Could situational judgement tests be used for selection into dental foundation training?

Key Points Questions the current method of selection into dental foundation training and its ability to meet the requirements of recruitment best practice. Demonstrates the overall benefits of a situational judgement test (SJT) for dental foundation training selection over current selection methods. Outlines plans to implement a SJT nationally for all candidates applying for dental training posts in 2012. Objective To pilot and evaluate a machine-markable situational judgement test (SJT) designed to select candidates into UK dental foundation training. Design Single centre pilot study. Setting UK postgraduate deanery in 2010. Participants and methods Seventy-four candidates attending interview for dental foundation training in Oxford and Wessex Deaneries volunteered to complete the situational judgement test. Interventions The situational judgement test was developed to assess relevant professional attributes for dentistry (for example, empathy and integrity) in a machine-markable format. Test content was developed by subject matter experts working with experienced psychometricians. Main outcome measures Evaluation of psychometric properties of the pilot situational judgement test (for example, reliability, validity and fairness). Scores in the dental foundation training selection process (short-listing and interviews) were used to examine criterion-related validity. Candidates completed an evaluation questionnaire to examine candidate reactions and face validity of the new test. Results Forty-six candidates were female and 28 male; mean age was 23.5-years-old (range 22-32). Situational judgement test scores were normally distributed and the test showed good internal reliability when corrected for test length (α = 0.74). Situational judgement test scores positively correlated with the management, leadership and professionalism interview (N = 50; r = 0.43, p