References from schoolteachers are unreliable predictors of students' performance at medical school. Ferguson and colleagues (p 429) followed students over the five years of their medical training and found that the personal statement given in the student's application for medical school predicted aspects of clinical performance, A level results predicted preclinical performance, and scores for conscientiousness consistently related to most aspects of medical training. Behaviours associated with conscientiousness (being organised and methodical) have previously been shown to be linked to job trainability, says the commentary by McManus (p 432), but have less impact on clinical performance, which may require more imaginative and open thinking.
JOHN GRIEM/SPL