Academic Performance Profile of the Students of the UP College of Medicine: Lateral Entrants from Class 1990 to Class 2013

Abstract

Background: The admission process of the UP College of Medicine is famed for its difficulty and
competitiveness. Only the best students are supposed to be able to make it through this medical school. But did these “best students” who were meticulously selected perform academically as well in the said college? Who among these students did well in the medical licensure examinations? This descriptive study answered these questions.

Objectives: The study sought to provide a descriptive profile of the academic performance of 24 batches of lateral entrants of the UP College of Medicine, focusing on their pre-med schools and courses, pre-med General Weighted Averages (PMGWAG), National Medical Admission Test (NMAT) results, admission category, Medicine General Weighted Averages (MGWAG), graduation class rankings, and board ratings.

Methods: Admission data covering 24 batches of UPCM graduates (Batches 1990 to 2013) were retrieved and reviewed. Data on the students' pre-medical school, admission category, pre-medicine general weighted average (PMGWAG), NMAT scores, interview scores, entry rank, medicine general weighted average (MGWAG), graduation rank, and board exam rating were obtained, compared, and analyzed.

Results and Discussion: Over a 24-year period, 90% of students graduated on time, nearly 5% dropped out of medical school, and 2.4% graduated with honors. In general, over time, the MGWAGs and board ratings were noted to improve. BS Psychology and BS Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (MBB) graduates had the highest entry ranks, the former because they had the highest PMGWAG, and the latter because they had the highest NMAT scores. BS Public Health graduates had the lowest PMGWAG, followed by BS Nursing. However, nursing graduates had the highest MGWAG scores and Psychology graduates had the lowest MGWAG scores. De la Salle University graduates had the highest entry ranks, followed by Ateneo de Manila University, and University of Santo Tomas. The UP units (Diliman, Los Baños, and Manila) had the lowest entry ranks. However, the graduation ranks were highest among UP Manila graduates, followed by UST graduates and De La Salle University graduates. The students accepted under the Academic Category performed academically well both in their pre-med courses and in medical college.

Conclusion: There were pre-med courses that apparently bestowed an entry advantage to certain applicants. However, this advantage did not necessarily lead to better academic performance in UPCM. There are, likewise, certain schools that may be perceived as being an advantage in the admission to medical college in terms of entry rank, likewise, this did not translate to better academic performance.