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Mansour Al Qurashi, Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology Division, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaFollow
Hashem Sameer AlMarzouki, Department of Ophthalmology, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Mubarak Al-Mansour, Princess Noorah Oncology Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Ali S. Al-Shareef, Department of Emergency Medicine, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Sabina Nisar Ahmed, Department Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed Eldigire Ahmed, Department of Basic Science, College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS)
Muhammad Anwar Khan, Department Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Sara Seraj Abed, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Hawazen Zarif, . Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Tahani AlFudhail, Clinical Affairs & Clinical Simulation Center-Jeddah, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS)

Abstract

Background: In this competitive world where new generations strive to prove their academic excellence through grades, it is worth discussing the impact of grades on learning and the acquisition of required knowledge and skills and considering whether these scores can predict future academic performance on graduation.

Objectives: Our study aimed to determine a relationship between undergraduate GPA and their score at the Saudi Medical Licensing Exam (SMLE) over the years and to report any difference in students' academic performance entering medical school through direct or graduate entry programs over the years.

Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional study included all medical graduates from the academic years 2015–2016 to 2021–2022 (7 years). The retrospective data were retrieved for all the medical graduates from the clinical affairs and academic affairs departments after obtaining Institutional Review Board approval.

Results: There was a significant, positive, and moderately strong correlation between the overall GPA and the best SMLE score. On average, female graduates scored higher than their male counterparts, with a mean difference of 2.25 scores/points. The GPA and gender were significant predictors of the best SMLE score, whereas the best SMLE score increased by 10.9 scores/points by a one-unit increase in GPA and despite the increase in the number of students annually, an overall improvement in students’ performance in terms of SMLE scores was observed (<0.001).

Conclusion: The current evidence suggests that graduates’ grades (GPA) can help predict future performance in the SMLE score. Significant independent predictors of the best SMLE scores were GPA and female gender. The increase in the number of students did not affect the student’s GPA or their performance in the SMLE negatively.

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