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MCAT 2015 The Basics aamc/mcat2015

MCAT 2015 The Basics www.aamc.org/mcat2015 . Agenda. How is MCAT keeping pace with medicine? Timeline for the new MCAT exam Overview of MCAT 2015 Understanding the Four Sections Using the Preview Guide for the MCAT 2015 Answers to Burning Questions Spreading the Word. Thank You!.

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MCAT 2015 The Basics aamc/mcat2015

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  1. MCAT2015 The Basics www.aamc.org/mcat2015

  2. Agenda • How is MCAT keeping pace with medicine? • Timeline for the new MCAT exam • Overview of MCAT2015 • Understanding the Four Sections • Using the Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 • Answers to Burning Questions • Spreading the Word

  3. Thank You! • The MCAT means change for all of us. • Planting seeds for a physician workforce to improve the health of all. • Transforming admissions to keep pace with healthcare.

  4. Transforming Medical School Admissions • Academic Competencies • Courses completed • Undergraduate grades • MCAT Scores • Personal Competencies • Personal statements • Letters of recommendation • Reflections on experiences • Interviews • More tools to come • Improving the holistic review of students….

  5. Transforming Medical School Admissions • Academic Competencies • Personal Competencies • Improving the holistic review of students…. Learn more: • Analysis in Brief for September 2011 • Medical School Admissions: More than Grades and Test Scores • https://www.aamc.org/download/261106/data/aibvol11_no6.pdf

  6. How is MCAT Keeping Pace With Medicine? • Periodic reviews to ensure measure of most important academic competencies in most capable ways • Competencies required in medical school are shifting • 5th review of the MCAT since 1928 • Previous review 1991 • New version in place through 2030

  7. How is MCAT Keeping Pace With Medicine? Roadmap to Diversity: Integrating Holistic Review Practices • Formed MR5 Committeein 2008 • Fact-finding efforts: • Blue-ribbon panels • Holistic Review Project Advisory Committee • Innovation lab • Large-scale surveys Behavioral and Social Science Foundations for Future Physicians Scientific Foundations of Future Physicians Report

  8. MR5 Final Recommendations • Preserve what works best. • Eliminate what doesn’t. • Enrich with concepts that future physicians are likely to need. • Use testing format that has proven successful.

  9. MR5 Final Recommendations Ask AAMC to… • Provide resources to help prepare for the new exam. • Develop new admissions tools to measure personal competencies important to medical school success (integrity, service orientation, etc).

  10. Partnering For Students • MCAT is committed to providing: • Resources to help student prepare. • A good testing experience.

  11. Before moving on… Any questions?

  12. Overview of MCAT2015 Final recommendations: Approval by AAMC Board of Directors anticipated February 2012 Administer new exam: Spring 2015 www.aamc.org/mcat2015

  13. MCAT2015 Enriches Exam By Testing: • Competencies in Scientific Foundations of Future Physicians Report (SFFP) • Scientific inquiry, reasoning, research methods and statistics skills • Foundational concepts in social and behavioral sciences.

  14. MCAT2015 • Preserves Testing Of: • Natural sciences concepts medical school faculty want entrants to know • Critical analysis and reasoning skills needed for success in medical school • Eliminates: • Under-utilized writing sample section in 2013

  15. MCAT2015 – 4 Sections, 4 Scores

  16. MCAT2015 Who will take the new exam? New exam goes live in spring Final recommendations Prep materials available Last dates for current exam Anticipated BOD approval More prep materials released Fall2016 Sept2012 Spring2014 Jan2015 Spring2015 Feb. 2012 November 2011 2015 First Med School Class selected with new MCAT 2012 entering freshman take 2015 MCAT as Juniors

  17. Before moving on… Any questions?

  18. MCAT2015 – 4 Sections, 4 Scores

  19. Scientific Inquiry &Reasoning Skills (SIRS)

  20. Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems What it tests? Combine knowledge of foundational concepts in the biological and biochemical sciences with your scientific inquiry, reasoning, and research and statistics skills to solve problems that demonstrate readiness for medical school.

  21. Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

  22. Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

  23. Combining SIRS & Concepts • Each cell represents the point at which foundational concepts, content categories, and scientific inquiry and reasoning skills cross. • Test questions are written at the intersections of the knowledge and skills.

  24. Biological & Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems • Exam content in this section typically taught in: • Introductory biology • Introductory general chemistry • Introductory organic chemistry • First semester biochemistry

  25. MCAT2015 – 4 Sections, 4 Scores

  26. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems What it tests? Combine your knowledge of foundational concepts in the chemical and physical sciences with your scientific inquiry, reasoning, and research and statistics skills to solve problems that demonstrate readiness for medical school.

  27. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

  28. Combining SIRS & Concepts • Each cell represents the point at which foundational concepts, content categories, and scientific inquiry and reasoning skills cross. • Test questions are written at the intersections of the knowledge and skills.

  29. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Exam content in this section typically taught in: • Introductory biology • Introductory general chemistry • Introductory organic chemistry • Introductory physics • First semester biochemistry

  30. MCAT2015 – 4 Sections, 4 Scores

  31. Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior What it tests? Knowledge and use of the concepts in psychology, sociology, biology, research methods, and statistics that provide a solid foundation for learning in medical school about the behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health and health outcomes.

  32. Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior

  33. Combining SIRS & Concepts • Each cell represents the point at which foundational concepts, content categories, and scientific inquiry and reasoning skills cross. • Test questions are written at the intersections of the knowledge and skills.

  34. Psychological, Social, & Biological Foundations of Behavior • Exam content in this section typically taught in: • Introductory psychology • Introductory sociology • Introductory biology

  35. MCAT2015 – 4 Sections, 4 Scores

  36. Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills What it tests? This section asks you to critically analyze, evaluate, and apply information presented in a passage.

  37. Skills tested: Incorporation of Information • Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills Comprehension Application Evaluation

  38. Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills Passages from humanities & social sciences: • Ethics • Philosophy • Cross-cultural studies • Population health *Specific knowledge of these disciplines is not required for this section

  39. Using Preview Guide Have you already looked at the preview guide in detail? www.aamc.org/mcat2015

  40. Using Preview Guide • Remember – NOT final • Details of all sections • SIRS • Foundational Concepts for each section • Detailed outlines of finer level of concepts and sub-topics • Sample items with answers www.aamc.org/mcat2015

  41. Using Preview Guide • Shows combination of concepts tested and Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skills (SIRS) • Sample items demonstrate how this works

  42. Using Science Discipline Information • Section outlines include notes on disciplines • Science discipline information used to indicate: • level of knowledge requiredof a topic • courses topic typically taught www.aamc.org/mcat2015

  43. Example of Science Disciplines

  44. Before moving on… Any questions?

  45. Answer to Burning Questions • Don’t have all the answers right now…. • Promise to share what we know • and • provide timelines for answers.

  46. Why Is the Test So Long? • Test questions have been added to increase the accuracy of individual section scores • One break has been lengthened to allow examinees time to eat.

  47. How does a longer test impact test administration? • We’re not sure yet. • Will share info as soon as we know. • Possible changes: • only administer one test per day • Small bump in testing fees for a longer test

  48. Will Medical Schools Accept Scores From Previous Version? • Issue under consideration • Input from: • MR5 Committee • Holistic Review Project Advisory Committee • Committee on Admissions • MCAT Technical Advisory Committee • Timeline: • Goal to have a decision by Spring 2012

  49. What Courses Do Students Need? • Depends on your school • Providing information in the Preview Guide to assist

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