Does entry test make any difference on the future performance of medical students?

Objective: To observe the influence/efficiency of entry test in the selection of students for MBBS. To see the effect of FSC and Entry test marks on the future performance of students in the coming years. Methods: This was an Analytical Prospective Longitudinal study carried out in a private medical college from December 2009 to April 2011. Sampling was universal as all the students of year 2009 who succeeded in getting admission were included. The subjects were selected at the time of admission and the whole class (admission intake) comprising of 100 students during the admission year 2009 were studied. The same cohort was observed over a period of three years. The base line data was collected from the record, documents submitted at the time of admission and verified from the original record. Results: The results of FSC and entry test are consistent in approximately all the percentage groups who got above 70% marks in FSC. Consistency was only disturbed in students who acquired 61-70% marks in FSC and entry test. The students who got 81-90% in FSC and Entry test performed well in first and second year MBBS. The males who had 66-70% marks in FSC were the poor performers (100% failed 5 out of 5) while among the females (33% failed) who got 71-75% in FSC. Best performance was shown by those who got 81-85% in FSC i.e. 91% males and 90% females passed in annual examinations. The results of FSC and Entry test are highly significant in statistical application and hence there was no association between the entry test marks and future performance. Conclusion: FSC marks are of prime importance, and are the best marker for merit admission in medical college. Entry test is the tool for equalization in between different institutions, boards and provinces. It controls the errors and omissions done deliberately or unintentionally by students, board mal-practitioners and other confounders at institution and board level in FSC.