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Reliability and acceptability of six station multiple mini-interviews: past-behavioural versus situational questions in postgraduate medical admission

Overview of attention for article published in BMC Medical Education, March 2017
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  • Above-average Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (51st percentile)
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Title
Reliability and acceptability of six station multiple mini-interviews: past-behavioural versus situational questions in postgraduate medical admission
Published in
BMC Medical Education, March 2017
DOI 10.1186/s12909-017-0898-z
Pubmed ID
Authors

Toru Yamada, Juichi Sato, Hiroshi Yoshimura, Tomoya Okubo, Eiji Hiraoka, Takashi Shiga, Tadao Kubota, Shigeki Fujitani, Junji Machi, Nobutaro Ban

Abstract

The multiple mini-interview (MMI) is increasingly used for postgraduate medical admissions and in undergraduate settings. MMIs use mostly Situational Questions (SQs) rather than Past-Behavioural Questions (PBQs). A previous study of MMIs in this setting, where PBQs and SQs were asked in the same order, reported that the reliability of PBQs was non-inferior to SQs and that SQs were more acceptable to candidates. The order in which the questions are asked may affect reliability and acceptability of an MMI. This study investigated the reliability of an MMI using both PBQs and SQs, minimising question order bias. Acceptability of PBQs and SQs was also assessed. Forty candidates applying for a postgraduate medical admission for 2016-2017 were included; 24 examiners were used. The MMI consisted of six stations with one examiner per station; a PBQ and a SQ were asked at every station, and the order of questions was alternated between stations. Reliability was analysed for scores obtained for PBQs or SQs separately, and for both questions. A post-MMI survey was used to assess the acceptability of PBQs and SQs. The generalisability (G) coefficients for PBQs only, SQs only, and both questions were 0.87, 0.96, and 0.80, respectively. Decision studies suggested that a four-station MMI would also be sufficiently reliable (G-coefficients 0.82 and 0.94 for PBQs and SQs, respectively). In total, 83% of participants were satisfied with the MMI. In terms of face validity, PBQs were more acceptable than SQs for candidates (p = 0.01), but equally acceptable for examiners (88% vs. 83% positive responses for PBQs vs. SQs; p = 0.377). Candidates preferred PBQs to SQs when asked to choose one, though this difference was not significant (p = 0.081); examiners showed a clear preference for PBQs (p = 0.007). Reliability and acceptability of six-station MMI were good among 40 postgraduate candidates; modelling suggested that four stations would also be reliable. SQs were more reliable than PBQs. Candidates found PBQs more acceptable than SQs and examiners preferred PBQs when they had to choose between the two. Our findings suggest that it is better to ask both PBQs and SQs during an MMI to maximise acceptability.

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X Demographics

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 39 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 39 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 7 18%
Researcher 5 13%
Student > Bachelor 4 10%
Lecturer 3 8%
Student > Postgraduate 3 8%
Other 7 18%
Unknown 10 26%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 15 38%
Psychology 5 13%
Business, Management and Accounting 3 8%
Social Sciences 2 5%
Arts and Humanities 1 3%
Other 3 8%
Unknown 10 26%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 15 April 2017.
All research outputs
#12,837,509
of 22,959,818 outputs
Outputs from BMC Medical Education
#1,472
of 3,348 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#146,406
of 308,425 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Medical Education
#25
of 43 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,959,818 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 43rd percentile – i.e., 43% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 3,348 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.3. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 55% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 308,425 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 51% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 43 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 41st percentile – i.e., 41% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.