are reported. METHOD: Cumulative meta-analysis was used to compare MMI ratings for female and male applicants to the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine between 2010 and 2014. Multiple linear regression was then performed to explore gender differences in MMI ratings after adjusting for other variables, followed by a sensitivity analysis of the impact of varying the weight given to MMI ratings on the odds of females being ranked in the top 150 applicants for 2014. RESULTS: Females were rated higher than male applicants (standardized mean difference 0.21, 95% CI [0.11, 0.30], P < .001). After adjusting for other explanatory variables, there was a positive association between female applicant and MMI rating (regression coefficient 0.23 [0.14, 0.33], P < .001). Increasing weight assigned to MMI ratings was associated with increased odds of females being ranked in the top 150 applicants. CONCLUSIONS: In this single-center study, females were rated higher than males on the MMI, and the odds of a female applicant being offered a position increased as more weight was given to MMI ratings. Further studies are needed to confirm and explain gender differences in MMI ratings.
PURPOSE: The multiple mini-interview (MMI) improves reliability and validity of medical school interviews, and many schools have introduced this in an attempt to select individuals more skilled in communication, critical thinking, and ethical decision making. But every change in the admissions process may produce unintended consequences, such as changing intake demographics. In this article, two studies exploring gender differences in MMI ratings are reported. METHOD: Cumulative meta-analysis was used to compare MMI ratings for female and male applicants to the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine between 2010 and 2014. Multiple linear regression was then performed to explore gender differences in MMI ratings after adjusting for other variables, followed by a sensitivity analysis of the impact of varying the weight given to MMI ratings on the odds of females being ranked in the top 150 applicants for 2014. RESULTS: Females were rated higher than male applicants (standardized mean difference 0.21, 95% CI [0.11, 0.30], P < .001). After adjusting for other explanatory variables, there was a positive association between female applicant and MMI rating (regression coefficient 0.23 [0.14, 0.33], P < .001). Increasing weight assigned to MMI ratings was associated with increased odds of females being ranked in the top 150 applicants. CONCLUSIONS: In this single-center study, females were rated higher than males on the MMI, and the odds of a female applicant being offered a position increased as more weight was given to MMI ratings. Further studies are needed to confirm and explain gender differences in MMI ratings.
Authors: Ann Blair Kennedy; Cindy Nessim Youssef Riyad; Laura H Gunn; April Gant Brown; Kandyce Brooke Dunlap; Melissa Elizabeth Knutsen; Alicia Anne Dahl Journal: Med Sci Educ Date: 2020-07-02