(PO-126) Growing Future Clinicians: Can Seeds of Admissions Data Determine Success?

Author: Emily Sabato, Ed.D. – Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, School of Dental Medicine
Author: Susan DeMatteo, M.Ed. – Director of Institutional Assessment and Q.I., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, School of Dental Medicine
Author: Shuying S. Jiang, MS – Research Associate, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, School of Dental Medicine
Author: Herminio Perez, D.M.D. M.B.A. – Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Diversity & Inclusion, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, School of Dental Medicine
Submitter: Emily Sabato, Ed.D. – Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, School of Dental Medicine



Objective: Rutgers School of Dental Medicine investigated the relationship between admissions criteria and student performance at both the end of the first year and end of the four year curriculum.



Methods: Admissions criteria were compared to student GPAs at the end of the first year (D1) and end of dental school (cumulative) in several categories: biomedical science (e.g. gross anatomy), preclinical science (e.g. didactic courses associated with preclinical laboratory courses as well as topics such as periodontics), preclinical laboratory, translational science (e.g. oral biology), clinical science (patient care), and overall GPA. Linear regression analyses were performed for each outcome, where predictor variables at p< 0.10 in the bivariate analysis were included; statistical significance was set at p< 0.05.



Results: Weighted cumulative undergraduate GPA had several significant outcomes; a one-unit increase was associated with increases in cumulative biomedical science (0.31), translational science (0.31), and clinical science (0.08) GPA. A one-unit increase DAT Academic Average was associated with modest increases in D1 and cumulative biomedical science (0.04 and 0.07), preclinical science (0.06 and 0.05), overall (0.10 and 0.05) GPAs. An association between one-unit increase in DAT Perceptual Ability Test and D1 and cumulative preclinical laboratory GPAs (0.06 for both) was found, and a one-unit increase in DAT Reading Compression was associated with higher cumulative translational and overall GPAs (0.04 and 0.02). Conversely, a one-unit increase in failure/withdrawal from undergraduate coursework was associated with lower D1 biomedical science (0.08), preclinical science (0.09), and D1 and cumulative overall (0.08 and 0.07) GPAs.



Conclusion: The results of this study indicate students with high admissions statistics are likely to have high dental school GPAs across the curriculum. However, there is limited association of admissions criteria to clinical curriculum outcomes, and a holistic approach to admissions is warranted to seek students who will be successful clinicians.