Alamoudi Aliaa Amr, Fallatah Hind Ibrahim, Eldakhakhny Basmah Medhat, Kamel Fatemah Omar, AlShawwa Lana Adey, Elsamanoudy Ayman Zaky
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
BMC Med Educ. 2021 Feb 8;21(1):94. doi: 10.1186/s12909-021-02502-4.
At King Abdulaziz University, medical and health science schools depend on admission exams (aptitude and achievement) and preparatory year scores in their students' selection. However, with the growing number of applicants and the drastic changes in teaching and assessment in these colleges, continuous assessment and development of admission criteria are needed. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the correlation of admission exam scores, in addition to the preparatory year Grade Point Average (GPA), with academic performance in the basic science subjects such as Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Pharmacology in health science colleges.
The study was conducted on four cohort studies, two faculty of nursing cohorts; nursing students (2017-2018, n=146) nursing students (2018-2019, n=81), and two faculty of applied medical sciences cohorts, clinical nutrition students (2017-2018, n=33), and clinical nutrition students (2018-2019, n=28). The students' scores of General Aptitude Test (GAT), Scholastic Achievement Admission Test (SAAT), and preparatory year GPA were all recorded at the beginning of each semester before the beginning of courses. Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Pharmacology exam results were recorded at the end of the semester. Correlation was done for each cohort and all cohorts pooled.
Results showed only a weak correlation detected between SAAT and the overall achievement in Clinical Biochemistry (r= 0.192, P= 0.042) in nursing students (2017-2018), but no correlation was seen with SAAT or preparatory year scores. There was also no significant correlation between admission exams scores and the students' academic achievement in Clinical Biochemistry or Clinical Pharmacology. On the other hand Clinical Pharmacology exam results showed a significant positive correlation with Clinical Biochemistry results (r=0.688, P=0.000).
Our results could indicate the need to revisit the admission criteria for these colleges. Furthermore, specific preparatory year tracks for health science colleges can ensure that students improve the specific skills and knowledge required for their future college years3.
在阿卜杜勒阿齐兹国王大学，医学和健康科学学院在选拔学生时依赖入学考试（能力倾向和学业成绩）以及预科年的成绩。然而，随着申请人数的增加以及这些学院教学和评估方式的巨大变化，需要持续评估和制定入学标准。在本研究中，我们旨在评估入学考试成绩以及预科年平均绩点（GPA）与健康科学学院基础科学学科如临床生物化学和临床药理学学业成绩之间的相关性。
该研究基于四项队列研究展开，两项护理学院队列，分别为护理专业学生（2017 - 2018年，n = 146）和护理专业学生（2018 - 2019年，n = 81），以及两项应用医学科学学院队列，分别为临床营养学专业学生（2017 - 2018年，n = 33）和临床营养学专业学生（2018 - 2019年，n = 28）。在课程开始前的每个学期初，记录学生的一般能力倾向测试（GAT）成绩、学业成就入学考试（SAAT）成绩以及预科年GPA。在学期末记录临床生物化学和临床药理学考试成绩。对每个队列以及所有合并队列进行相关性分析。
结果显示，仅在护理专业学生（2017 - 2018年）中，SAAT成绩与临床生物化学的总体成绩之间存在较弱的相关性（r = 0.192，P = 0.042），但与SAAT成绩或预科年成绩均无相关性。入学考试成绩与学生在临床生物化学或临床药理学方面的学业成就之间也没有显著相关性。另一方面，临床药理学考试成绩与临床生物化学成绩呈现显著正相关（r = 0.688，P = 0.000）。
我们的结果可能表明需要重新审视这些学院的入学标准。此外，为健康科学学院设置特定的预科年课程可以确保学生提升未来大学学习所需的特定技能和知识。
