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Associations between admissions factors and the need for remediation

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Abstract

This study examines the way in which student characteristics and pre-admissions measures are statistically associated with the likelihood a student will require remediation for academic and professionalism offenses. We anchor our inquiry within Irby and Hamstra’s (2016) conceptual framework of constructs of professionalism. Data from five graduating cohorts (2014–2018) from McMaster University (Hamilton, Canada) (N = 1,021) were retroactively collected and analyzed using traditional and multinominal logistic regression analyses. The relationship among student characteristics, pre-admissions variables, and referral for potential remediation both by occurrence (yes/no) as well as type (academic/professional/no referral) were examined separately. Findings indicate that gender (OR = 0.519, 95% CI 0.326–0.827, p < 0.01) and undergraduate grade point average (GPA) (OR = 0.245, 95% CI 0.070–0.855, p < 0.05) were significantly associated with instances of referral for potential professionalism and academic remediation, respectively. Women were less likely than men to require remediation for professionalism (OR = 0.332, 95% CI 0.174–0.602, p < 0.001). Undergraduate GPAs (OR = 0.826, 95% CI 0.021–0.539, p < 0.01) were significantly associated with remediation for academic reasons. Lower undergraduate GPAs were associated with a higher likelihood of remediation. These findings point to the admissions variables that are associated with instances that prompt referral for potential remediation. Where associations are not significant, we consider the application of different conceptualizations of professionalism across periods of admissions and training. We encourage those involved in applicant selection and student remediation to emphasize the importance of the interactions that occur between personal and contextual factors to influence learner behaviour and professional identity formation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the valuable contributions of Wendy Edge, Patricia Drochner, Dr. Amanda Bell, and Dr. Matthew Sibbald (Undergraduate MD Program, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada) for their support of this project.

Funding

The research was supported by the Undergraduate MD Program, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. McMaster Program for Education Research, Innovation, and Theory (MERIT), Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

    Cassandra Barber, Meredith Vanstone & Lawrence Grierson

  2. School of Health Professions Education (SHE), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Cassandra Barber

  3. Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 100 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, L8P 1H6, Canada

    Raquel Burgess, Margo Mountjoy, Meredith Vanstone & Lawrence Grierson

  4. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, USA

    Raquel Burgess

  5. MD Undergraduate Program, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

    Raquel Burgess, Margo Mountjoy, Rob Whyte, Meredith Vanstone & Lawrence Grierson

  6. Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

    Rob Whyte

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  1. Cassandra Barber
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Correspondence to Lawrence Grierson.

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This research received approval from the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (Protocol # 4652) on December 3rd, 2018 (Hamilton, Canada). Approval was renewed on March 6th 2019, May 8th 2020, and March 18th, 2021.

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Barber, C., Burgess, R., Mountjoy, M. et al. Associations between admissions factors and the need for remediation. Adv in Health Sci Educ 27, 475–489 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-022-10097-8

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