Comparison of Academic Achievement between Medical Students Recruited by State’s Medical School Entrance Selection and by Rangsit University’s Own Examination
Kasem Saereeporncharenkul MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rajavithi Hospital, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : College of Medicine, Rangsit University (RSU), is the only private medical school in Thailand. RSU College of
Medicine recruiting method includes the examination together with state’s medical schools and its own examination. The study
aims to compare number of students in each group who passed, as required in the curriculum, pre-clinical subjects in 3
academic years, graduated Doctor of Medicine degree in 6 academic years, and finally passed the National Board examination
for the Medical License following graduation.
Material and Method: All medical students enrolled in the College of Medicine from 2000 to 2004 academic year were
included in the study. The numbers of students from each group who passed pre-clinical level in 3 academic years, graduated
in 6 academic years and finally passed the National Board examination for the Medical License following graduation were
analyzed.
Results : During the year 2000 to 2004 College of Medicine recruited and enrolled 506 students, of these, 51 resigned. The
number of students recruited by examination with other state’s medical schools (first group) was178 and by RSU examination
(second group) was 277. Number of medical students who finished pre-clinical study and passed to clinical level in three years
as required in the curriculum were 144 from 178 (80.9%) in the first group and 205 from 277 (74.0%) in the second group.
Number of medical students who graduated in six years as required in the curriculum were 140 from 178 (78.7%) in the first
group and 202 from 277 (72.9%) in the second group. One-hundred and thirteen from 178 students (63.5%) in the first group
graduated within 6 years and passed the National Board Examination for Medical License following graduation. However,
149 from 277 students (53.8%) in the second group passed the same described process.
Conclusion : Numbers of medical students admitted by examination together with other state’s medical schools and examination
by RSU itself are not significantly different in finishing pre-clinical subjects in 3 years and graduated in 6 years. However,
number of medical students recruited by examination with other state’s medical schools passing the National Board Medical
License examination at once following graduation in 6 years is significantly more than those recruited by the RSU examination
itself.
Keywords : Medical student, Private medical school, Educational success, Medical license examination.
