Tipping the Scales of the Admissions Process: Interview Weighting in an Orthotics and Prosthetics Education Program

Orthotics and prosthetics is a healthcare profession which is currently exploring opportunities to increase student diversity. There are limited publications on the admissions process in orthotics and prosthetics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the admissions interview weighting on the diversity of the top-ranked applicants at one education program.

Researchers gathered retrospective data from 3 years of admissions interviews (n=144). The proportions of the screening scores and interview scores were systematically adjusted to determine various ranking scores. At each adjustment point, descriptive statistics of racial demographics, age, gender, and military status of the top-ranking applicants were evaluated.

Adjustments in the weights of the screening and interview scores had an impact on cohort diversity within, but not across, admissions cycles. Increasing the weight of the interview score decreased the mean age of a cohort for all admissions cycles.

This study is the first to present an evaluation of the admissions process in an orthotics and prosthetics education program. The methodology can be used by health professions education programs which incorporate interview scoring into admissions decisions.