First experience with multiple mini interview for medical school admission in Brazil: Does it work in a different cultural scenario?

Abstract

Purpose: Evaluation of non-cognitive skills never has been used in Brazil. This study aims to evaluate Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) in the admission process of a School of Medicine in São Paulo, Brazil.

Methods: The population of the study comprised 240 applicants summoned for the interviews, and 96 raters. MMI contributed to 25% of the applicants’ final grade. Eight scenarios were created with the aim of evaluating different non-cognitive skills, each one had two raters. At the end of the interviews, the applicants and raters described their impressions about MMI. The reliability of the MMI was analyzed using the Theory of Generalization and Many-Facet Rasch Model (MFRM).

Results: The G-study showed that the general reliability of the process was satisfactory (coefficient G = 0.743). The MMI grades were not affected by the raters’ profile, time of interview (p = 0.715), and randomization group (p = 0.353). The Rasch analysis showed that there was no misfitting effects or inconsistent stations or raters. A significant majority of the applicants (98%) and all the raters believed MMIs were important in selecting students with a more adequate profile to study medicine.

Conclusions: The general reliability of the selection process was excellent, and it was fully accepted by the applicants and raters.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Fernanda Amendola for the initial support and Elivane da Silva Victor and Ana Carolina Cintra Nunes Mafra for statistical analysis of the Multi-Facet Rasch Model.

Durval Anibal Daniel-Filho and Elda Maria Stafuzza Gonçalves Pires collaborated equally in conducting this study.

Ethical approval: This study was submitted to the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein Research Project Management System (Sistema de Gerenciamento de Projetos de Pesquisa – SGPP), and the Ethics and Research Committee (Comitê de Ética e Pesquisa– CEP), being approved on August 23rd, 2016, under n° 2633-16.

Glossary

Non-cognitive skills: The patterns of thought, feelings and behaviours that are socially determined and can be developed throughout the lifetime to produce value. Non-cognitive skills comprise personal traits, attitudes and motivations.

Kai Zhou. “Non-cognitive skills: Definitions, measurement and malleability” Paper commissioned for the Global Education Monitoring Report 2016, Education for people and planet: Creating sustainable futures for all.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Notes on contributors

Durval Anibal Daniel-Filho, MD, is responsible for the admissions office of the The School of Medicine, Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein (FICSAE), São Paulo, Brazil.

Elda Maria Stafuzza Gonçalves Pires, MD, is responsible for the admissions office of the The School of Medicine, Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein (FICSAE), São Paulo, Brazil.

Angela Tavares Paes, PhD, is an Associate Professor of the The School of Medicine, Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein (FICSAE), São Paulo, Brazil.

Eduardo Juan Troster, MD, PhD, is a Full Professor of the The School of Medicine, Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein (FICSAE), São Paulo, Brazil.

Simone Cristina Azevedo B. S. Silva, Psych, is the manager of Human Resources in the Teaching Department of the The School of Medicine, Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein (FICSAE), São Paulo, Brazil.

Mariana Fachini Granato, MD, MSc, is a Pediatrician at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil.

Thomaz Bittencourt Couto, MD, MSc, is the Medical Coordinator of the Realistic Simulation Center at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil.

Joyce Kelly Silva Barreto, is the Coordinator of the Realistic Simulation Center at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil.

Alexandre Holthausen Campos, MD, PhD, is the Dean The School of Medicine, Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein (FICSAE), São Paulo, Brazil.

Julio Cesar Martins Monte, MD, PhD, is the Vice-Dean The School of Medicine, Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein (FICSAE), São Paulo, Brazil.

Claudio Schvartsman, MD, PhD, is the Dean of Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein (FICSAE), São Paulo, Brazil.