Predictive ability of the Graduate Record Examination and its usage across physician assistant programs.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is used by 47% of physician assistant (PA) programs. In the liberal arts education literature, GRE scores have generally correlated with graduate school grade point average (GPA), particularly when used in combination with other admission factors such as undergraduate GPA. In the health professions, data on the predictive ability of the GRE are mixed. The Educational Testing Service (ETS), which administers the GRE, recommends standards for usage of GRE scores, including that they not be used as a stand-alone criterion for denial of admission. We evaluated GRE usage by PA programs to determine score utilization and compliance with ETS guidelines. We reviewed the admissions criteria of ARC-PA accredited programs granting master's degrees. Each program's GRE requirements were compared with ETS guidelines. Of 70 master's level PA programs requiring the GRE for admission, 27 programs comply with ETS guidelines; 43 programs use scores incorrectly by requiring or recommending precise minimum scores or by allowing other admissions exams to substitute for the GRE. Of the 70 master's degree level PA programs requiring the GRE for admission, only 40% are applying scores in accordance with ETS guidelines. Because the majority of programs are not using GRE scores as recommended, and because current data on the predictive value of the GRE are incongruent, it is important to determine how the GRE relates to the requirements of each program. Further research on the use and predictability of GRE scores by each PA program would be valuable.

Citation

Jennie A Hocking, Kristy Piepenbrock. Predictive ability of the Graduate Record Examination and its usage across physician assistant programs. The journal of physician assistant education : the official journal of the Physician Assistant Education Association. 2010;21(4):18-22

Mesh Tags

PMID: 21366111

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