Effects of Radiography Program Admissions Practices on Student Retention

Journal of Allied Health, Fall 2006 by Kudlas, Myke J

Targeting specific elements of the college GPA (selective GPA) by checking only the science and mathematics grades has proved to be the most predictive factor for academic performance in respiratory therapy programs.17 A review of historical data for respiratory care students indicated that success could be predicted through the use of high-school quartile ranking (negative correlation), number of years since attending school, and Psychological Services Bureau examination scores.18 Other admissions tests, such as the Entrance Examination for Schools of Nursing and Nurse Entrance Test, have been shown to predict academic success in nursing programs.19

Fewer studies have attempted to find a correlation between admissions criteria and clinical achievement. A 2001 study of dental technology students reported that although GPA and interviews correlated with psychomotor performance, spatial ability tests and tests of personality traits could also be used to predict performance.20 An evaluative device such as the Occupational Work Ethic Inventory was shown in a 2004 study to be predictive of clinical success among radiography students.21 This study also documented that students who were successful in the didactic portion of their program were also successful in the clinical area.

Although measures of past academic performance have been shown to predict future performance, less researched is the use of noncognitive instruments to predict future success. Recent studies have shown that by using the California Critical Thinking Skills Test and the Problem Solving Inventory, aspects of student success can be predicted in specific programs.22,23

The use of the admissions process to predict student retention has not been studied extensively. A 10-year historical review of retention rates at a British medical school indicated four main reasons for student departure: academic reasons (53%), personal reasons (30%), a combination of personal and academic reasons (9%), and health problems (8%).24 Many programs focus on academic criteria when making admissions decisions because of the belief that as academic performance increases attrition will decrease. This hypothesis has been substantiated in dental schools,16 respiratory therapy programs,17 and medical schools.12 Health problems as an indicator of attrition probably cannot be predicted unless the health condition existed prior to admission. Also, it is difficult to predict student attrition due to personal reasons.

Although identifying specific personal reasons to explain why students leave is complex and highly individualistic, several studies have attempted to do this. Studies of nursing students found that many students leave because they failed to feel connected to the program.25,26 To combat this, the institution developed a comprehensive orientation program, a peer tutor program, and an introductory course that was offered before students applied to the program. A similar study in the U.S. analyzed the "connection" of students with their nursing program in terms of student satisfaction.27 The study found that student satisfaction needed to be high in the areas of academics, facilities, faculty, and social interaction for students to feel connected. In an Australian study of nursing schools, a major reason for leaving the program was the disconnection between what students expected and what the program delivered.28 According to this study, students who left the program received less information about the nursing profession before matriculation than did the students who remained. This apparent divergence between student expectation and reality may explain why the greatest attrition occurs at the beginning of a program.29