Influence of Pre-Medicine Course GPA and National Medical Admission Test Percentile Rank on First Year Medicine GPA Among College of Medicine Students: A Retrospective Review

Abstract

The criteria used by medical schools in the Philippines and the Adventist University of the
Philippines College of Medicine (AUPCOM) in admissions selection of future doctors are
generally the same. These include academic ability, based on the cognitive Pre-Medical Course
Grade Point Average (Pre-Med GPA) and the National Medical Admission Test percentile rank
(NMAT score). Other non-cognitive essential criteria are gleaned through personal interview
or written essays, such as insight into medicine, extracurricular activities and interests,
personality, motivation, high work standards, and communication skills. Objective evidence
justifying the use of such criteria is an area that AUPCOM intended to investigate as basis for
evaluating applicants to the medical school. This retrospective study utilized 153 students from
the first four consecutive cohorts (from Batch 2019-2022) of medical students who were
accepted in AUPCOM. The data taken from the COM records were strictly handled with utmost
confidentiality. Statistical analysis consisting of mean, standard deviation, percentage,
correlation, and regression was employed. The NMAT percentile rank of the medicine students
had an average of 72.01, with a Pre-Med GPA of 90.69 (B) and first year Medicine GPA of
84.6 (C+). The bivariate correlation revealed significant positive relationship of NMAT score
and Pre-Med grade to the first year Medicine GPA. Regression analysis revealed that PreMedicine course GPA and National Medical Admission Test Percentile Rank were both
predictors of the first year medicine GPA among College of Medicine students. This result can
be an eye-opener to medical schools on the percentage weight given to NMAT percentile rank
as one of the major criteria in the selection process of future doctors. Future research needs to
include other predictors of performance in Medicine since Pre-Med GPA contributes only
13.2% of the variance in medicine students’ first year Medicine GPA.