Early identification of struggling learners: using prematriculation and early academic performance data.

Introduction: A perennial difficultly for remediation programmes in medical school is early identification of struggling learners so that resources and assistance can be applied as quickly as is practical. Our study investigated if early academic performance has predictive validity above and beyond pre-matriculation variables.

Methods: Using three cohorts of medical students, we used logistic regression modelling and negative binomial regression modelling to assess the strength of the relationships between measures of early academic performance and outcomes-later referral to the academic review and performance committee and total module score.

A Longitudinal Study of Commonly Used Admissions Measures and Disenrollment from Medical School and Graduate Medical Education Probation or Termination from Training.

Introduction: This is an empirical study to better understand commonly used medical school admission measures and disenrollment decisions during undergraduate medical education as well as graduate medical education (GME) probation or termination decisions.

Materials And Methods: Based on the data of USUHS medical students matriculating between 1998 and 2011 (N = 2,460), we compared medical school graduates and those disenrolled from medical school on MCAT scores, undergraduate BCPM (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math) GPA, and undergraduate overall GPA. We also reported more specific reasons for disenrollment decisions.

The long-term career outcome study: lessons learned and implications for educational practice.

The work of the Long-Term Career Outcome Study has been a program of scholarship spanning 10 years. Borrowing from established quality assurance literature, the Long-Term Career Outcome Study team has organized its scholarship into three phases; before medical school, during medical school, and after medical school. The purpose of this commentary is to address two fundamental questions: (1) what has been learned? and (2) how does this knowledge translate to educational practice and policy now and into the future? We believe that answers to these questions are relevant not only to our institution but also to other educational institutions seeking to provide high-quality health professions education.

Assessing curriculum effectiveness: a survey of Uniformed Services University medical school graduates.

Purpose: This study assessed alumni perceptions of their preparedness for clinical practice using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies. We hypothesized that our alumni's perception of preparedness would be highest for military-unique practice and professionalism and lowest for system-based practice and practice-based learning and improvement.

Method: 1,189 alumni who graduated from the Uniformed Services University (USU) between 1980 and 2001 completed a survey modeled to assess the ACGME competencies on a 5-point, Likert-type scale.

Career accomplishments of Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences medical graduates: classes 1980-2001.

Purpose: To report accomplishments of graduates of the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine who have left, retired, or are near the end of their uniformed career in several professional domains: military career milestones, medical professional education, academic landmarks, and leadership.

Methods: This study utilized an earlier questionnaire that was modified to capture additional career landmarks and improve the clarity of several items.

Development and initial validation of a program director's evaluation form for third-year residents.

Background: Using a previously developed postgraduate year (PGY)-1 program director's evaluation survey, we developed a parallel form to assess more senior residents (PGY-3). The PGY-3 survey, which aligns with the core competencies established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, also includes items that reflect our institution's military-unique context.

Purpose: To collect feasibility, reliability, and validity evidence for the new PGY-3 evaluation.

Are commonly used premedical school or medical school measures associated with board certification?

Purpose: To determine if there is an association between several commonly obtained premedical school and medical school measures and board certification performance. We specifically included measures from our institution for which we have predictive validity evidence into the internship year. We hypothesized that board certification would be most likely to be associated with clinical measures of performance during medical school, and with scores on standardized tests, whether before or during medical school.

Does the MCAT predict medical school and PGY-1 performance?

Background: The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is a high-stakes test required for entry to most U. S. medical schools; admissions committees use this test to predict future accomplishment.

America's medical school: 5,000 graduates since the "first class".

In 1980, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) graduated its first class of medical students. As a national university intended to produce "career-committed" military officers and future leaders of the Military Health System, USU functions as the service academy for military medicine and public health. More than 40 years after the school's charter and 5,000 graduates since the first class, we describe the original purpose of USU and provide an update on its achievements.

Validity evidence for medical school OSCEs: associations with USMLE® step assessments.

Background: Recently, there has been a surge in the use of objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) at medical schools around the world, and with this growth has come the concomitant need to validate such assessments.

Purposes: The current study examined the associations between student performance on several school-level clinical skills and knowledge assessments, including two OSCEs, the National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME) Subject Examinations, and the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE) Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) and Step 3 assessments.

Methods: The sample consisted of 806 medical students from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

What aspects of letters of recommendation predict performance in medical school? Findings from one institution.

Purpose: To study medical students' letters of recommendation (LORs) from their applications to medical school to determine whether these predicted medical school performance, because many researchers have questioned LORs' predictive validity.

Method: A retrospective cohort study of three consecutive graduating classes (2007-2009) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences was performed. In each class, the 27 students who had been elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society were defined as top graduates, and the 27 students with the lowest cumulative grade point average (GPA) were designated as "bottom of the class" graduates.

Is poor performance on NBME clinical subject examinations associated with a failing score on the USMLE step 3 examination?

Purpose: To investigate the association between poor performance on National Board of Medical Examiners clinical subject examinations across six core clerkships and performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 3 examination.

Method: In 2012, the authors studied matriculants from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences with available Step 3 scores and subject exam scores on all six clerkships (Classes of 2007-2011, N = 654). Poor performance on subject exams was defined as scoring one standard deviation (SD) or more below the mean using the national norms of the corresponding test year.

Application essays and future performance in medical school: are they related?

Background: There is a paucity of research on whether application essays are a valid indicator of medical students' future performance.

Purpose: The goal is to score medical school application essays systematically and examine the correlations between these essay scores and several indicators of student performance during medical school and internship.

Methods: A journalist created a scoring rubric based on the journalism literature and scored 2 required essays of students admitted to our university in 1 year (N = 145).

The Long-Term Career Outcome Study (LTCOS): what have we learned from 40 years of military medical education and where should we go?

The work of the Long-Term Career Outcome Study (LTCOS), F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) has been a multidisciplinary effort spanning more than 5 years. Borrowing from the established program evaluation and quality assurance literature, the LTCOS team has organized its evaluation and research efforts into three phases: before medical school, during medical school, and after medical school.

Where are they now? USU School of Medicine graduates after their military obligation is complete.

The Uniformed Services University's (USU) F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine was chartered in 1972, with the goal of providing high-quality physicians for the Uniformed Services. In exchange for their education, USU graduates incur an active duty service obligation, after which they may choose to stay on active duty or transition to civilian practice.

Leadership success and the Uniformed Services University: perspectives of flag officer alumni.

Unlabelled: The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) houses the nation's only federal medical school, the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine. A key aspect of the curriculum at USU is leadership education as graduates go on to serve the Department of Defense through a variety of senior positions in the military.

Development and initial validation of a survey to assess students' self-efficacy in medical school.

Self-efficacy is a personal belief in one's capability to successfully execute the behaviors necessary to attain designated types of performances. Sometimes described as task-specific self-confidence, self-efficacy is a key component in many contemporary theories of motivation and learning. The purpose of this study was to develop a survey for measuring students' medical skills self-efficacy and to collect reliability and validity evidence for the instrument.

Relationship between admissions committee review and student performance in medical school and internship.

Purpose: To investigate the association between tertiary reviewer (admissions committee member) comments and medical students' performance during medical school and into internship.

Methods: We collected data from seven year-groups (1993-1999) and coded tertiary reviewer comments into 14 themes. We then conducted an exploratory factor analysis to reduce the dimensions of the themes (excluding the Overall impression theme).

Identifying themes within a medical school admission committee's reviews of applicants.

Background: Admissions committees attempt to select the most qualified applicants based on many cognitive and "noncognitive" factors.

Purpose: Identify common themes cited in the admissions committee member summaries of medical school matriculants and determine the relative frequency and importance of these themes.

Methods: After reviewing a convenience sample of 150 reviewer comments, 14 qualitative themes were identified.

Exploring the relationship between self-reported research experience and performance in medical school and internship.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between self-reported research experience and medical students' performance in medical school and internship.

Methods: We collected data from seven year-groups (1993-1999; N = 1,112) and examined 7 performance outcomes: medical school preclinical grade point average (GPA), medical school clinical GPA, cumulative medical school GPA, U.S.

Alternate list matriculants: outcome data from those medical students admitted from the alternate list.

Background: Medical schools are increasing class size to meet future health care needs for our nation. This may lead to more students being accepted from an alternate list (vs. primary acceptances).

40 years of military medical education: an overview of the Long-Term Career Outcome Study (LTCOS).

In 2005, the Long-Term Career Outcome Study (LTCOS) was established by the Dean, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). The original charge to the LTCOS team was to establish an electronic database of current and past students at USU.

Achievement goal structures and self-regulated learning: relationships and changes in medical school.

Purpose: Practicing physicians have a societal obligation to maintain their competence. Unfortunately, the self-regulated learning skills likely required for lifelong learning are not explicitly addressed in most medical schools. The authors examined how medical students' perceptions of the learning environment relate to their self-regulated learning behaviors.

A pilot study on vaginally assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for patients with uterovaginal prolapse.

Objectives: : The primary objective of this pilot study was to compare the short-term anatomic outcomes and complication rates of vaginally assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (VALS) with those of conventional laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LS) in patients undergoing concurrent hysterectomy. The secondary objective was to compare operative times of the 2 different techniques.

Methods: : This is a retrospective pilot study comparing VALS-a method using transvaginal mesh attachment to the vaginal apex-to conventional LS in patients undergoing concurrent hysterectomy.

Does self-reported clinical experience predict performance in medical school and internship?

Context: Medical school admissions committees attempt to select the most qualified applicants. In addition to traditional performance measures, committees often look favourably upon applicants who report previous clinical experience.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine if self-reported clinical experience is a valid indicator of future performance in medical school and internship.