The Results Are In: Psychological Testing Up Close and Personal
Okay, since we’re almost at the end of the term, I’ll admit it: I was a bit hesitant going into PSYC 406. See, I’m one of the few students coming from a non-Psych background (Pharmacology represent!) and I wasn’t sure if a whole course on psychological testing was really for me. A quick run-through of the syllabus revealed some topics that did pique my interest, like test construction and the ethics of testing, but there was one subject that I found myself unable to really wrap my head around — that is, until today.
I’ll explain. Just a few hours ago, I was accepted into medical school, a moment I’ve always dreamed about. Opening that official email at the end of my class was a surreal experience, and now that I’m back home, reality has still only barely started to sink in. What I still can’t get over is how profoundly four simple words, YOU HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED, have completely reshaped the road that lies ahead of me. Just like that, the results of my interview — the final test in a yearlong admissions process — have forever changed my future.
Prior to this, I was skeptical that test results could impact our lives in meaningful ways, and I believe this had to do with my (limited) perception of what psychological testing truly entailed. Before enrolling in this class, what I had in mind were mainly pen-and-paper Likert scales being filled out by undergrads seeking extra credit, assessing constructs no more diverse than personality and intelligence. In retrospect I realize my view was pretty nearsighted. Through PSYC 406, I came to see testing for its myriad of uses and applications. A questionnaire used in psychiatric diagnosis could lead to a mentally ill individual qualifying for social aide. A measure used in job selection could have the successful applicant uprooting his family for a new position located across the country. Or, as in my case, the favorable outcome of an interview aimed at assessing noncognitive skills has provided me with a now-concrete answer to the question loathed by all final-year students: “So what will YOU be doing after graduation?”. Looking at it now, it seems far more obvious to me that test results can really change lives.
The test whose results changed my life course was the Multiple Mini Interview, aka the MMI. The MMI was created by McMaster University back in 2001 in response to growing criticism that traditional panel interviews did not satisfactorily predict which students would best perform once admitted to med school. The MMI aims to select candidates on the basis of key personality traits that are privileged by the medical profession, and it does this by having candidates perform tasks or work through scenarios with trained actors. Like many others before me, I found the notion of having to role-play on my interview day to be somewhat daunting, but I (fortunately) ended up finding the experience to be fun overall. In particular, I enjoyed the informal, interactive format of the psychosocial assessment, which I felt put me at ease and thus allowed me to better establish rapport with the actors. Importantly, I feel this allowed for a more accurate display of my true personality.
Even as I sit here finishing up this blog post, my mind continues to consider the ways in which my acceptance results may change my life course for the better. Beyond the excitement of being able to pursue a field of study in which I have long been interested, I also now know that I’ll be able to keep living in Montreal while I do so, which is perfect for me; I have an amazing support system here and I’m so glad that I’ll get to share this experience with my family and friends. And on a perhaps more practical note, getting my result has allowed me to make important financial decisions regarding my studies next year. Finally, since this was my first-choice school, I no longer have to work on applications for other institutions; instead, I can get back to focusing on my schoolwork. The list of benefits carried by my acceptance offer today could go on and on…
Now, of course, it’s important to keep in mind that test results do not always have such positive implications. For this, I need only look to my peers who did not get accepted, and instead are now left to reassess their respective futures. For my part, I am SO extremely grateful for the favorable outcome that stemmed from my testing experience, but I can’t forget how fortunate I am.
As I step into what feels like a whole new life, I have to consider that, with the move toward a greater incorporation of flexible testing measures such as the MMI into present-day educational curricula, I know I haven’t seen the last of psychological tests, nor the ends they will achieve. Some will be positive, others will be negative, but many will play a part in the person I become. I look greatly forward to seeing who that will be.
___________________________________________________________________Sources for images used available upon request.
