Assessment of applicants to the veterinary curriculum using a multiple mini-interview method

Abstract

This Stud. Describes the Devmt., Implementation, and Psychometric Assess. of the Multiple Mini-interview (MMI) for the Inaugural Class of Vet. Med. Applicants at the Univ. of Calgary Fac. of Vet. Med. (UCVM). the MMI Is A Ser. of Approx. Five to 12 10-Minute Interviews That Consist of Situational Events. Applicants Are Given A Scenario and Asked to Wk. Through an Issue or Behav.-type Questions That Are Meant to Assess One Attribute (E.g., Empathy) at A Time. This Struct. Allows for Multiple Assessments of the Applicants by Trained Interviewers on the Same Questions. MMI Scenario Devmt. Was Based on A Rev. of the Noncognitive Attributes Currently Assessed by the 31 Vet. Schools Across Canada and the U. States and the Goals and Objectives of UCVM. the Noncognitive Attributes of Applicants (N= 110) Were Assessed at Five Stations, by Two Interviewers Within Each Stn., on Three Items Using A Standardized Rating Form on an Anchored 1-5 Scale. the Method Was Determined to be Reliable (G-coefficient = 0.88) and Demonstrated Evidence of Validity. the MMI Score Did Not Correlate with Grade-point Average (A= 0.12, P=0.22). while Neither the Applicants Nor Interviewers Had Participated in an MMI Format Before, Both Groups Reported the Proc. to be Acceptable in A Post-interview Questionnaire. This Anal. Provides Preliminary Evidence of the Reliability, Validity, and Acceptability of the MMI in Assessing the Noncognitive Attributes of Applicants for Vet. Med. Sch. Admissions. 2009 AAVMC.