The purpose of this retrospective study was to appraise the impact of a new admission process (serialevaluation) on the attributes and achievement patterns of medical students in comparison to the standing onetime admission test. The subjects were 415 students (57,8% males) enrolled in the medical program of the Universit y of Brasilia, admitted through serial evaluation or admission test in the course of six years (1999-2004). The admission groups were compared as refers to demographic data, learning attitudes and academic achievement indicators. The results showed significantly higher proportions of students born in the Federal District and of a younger age-bracket in the serial evaluation group than in comparison to the admission test group. Academic achievement was also significantly higher in this group, from the second to the ninth semester. Statistical analyses indicate that besides the year and the criteria of admission the effect on academic achievement reflected other differences such as sex, age and self-appraisal of learning outcomes in the features of the students. These findings suggest that the new admission process has favored academic aptitude in terms of cognitive achievement. It also seems to have modified the demographic composition of the student body with effects on academic achievement in itself.
Medical Education; School Admission Criteria; Educational Measurement; Medical Students; Learning
