The predictive validity of the MCAT exam in relation to academic performance through medical school: a national cohort study of 2001-2004 matriculants.

Purpose: Most research examining the predictive validity of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) has focused on the relationship between MCAT scores and scores on the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step exams. This study examined whether MCAT scores predict students' unimpeded progress toward graduation (UP), which the authors defined as not withdrawing or being dismissed for academic reasons, graduating within five years of matriculation, and passing the Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, and Step 2 Clinical Skills exams on the first attempt.

Method: Students who matriculated during 2001-2004 at 119 U.

Validity of four approaches of using repeaters' MCAT scores in medical school admissions to predict USMLE Step 1 total scores.

Background: This study investigated the validity of four approaches (the average, most recent, highest-within-administration, and highest-across-administration approaches) of using repeaters' Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores to predict Step 1 scores.

Method: Using the differential predication method, this study investigated the magnitude of differences in the expected Step 1 total scores between MCAT nonrepeaters and three repeater groups (two-time, three-time, and four-time test takers) for the four scoring approaches.

Results: For the average score approach, matriculants with the same MCAT average are expected to achieve similar Step 1 total scores regardless of whether the individual attempted the MCAT exam one or multiple times.