A new study published by the Urban Universities for Health finds that health professions schools that use a holistic admissions process that takes into account more than an applicant’s grades and test scores, achieve an entering class that is more diverse and in most cases there is no change in measures of academic quality, student academic performance, or student retention. The report found that 40 percent of the schools that used a holistic admissions process reported an increase in grade point average for the first-year class, while 50 percent said there was no change in the academic performance of the class admitted under a holistic admissions process.
Greer Glazer, dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Cincinnati and lead author of the study, states that “our study shows that holistic review is a very promising admissions practice that not only increased access for diverse students but also admitted students who excelled academically and have the right qualities to be successful in the workforce.”
“Being a good health professional is about more than scientific knowledge. It also requires an understanding of people. Holistic review helps schools find students who have the attributes and abilities to become outstanding humanistic health professionals and leaders in their field,” said Dr. Darrell Kirch, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges.”
Urban Universities for Health is a collaboration between the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, and the Association of American Medical Colleges. It is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The report, Holistic Admission in the Health Professions, can be downloaded by clicking here.
