Can knowledge tests and situational judgement tests predict selection centre performance?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Professional Training
• Assessment and Evaluation

Background:

• Written tests are crucial for selecting candidates into UK general practice specialty training.
• Their proven validity and reliability have led to their adoption in other medical specialties.
• This research investigates the predictive capability of these written tests for subsequent practical assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if candidate performance on two written tests predicts their success in workplace-based simulation exercises.
• To evaluate the predictive validity of the clinical problem-solving test (CPST) and situational judgement test (SJT) for simulation performance.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study analyzed 135 candidates in the general practice selection process.
• Candidates were assessed using the CPST and SJT for initial shortlisting.
• Performance on these tests was correlated with scores from subsequent workplace-based simulation exercises (SC).

Main Results:

• Both the CPST (r = 0.598) and SJT (r = 0.717) significantly predicted performance in simulation exercises.
• The SJT demonstrated higher predictive validity (R² = 0.51) compared to the CPST (R² = 0.35).
• Combined, the CPST and SJT accounted for 57% of the variance in simulation exercise scores.

Conclusions:

• The CPST and SJT are valuable tools for shortlisting candidates for general practice training.
• These tests accurately predict performance in subsequent workplace-based simulation exercises.
• The findings support the continued use and potential expansion of these assessment methods to other medical specialties.