Why do we use a shortlisting test?
We
collaborate with the Lancaster University Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
Programme with regard to our short-listing screening procedures. All candidates
who are eligible will be invited to take part in our screening procedure. Screening
will take place in February 2021, dates will be published on our University website as soon as they are
available. Many applicants to our programme are fortunate enough to have had
access to extensive education and employment/experience opportunities. However,
some individuals have not had these privileges, and may never have, but have
significant potential and are well suited to the programme. As we want everyone
to be assessed on a fair basis, we use a short-listing test which examines
potential rather than looking only at the application which emphasises
experience. Evidence also shows that application forms on their own are poor
predictors of academic and job performance. Our approach means using
short-listing tests which have substantial evidence to indicate they predict
performance on both the programme and in a complex job role once qualified.
This component
of our screening process uses an online general mental ability (GMA)
test. This approach is widely used, for example,
by other healthcare professions with graduate entry training programmes,
as it is a strong predictor of performance in complex or intellectually
challenging roles. The GMA test for 2021 will be a verbal and deductive
reasoning test.
How the shortlisting works
Candidates
will be invited to take the online GMA test during a time window of two weeks, at
a time and place convenient to them. Once arranged, it is not possible for
online testing to take place outside of this window.
In the
Plymouth selection process, in order to confirm invitation to interview, the
test results are considered together with information about experience and
references taken from the candidate's application. Further knowledge of
candidates and their potential for doctoral level training is gained from information
gathered at our Selection Event.