Academic and Pre-Medical Advising Factors Associated with Admission to the John A. Burns School of Medicine Among Premedical Students at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.

The Medical School Hotline of the University of Hawai'i John A. Burns School of Medicine was founded in 1993, by Satoru Izutu PhD (former vice-dean of UH JABSOM). It is edited by Kathleen Kihmm Connolly PhD, HJH&W Contributing Editor. Understanding predictors of medical school acceptance is essential for informing effective premedical advising and applicant preparation. The objective of this study was to identify academic and advising-related factors associated with successful admission to medical school. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using institutional student records from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, including 238 premedical students who applied to medical school between 2018 and 2024. Academic variables included Medical College Admission Test scores, cumulative grade point average, and Association of American Medical Colleges Professional Readiness Examination scores. Advising-related variables included the number of pre-health workshops attended and advising appointments completed. Medical school acceptance was significantly correlated with Medical College Admission Test scores (r = 0.595), grade point average (r = 0.443), and Professional Readiness Examination scores (r = 0.355), with all associations reaching statistical significance (P < .001). In contrast, participation in advising appointments and workshops was not significantly associated with acceptance outcomes. These findings indicate that academic performance measures remain the strongest predictors of medical school acceptance among premedical students in this cohort. The lack of association between advising utilization and acceptance suggests a need to evaluate and potentially restructure advising services to better align with applicant needs and measurable outcomes. Improving the effectiveness of advising interventions may enhance their contribution to student success in the medical school application process.