Changing Medical School Curricula Changing Medical School Curricula Changing Process for Selection of Medical Students Changing Identity of Health Care Professional Changing Identity of Health Care Professional Changing Health Care Systems Changing Health Care Systems
Courses (GPA, Science GPA) MCAT Extracurricular Experiences Letters of Evaluation Personal & Professional Characteristics Skills & Abilities Clinical Exposure Altruistic Service Scholarly Activity (outside classroom) Elements of a Successful Application to Medical School AAMC Holistic Review Project:
Evaluating Beyond Grades,MCAT Scores and Prior Experiences in Health Active listener Problem solver Communicator (oral, written) Critical thinker Multilingual Resiliency Integrity/Judgment Adaptability Reliability/Dependability Persistence Motivation Intellectual curiosity Empathy Altruistic service Skills & AbilitiesPersonal & Professional Characteristics
Current MCAT Exam: Format Biological Sciences (Biology, Organic Chemistry) Grade: 0-15 Biological Sciences (Biology, Organic Chemistry) Grade: 0-15 Physical Sciences (General Chemistry, Physics) Grade: 0-15 Physical Sciences (General Chemistry, Physics) Grade: 0-15 Verbal Reasoning Grade: 0-15 Verbal Reasoning Grade: 0-15 Writing Sample Grade: J-T Writing Sample Grade: J-T 5.25 hr exam Computer BS/PS/VR: 70 min each with 52/52/40 questions WS: 60 min; 2 questions 5.25 hr exam Computer BS/PS/VR: 70 min each with 52/52/40 questions WS: 60 min; 2 questions
The MCAT 2015 Timeline 2015 New exam goes live in Spring 2014 Prep materials available More prep materials released Jan 2015 First Med School Class selected with new MCAT Exam Fall 2016 Last dates for current exam Spring MCAT 2015 Preview Guide Available
New Exam – 4 Sections, 4 Scores Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills 7
MCAT 2015 Exam # of Test Questions Testing Time (minutes) Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems 6595 Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills 6090 Lunch Break Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems 6595 Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior 6595 Total Content Time 6 ¼ hours Total Time (w/ tutorial, breaks, survey, etc.) 7 ½ hours
MCAT 2015 Exam: Format Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Grade: 0-15 Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Grade: 0-15 Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Grade: 0-15 Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Grade: hr exam Computer questions per section Stress on foundational concepts (“big ideas), content categories (topics/”facts”) and scientific inquiry & reasoning skills 6.25 hr exam Computer questions per section Stress on foundational concepts (“big ideas), content categories (topics/”facts”) and scientific inquiry & reasoning skills Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior Grade: 0-15 Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior Grade: 0-15 Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Grade: 0-15 Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Grade: 0-15
MCAT 2015 Exam: Format 6.25 hr exam Computer questions per section Stress on foundational concepts (“big ideas), content categories (topics/”facts”) and scientific inquiry & reasoning skills 6.25 hr exam Computer questions per section Stress on foundational concepts (“big ideas), content categories (topics/”facts”) and scientific inquiry & reasoning skills Knowledge of scientific concepts & principles including math & graphical representations Scientific reasoning & evidence-based problem solving Reasoning about design & execution of research Data-based and statistical reasoning Knowledge of scientific concepts & principles including math & graphical representations Scientific reasoning & evidence-based problem solving Reasoning about design & execution of research Data-based and statistical reasoning
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Grade: 0-15 Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Grade: 0-15 Question Distribution: Biochemistry 25% Biology 65% General Chemistry 5% Organic Chemistry 5% Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Grade: 0-15 Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Grade: 0-15 Question Distribution: Biochemistry 15% Biology 5% General Chemistry 30% Organic Chemistry 25% Physics 25%
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation Question Distribution: Introductory psychology 60% Introductory sociology 30% Biology 10% Question Distribution: Range of disciplines in social sciences & humanities No specific course work or antecedent knowledge necessary Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior Grade: 0-15 Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior Grade: 0-15 Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Grade: 0-15 Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Grade: 0-15
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation Biology Courses: Bio 11 (or Bio/Chem 8/9) Bio 13 (Genetics) Bio 12 (Cell Biology) Course with physiology content (Bio 14, Bio 2, others) Biochemistry (Bio 40 OR Chem 41) Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Grade: 0-15 Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Grade: 0-15
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Grade: 0-15 Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Grade: 0-15 Chemistry Courses Chem 5/6 OR Chem 10 (or Bio/Chem 8/9 for Chem 5) Chemistry 51/52 or 57/58 Physics Courses Physics 3/4 OR 13/14 OR 15/16 Statistics Math 10, Psych 10, Socy 10, Gov 10, Econ 10 or Bio 29
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation Psychology Course Psychology 1 Sociology Courses Sociology 1 or 2 (Introductory) Sociology 28 (Health Care Policy) Sociology 33 (Self & Society) Sociology (Health Disparities) (Sociology 68) (Global Health Systems) Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior Grade: 0-15 Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior Grade: 0-15
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation Writing 5 First Year Seminar “Practice reading” complex literature in humanities & social sciences Philosophy Logic Theory Historiography Anthropology Government (Policy) Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Grade: 0-15 Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Grade: 0-15
MCAT 2015 Exam: “Add-ons” Beyond Past Course Recommendations Biochemistry Psychology Sociology Statistics “Practice reading” complex literature in humanities & social sciences Note: Of 4 listed courses, Biochemistry a medical school admission requirement for ~25 schools at present (and will increase); statistics, psychology and sociology only required by a few at present, but may change
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation “Success” in Dartmouth courses are best preparation;, review necessary both of potential content AND for style & pace of the exam (practice tests) Can you learn some of these things outside of formal class? ?Self study vs formal prep course How will medical schools interpret my score on the MCAT 2015 exam?
MCAT 2015 Exam: Coming 2014: AAMC to release a full-length practice test 2014: Official Guide to MCAT 2015 to be released 2015: 2 nd full-length practice test to be released Last chance to take the “old exam” will be January, 2015
Available now: “Preview Guide for the MCAT 2015 Exam (Second Edition)” Videos describing the exam FAQ’s Resources for Students AAMCvideo: deo
Test Preparation for the New Exam By 2014: The Official Guide to MCAT 2015 Exam Free practice test By 2015: – One more practice test Additional Possibilities: Additional sets of items Question bank
Where is Help for Me? Health Professions Program Offices (walk-in; appts) with Sarah Berger or Lee Witters Undergraduate Deans Dean’s Office Student Consultants Faculty in Relevant Departments MCAT 2015 Preview Guide Would be helpful to have a model D-plan or two in hand before you have a conversation