The SFFP Report
Effect on the MCAT and Medical
School Admission
Henry Sondheimer, MD
Senior Director, Medical Education Projects
July 30, 2012
Agenda
•
•
•
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How we got to MCAT2015
Components of the new test
Competency Based Admissions
Pre-requisites in the interim
Transforming Admissions
• Transforming
admissions to keep
pace with changes in
science and medical
education
• Preparing a physician
workforce to improve
the health of all
Blue-ribbon Panel Reports
Scientific
Foundations for
Future
Physicians
Report (2009)
Roadmap to Diversity:
Integrating Holistic
Review Practices (2010)
Behavioral
and Social
Science
Foundations
for Future
Physicians
(2011)
SFFP Entering Competencies
1. Apply quantitative reasoning and appropriate
mathematics to describe or explain
phenomena in the natural world.
2. Demonstrate understanding of the process of
scientific inquiry, and explain how scientific
knowledge is discovered and validated.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of basic physical
principles and their applications to the
understanding of living systems.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of basic principles of
chemistry and some of their applications to the
understanding of living systems.
5
SFFP Entering Competencies
5. Demonstrate knowledge of how biomolecules
contribute to the structure and function of cells.
6. Apply understanding of principles of how
molecular and cell assemblies, organs, and
organisms develop structure and carry out
function.
7. Explain how organisms sense and control their
internal environment and how they respond to
external change.
8. Demonstrate and understanding of how the
organizing principle of evolution by natural
selection explains the diversity of live on earth.
6
Evidence Base for MCAT2015
Fact-finding efforts:
• Blue-ribbon panels
• Holistic Review Project
Advisory Committee
• Over 90 Outreach
events
• Over 2700 completed Behavioral
surveys
and Social
Science
Foundations
for Future
Physicians
Roadmap to
Diversity:
Integrating
Holistic
Review
Practices
Scientific
Foundations
for Future
Physicians
Report
5.0
4.5
Mean Rating
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
8
4.12
3.34
2.26
4.27
3.12
4.47
3.07
4.19
2.96
2.91
2.77
1.82
1.8
2.14
1.54
4.5
4.33
1.65
4.3
4.01
I
2.7
1.67
2.59
1.97
Combining Skills and Concepts
Foundational Concept 1
Content
Category
1A
Content
Category
1B
Content
Category
1C
Foundational Concept 2
Content
Category
2A
Content
Category
2B
Content
Category
2C
Skill 1
Skill 2
Skill 3
Skill 4
• 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 content and skills
9
MCAT2015 – 4 Sections, 4 Scores
10
Biological &
Biochemical
Foundations of
Living Systems
Chemical & Physical
Foundations of
Biological Systems
Psychological,
Social, & Biological
Foundations of
Behavior
Critical Analysis &
Reasoning Skills
Biological &
Biochemical
Foundations of
Living Systems
Concept 1
• Biomolecules have
unique properties that
determine how they
contribute to the
structure and function of
cells, and how they
participate in the
processes necessary to
maintain life.
11
Concept 2
• Highly-organized
assemblies of
molecules, cells, and
organs interact to carry
out the functions of
living organisms.
Concept 3
• Complex systems of
tissues and organs
sense the internal and
external environments
of multi-cellular
organisms, and through
integrated functioning,
maintain a stable
internal environment
within an ever-changing
external environment.
Biological &
Biochemical
Foundations of
Living Systems
Foundational Concept 2
• Highly-organized assemblies of molecules, cells,
and organs interact to carry out the functions of
living organisms.
12
Chemical & Physical
Foundations of
Biological Systems
Concept 4
• Complex living organisms
transport materials, sense
their environment, process
signals, and respond to
changes using processes
that can be understood in
terms of physical principles.
13
Concept 5
• The principles that govern
chemical interactions and
reactions form the basis for
a broader understanding of
the molecular dynamics of
living systems.
Chemical & Physical
Foundations of
Biological Systems
Concept 4
• Complex living organisms transport materials,
sense their environment, process signals, and
respond to changes using processes that can
be understood in terms of physical principles.
14
Psychological,
Social, & Biological
Foundations of
Behavior
Concept 6
Concept 7
Concept 8
• Biological,
psychological,
and sociocultural factors
influence the
ways that
individuals
perceive, think
about, and
react to the
world.
• Biological,
psychological,
and sociocultural factors
influence
behavior and
behavior
change.
• Psychological,
socio-cultural,
and biological
factors
influence the
way we think
about
ourselves and
others.
15
Concept 9
• Cultural and
social
differences
influence wellbeing.
Concept 10
• Social
stratification
and access to
resources
influence wellbeing.
Psychological,
Social, & Biological
Foundations of
Behavior
Concept 7
• Biological, psychological, and socio-cultural
factors influence behavior and behavior change.
16
Critical Analysis &
Reasoning Skills
Asks examinees to critically analyze, evaluate,
and apply information presented in passages from
humanities & social sciences, including:
• Ethics
• Philosophy
• Population health
• Cross-cultural studies
Specific disciplinary knowledge not needed
17
Testing and Course Completion
Some examinees test for the first time as juniors,
some as seniors, and some later:
• Juniors 41%
• Seniors 27%
• Later
27%
Before testing, many examinees complete
biochemistry, psychology or sociology:
• Biochemistry
63%
• Introductory psychology 65%
• Introductory sociology
32%
18
Applying to Medical School
Some apply after junior year, some after senior
year, and some while in post-bac or grad school:
• As college seniors
37%
• During gap year
44%
• Post-bac or grad school 19%
Many medical schools require or recommend
biochemistry or a behavioral or social science
course:
• 83% biochemistry
• 53% behavioral or social science
19
Where we are headedCompetency Based Admissions
Competency-Based Admissions
• Competency-Based Admissions (CBA) is an
approach to admissions that employs
processes intended to determine each
applicant’s ability to demonstrate a core set of
entry-level competencies needed to succeed
in medical school, residency and in practice.
• This core set of entry-level competencies
includes both:
• Interpersonal and intrapersonal
competencies
• Academic competencies
COA-Endorsed Personal
Competencies
Category
Competencies
Interpersonal
•Service orientation
•Social and interpersonal
•Cultural competence
•Team work
•Oral communication
Intrapersonal
•Integrity and Ethics
•Reliability and dependability
•Resilience and adaptability
•Capacity for improvement
The Prerequisite Landscape
During the Transition to the 2016
Entering Class Application Cycle
What are medical schools doing?
• 75% of schools that responded to a survey
indicated a willingness to create less-restrictive
pathways.
• 43% of respondents answered “No” or
“Sometimes” to the question:
“If an applicant does not meet your school's
premedical course requirements, are they
excluded from the applicant pool?”
• How schools create and show their flexibility will
likely vary from school to school.
Schools with no required courses
• Hofstra North Shore—LIJ School of Medicine
• Medical University of South Carolina
• Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine
at the University of Pennsylvania
• Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
• University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
• University of Virginia School of Medicine
Southern Illinois University
Hofstra – Northshore LIJ
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania:
Guidance to Applicants
English/Communications
Competence in writing, speaking, and
reading the English language
Biology
Understanding of the basic biological
principles shared by all living organisms
Chemistry
Understanding of the core principles of
physical, inorganic, and organic
chemistry
Physics and Mathematics
Firm foundation in mathematics and
physical science on which the medical
science…can be based
Other
Acquisition of an education that leads to
continuous, lifelong learning
http://www.med.upenn.edu/admiss/admissions1.html
Other Current Models of
Flexibility
• Schools that don’t require organic chemistry:
• University of Minnesota Medical School
• Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
• Schools that don’t require inorganic chemistry:
• Central Michigan University College of Medicine
• University of Rochester School of Medicine and
Dentistry
• Northeast Ohio Medical University
• Schools with parallel pathways:
• Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School: Changing
course requirements
“Interdisciplinary courses that break down the
barriers among, demonstrate complementary
concepts of, and highlight collective wisdom in
biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics are
encouraged.”
http://hms.harvard.edu/content/requirements-admission
Next steps
• The AAMC is recommending that medical
schools reassess their current prerequisite
course requirements with a focus on creating
the least-restrictive pathway for applicants.