Correlation between the High School and the First Year Pre-medical Grades

Abstract

Background and Objective: To increase number and retention of medical doctors working in rural area, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University have enrolled high school students for undergraduate medical program via various tracts such as One District One Doctor, Excellence in English, Collaborative Program to Increase Production of Rural Doctor, Central Admission, Consortium of Thai Medical Schools and Direct admission. With the differences in backgrounds of academic achievement in these students. This study aims to determine the correlation between high school grade achievement and pre-medical year grade achievement in various programs.

Methods: Grade point average (GPA) of the first year medical students in academic year 2010 were examined and compared to their high schools grade point average.

Results : The total of 281 first year Khon Kaen medical students (male =144, female = 137), the highest GPA in high schools were students from Excellent in English program (3.96; 3.60- 4.00 , 95% CI 3.91-3.98).  The lowest GPA was from the tract of Consortium of Thai Medical Schools (3.81; 3.28-4.00,   95% CI 3.67-3.89).  The highest GPA in first year medical students was from Excellence in English tract (3.67; 2.72-3.99,  95% CI 3.52-3.71).  Students in One District One Doctor Project had the lowest GPA (3.07; 2.09-3.79, 95% CI 2.93-3.10)   with statistical significant difference when compared to all tracts. Pearson correlation between GPA in high school and first medical year in all programs were low    (r = 0.355, p<0.001).

Conclusions: There were low correlation of GPA in high school and the first medical year in all programs. Students in One District One Doctor Project should be emphasized with special attention.

Key words: grade point average