Huang Pin-Hsiang, Fan Kang-Chen, Waits Alexander, Shulruf Boaz, Chuang Yi-Fang
Department of Medical Humanities and Medical Education, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Office of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Korean J Med Educ. 2025 Jun;37(2):153-161. doi: 10.3946/kjme.2025.332. Epub 2025 May 29.
Interviews play a crucial role in the medical school selection process, although little is known about interviewers' non-verbal observable communications (NoVOC) during the interviews. This study investigates how interviewers perceive NoVOC exhibited by interviewees in two medical schools, one in Taiwan and the other in Australia. The study also explores potential cross-cultural differences in these perceptions.
A 26-item questionnaire was developed using a Delphi-like method to identify NoVOC. Interviewers from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan (n=47 and N=78, respectively) rated these NoVOC between 2018 and 2021. Factor analyses identified and validated underlying factors. Measurement invariance across countries and genders was examined.
A total of 125 interviewers completed the questionnaire, including 78 from Taiwan and 47 from Australia. Using exploratory factor analysis, 14 items yielded reliable three factors "charming," "disengaged," and "anxious" (Cronbach's α=0.853, 0.714, and 0.628, respectively). The measurement invariance analysis indicated that the factor models were invariant across genders but significantly different between the two countries. Further analysis revealed inconsistencies in interpreting the "anxious" factor between Taiwan and Australia.
The three distinct factors revealed in this study provide valuable insights into the NoVOC that interviewers perceive and evaluate during the interview process. The findings highlight the importance of considering non-verbal communication in selecting medical students and emphasize the need for training and awareness among interviewers. Understanding the impact of non-verbal behaviors can improve selection processes to mitigate bias and enhance the fairness and reliability of medical student selection.
面试在医学院校选拔过程中起着至关重要的作用，然而对于面试过程中面试官的非语言可观察交流（NoVOC）却知之甚少。本研究调查了两所医学院校（一所位于台湾，另一所位于澳大利亚）的面试官如何看待受访者表现出的NoVOC。该研究还探讨了这些看法中潜在的跨文化差异。
采用类似德尔菲法开发了一份包含26个条目的问卷，以确定NoVOC。来自澳大利亚新南威尔士大学和台湾国立阳明交通大学的面试官（分别为n = 47和N = 78）在2018年至2021年期间对这些NoVOC进行了评分。因子分析识别并验证了潜在因子。检验了不同国家和性别的测量不变性。
共有125名面试官完成了问卷，其中78名来自台湾，47名来自澳大利亚。通过探索性因子分析，14个条目产生了可靠的三个因子“有魅力的”、“不投入的”和“焦虑的”（克朗巴哈α系数分别为0.853、0.714和0.628）。测量不变性分析表明，因子模型在不同性别间具有不变性，但在两个国家之间存在显著差异。进一步分析发现，台湾和澳大利亚在解释“焦虑的”因子方面存在不一致。
本研究揭示的三个不同因子为面试官在面试过程中所感知和评估的NoVOC提供了有价值的见解。研究结果凸显了在选拔医学生时考虑非语言交流的重要性，并强调了面试官进行培训和提高意识的必要性。了解非语言行为的影响可以改进选拔过程，以减少偏见，提高医学生选拔的公平性和可靠性。
