Demographic Characteristics and Academic Measures as Predictors of Success on the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Medical Technologist Certification Examination
Purpose. This study was undertaken to address the utility of demographic characteristics and academic measures as predictors of success for the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry Medical Technologist Certification Examination (Certification Examination) Total Score and six Subscores and to find predictive models with relevance to an ethnically and racially-diverse student population. Method. The research population was the graduates of the Andrews University Program for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. The 233 subjects were from 53 different birth countries. The relationships between Certification Examination scores and both demographic characteristics and academic measures were analyzed by chi square, analysis o f variance, Pearson product-moment correlation, and multiple regression with post hoc tests where appropriate. Results. Four of the five demographic characteristics — ethnicity, geographic region of birth, English as a first or second language, and completion of the first degree or as a post-baccalaureate while attending the Program — were found to have significant relationships with Certification Examination success. Gender was significant only with the Imunology Subscore. All of the 31 academic measures variables were significantly correlated with the Total Score. The measures with the highest correlations, all above .60, with Total Score in descending order were Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine GPA, Clinical-year Didactic GPA, Clinical Year GPA, Clinical Chemistry GPA, Cumulative Graduating GPA , and Hematology and Hemostasis GPA. Most of the academic measures variables also showed significant relationships with the six Certification Examination Subscores and with passing and failing. Correlations between the Certification Examination and academic measures variables were lower for some of the demographic subgroups, particularly Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, those born outside the United States, and those who speak English as a second language. The predictive model for the Certification Examination Total Score included two predictors: Admission science GPA and Clinical-year didactic GPA. Conclusion. Relationships were found between Certification Examination success and both demographic characteristics and academic measures. Because lower correlations were found in many analyses for demographic subgroups, educators must use caution when using models as tools to identify students at risk of failing the Certification Examination since the models do not apply equally to all groups.
American Society for Clinical Pathology., Education, Medicine and Health Sciences
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