The value and role of the interview in the student admissions process: a review

Abstract

Despite the widespread popularity of the admissions interview, its use is controversial. This review considers the strengths and weaknesses of the interview in medical, dental and allied health professions student admissions. The important issues regarding its subjectivity, reliability and validity are covered, with particular attention being given to the effects on these factors of the amount of preparation and type of interview format used. Also reviewed are studies which have investigated the effectiveness of the interview as an admissions tool in terms of its ability to predict students' academic and clinical performance.