Tips on... psychometric testing

Psychometric tests are used in selecting new staff, promoting staff, career counselling and development, assessing performance difficulties, and personal development.

Information they provide

Different tests focus on different aspects of ability or personality, but the following are typically of interest in the context of medical practice:

• Verbal and numerical reasoning ability
• Emotional stability and resilience
• Styles of influencing decisions and leadership style
• Styles of interpersonal relationships
• Problem solving and decision making abilities
• Openness to new ideas and experience
• Career beliefs and motivation (including occupational interests)
• Team roles and contributions.

Applications

Psychometric tests have recently been used in the following medical contexts:

• Assessing behavioural factors in poorly performing doctors
• Career guidance for senior house officers
• Personal development and career guidance for senior doctors
• Identifying different leadership styles in senior doctors and health service managers (as part of teamdevelopment).

Limitations of psychometric testing

Although psychological tests can aid and inform a decision, they cannot provide a definitive answer. They should always be used in conjunction with a thorough interview by qualified individuals who have the British Psychological Society or equivalent qualifications in psychological testing. Some publishers of tests offer their own qualifying courses in specific tests. Robust measures are not easy to fake, but the potential for bias is there.