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Authors Institution
Lourinho I
Severo M
Moreira A
Ferreira MA
Department of Medical Education and Simulation, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto,
Department of Epidemiology, Predictive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine of the Univ
Department of Imunology, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto
Theme
10JJ Selection for admission to Medicine
Is the effect of personality traits in a traditional selection interview mediated by overall impression of interviewers?
Background

Selection of medical students is still a complex and controversial process. Nevertheless, a two-stage approach has been commonly used: measures of previous academic achievement and assessment of interpersonal skills by interview. Studies suggest personality traits to be associated with the interview final score; however, how the "overall impression" of the interviewers affects the rating is poorly known. 

Summary of Work

A total of 194 graduated applicants to the Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto (FMUP), were interviewed by three independent interviewers from 2011 to 2013, one male (interviewer 1) and two females (interviewers 2 and 3).

This second phase of the admission process of the graduates at FMUP consists on the mean of the interviewers' scores obtained through a semi-structured interview, performed according to a previously established handbook for this propose. Interviewers also had to evaluate their “overall impression” about each interviewed applicant. However this evaluation did not enter to final score.

189 applicants answered to the 60- item NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). This self-report questionnaire  is used widespread to assess high order personality traits of extraversion, conscientiousness, neuroticism, agreeableness and openness to experience.

Summary of Results

Table 1 shows that interviewers are the main determinants of the interview score, and this effect depends on the gender of the interviewees (when interviewee’s gender is different from the interviewers, they have higher scores).

Within the personality traits, the major determinant is openness to experience, followed by the effect of extraversion and conscientiousness and its respective interaction (figure 1).

However, after adjustment for “overall impression” the effect of openness to experience decreased 50% (figure 2).

 

 

Conclusion

Personality traits have shown to be associated with the interview final score, namely, openess to experience; extraversion and conscientiouness independently of previous achievement of the applicants, gender and interviewers.

However, the effect of extraversion is moderated by conscientiouness.

When interviewee’s gender is different from the interviewers, they have higher scores.

The effect of openness to experience is mediated by overall impression.

Take-home Messages

Interviewer’s overall impression of applicants seems to be more important than applicants’ personality traits in a traditional selection interview.
 

                                                         

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Background
Summary of Work
Summary of Results
Conclusion
Take-home Messages
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