Predictors of Academic Success in Health Professions Programs

Abstract

Health professions academic programs are unique in that a paucity of clinical training sites requires programs to limit the number of admitted students. The selection of students is typically accomplished through the use of rigorous admissions criteria. In this paper, we explore the relationship between entry-level college students’ academic preparedness (based on University admission criteria) and persistence in health professions academic programs (as measured by admission to a health professions program). Student data spanning ten years details the academic profile of entry-level freshmen and transfer students with a declared interest in one of five entry-level academic programs at a public, regional university in the Midwestern United States. We find that students who are more prepared for college-level coursework are significantly more likely to be admitted into a health professions program than their under-prepared counterparts. Prepared students are also more likely than their under-prepared counterparts to persist in the major.