Sunday, May 19, 2013

Holistic evaluation of prospective medical students?

Well, the idea seems to be that character and other intangible attributes of applicants are important and not just academic performance according to this NEJM piece. It's true, of course, although it's nothing new. It's what admissions committees have been after for decades and has long been the focus of applicant interviews and letters of recommendation. But in the minds of some these matters are getting more attention which is refreshing given our rising obsession with measurement in medical education.

In the audio segment accompanying the article the discussant points to a common fallacy in discussions of this topic: the false dichotomy between academic prowess in the sciences and the humanistic qualities desirable in a physician.

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