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Optometry admission interviewing practices in Canada and United States
1School of Optometry, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Summary
Most optometry programs use admission interviews, but concerns about reliability and validity persist. Panel formats are common, yet insufficient training may hinder effectiveness, suggesting a need for improved evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Psychology
- Optometric Admissions
Background:
- Admission interviews are a common selection tool in professional programs.
- The effectiveness and methodology of interviews in optometry admissions require examination.
- Previous studies have explored interview practices in medical and dental programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and format of admission interviews in Canadian and U.S. optometry programs.
- To identify reasons for the inclusion or exclusion of interviews in optometry admissions.
- To compare optometry interview practices with those in medical and dental fields.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was developed, piloted, and distributed to 18 optometry programs.
- Completed questionnaires from 15 programs (83% response rate) were analyzed.
- Findings were compared with existing literature on medical and dental program admissions.
Main Results:
- Eighty percent of responding optometry programs utilize admission interviews.
- Concerns regarding interview reliability, validity, and cost prevented usage in 20% of programs.
- Interviews ranked as the third most important admission variable; panel formats were frequently employed.
Conclusions:
- Optometry programs widely use interviews, often in a panel format recommended by psychological literature.
- Insufficient interviewer training and lack of structured interviews likely compromise reliability and validity, mirroring issues in medical and dental programs.
- Enhanced program evaluation and dissemination of findings are needed to optimize the optometry admission interview process.