Multiple Mini-Interview Performance And First Semester Achievement In A Baccalaureate Respiratory Care Program

Success in an undergraduate respiratory care program requires that students demonstrate skills that, although not traditionally assessed in the admissions process, are indicative of success in the clinical environment. Attributes like critical and interpersonal skills, empathy, and self-appraisal are competencies developed by different yet integrated intellectual processes and contribute significantly to the overall perception of intelligence. However, despite limited efficacy in predicting rate of attrition in an undergraduate clinical program such respiratory care, traditional admissions criteria continue to focus solely on objective indicators of academic ability. The purpose of this quantitative case study was to investigate the utility of the multiple mini-interview (MMI) as an adjunct method of selecting candidates to a small cohort-based baccalaureate respiratory care program. The MMI is a method of student assessment designed to more accurately evaluate non-cognitive skills inherent to successful clinicians during the admissions process. A three-station MMI was integrated into the 2016 cohort admission process at the participating institution. Data including performance on the MMI, course achievement, and rate of attrition in the first semester of core respiratory care curriculum were recorded. Data for sixty-nine students across three separate cohort groups were collected and analyzed. Results of this study indicated a significant relationship between both total MMI points and MMI rank and achievement in the introductory clinical component of this program (r (23) =.528, p= .007 and r (23) = .509, p= .009, respectively). A logistic regression analysis revealed that a multidimensional assessment model may be more effective in predicting likelihood of attrition in any of the cohorts, X2(2) = 11.19, p = .004. Limitations include a small sample and differences across cohort scoring methods. The MMI was found to have a predictive role in identifying key competencies required for success in a baccalaureate respiratory care program. Future research should include a larger sample and a mixed-method approach to investigate the student and faculty perception of utilizing a multimodal approach to undergraduate admissions