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Coaching Issues

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Selection and Recruitment in the Healthcare Professions

Abstract

When tests of academic and non-academic abilities are used to make selection decisions for high-stakes healthcare training programs, it has become increasingly common for applicants to use commercial coaching services to gain a competitive advantage. This chapter reviews the issues raised by the existence of the coaching industry, including the implications for the reliability and validity of test scores as well as the potential social and psychological impact. The empirical evidence, derived primarily within the context of medical student selection, is critiqued with conclusions for practice discussed. The chapter concludes with a case study detailing how one university sought to minimize the influence of coaching on selection decisions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia

    Barbara Griffin

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  1. Barbara Griffin
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Correspondence to Barbara Griffin .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Work Psychology Group, Derby, UK

    Fiona Patterson

  2. Organizational Psychology, City, University of London, London, UK

    Lara Zibarras

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Griffin, B. (2018). Coaching Issues. In: Patterson, F., Zibarras, L. (eds) Selection and Recruitment in the Healthcare Professions. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94971-0_9

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