Open AccessTHE DEAN'S LETTER OF EVALUATION AS A BASIS FOR THE SELECTION OF MEDICAL STUDENTS
Author(s) -
Carlson Sybil B.,
Ward William C.,
Frederiksen Norman
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
ets research report series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.235
H-Index - 5
ISSN - 2330-8516
DOI - 10.1002/j.2333-8504.1982.tb01322.x
Subject(s) - selection (genetic algorithm) , medical education , consistency (knowledge bases) , psychology , medical school , sample (material) , mathematics education , computer science , medicine , artificial intelligence , chemistry , chromatography
The dean's letter of evaluation, as a summary of student performance in undergraduate medical education, contributes information that is potentially valuable for use in selection for graduate medical education. The dean's letters for 113 fourth‐year students from ten medical schools were coded to summarize the evaluations of performance provided in the letters. The performance dimensions that were reported most frequently and consistently in this sample of letters were factor analyzed; three discriminable dimensions were found. Despite the difficulties involved in using subjective evaluations, the dean's letter appears to yield information regarding various aspects of undergraduate performance that are used with some degree of consistency across medical schools in recommending students as candidates for residencies.