Selecting medical students

Powis, David A

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb02001.x

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In reply: I am sorry Arnold considers that, in the context of selecting medical students based on their suitability to be a doctor, interpersonal relationship skills are qualities necessary only for general practitioners and psychiatrists. He is presumably unaware that the most frequent complaints made by patients about doctors of all kinds concern the very absence of such skills.

School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW.

Correspondence: david.powis@newcastle.edu.au

1. Lowe M, Kerridge I, Bore M, et al. Is it possible to assess the “ethics” of medical school applicants? J Med Ethics 2001; 27: 404-408.
2. Bore M, Munro D, Kerridge I, Powis D. Selection of medical students according to their moral orientation. Med Educ 2005; 39: 266-275.
3. Powis DA, Neame RL, Bristow T, Murphy LB. The objective structured interview for medical student selection. BMJ 1988; 296: 765-768.
4. Wilkinson D, Zhang J, Byrne GJ, et al. Medical school selection criteria and the prediction of academic performance. Evidence leading to change in policy and practice at the University of Queensland. Med J Aust 2008; 188: 349-354. <MJA full text>

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