The Association Between EMT Entrance Exam Scores and EMT Student Success 

Background: EMT program graduates have a wide range of success. Many EMT students do not complete the course or are unable to pass the cognitive exam. In this study we explored if EMT program success can be predicted by scores on the EMT Entrance Exam (EEE) from Fisdap (an online EMS database). 

Hypothesis: There is an association between scores on the Fisdap EEE and student success. 

Methods: EMT data from a retrospective cohort was collected from Fisdap, an online EMS database, between 2017 and 2019. Participants were included if they completed an EEE, EMT Readiness Exam-4 (ERE4), and had a graduation status assigned. The outcome variable was class success as determined by the student graduation and ERE4 score, dichotomized as pass/fail. The data were analyzed using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test and a univariate logistic regression. 

Results: A total of 196 students from 11 programs met the inclusion criteria. The median scores on the EEE were overall 86, Anatomy & Physiology (A&P) 16, Biology 4, Math 7, Medical Terminology 8, and Self-Efficacy 47. The overall EEE, A&P, Biology, and Medical Terminology scores were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of success, while no significant difference was associated with Math scores (see Figure 1). 

Conclusion: The A&P, Biology, and Medical Terminology scores were statistically and practically significant predictors of success. The overall EEE and Self-Efficacy scores were statistically significant; however, they might not be practically significant predictors. Math scores were not predictive of success.