A prospective study of cognitive and noncognitive selection criteria as predictors of resident performance

The primary purpose of this study was to compare objective measures of diagnostic radiology resident applicant performance, such as National Board (NBME) scores, with nonobjective measures, such as conscientiousness and interpersonal skills, in their prediction of resident performance. A second purpose of the study was to examine the predictive usefulness of the Accomplishment Interview (AI), a behavioral selection interview. Thirty resident applicants were interviewed using standard interviews, the AI, and objective data on the applicants were gathered. Four years later, during their diagnostic radiology residency, evaluations were gathered on these applicants, allowing for comparison of current resident performance with past predictive data. Results indicated that noncognitive factors were as important as cognitive factors in the prediction of resident behavior. Further, objective measures, such as NBME scores, failed to adequately predict residents' performance. The implications of these findings for resident selection are discussed.