Changing Health
Care Systems
Changing
Identity of
Health Care
Professional
Changing
Medical
School
Curricula
Changing Process
for Selection of
Medical Students
Elements of a Successful Application to Medical School
AAMC Holistic Review Project: https://aamc.org/initiatives/holisticreview
MCAT
Letters of
Evaluation
Courses
(GPA,
Science
GPA)
Extracurricular
Experiences
Personal &
Professional
Characteristics
Skills &
Abilities
Clinical Exposure
Altruistic Service
Scholarly Activity
(outside classroom)
Evaluating Beyond Grades,MCAT Scores and
Prior Experiences in Health
Skills & Abilities
• Active listener
• Problem solver
• Communicator
(oral, written)
• Critical thinker
• Multilingual
Personal & Professional Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Resiliency
Integrity/Judgment
Adaptability
Reliability/Dependability
Persistence
Motivation
Intellectual curiosity
Empathy
Altruistic service
Current MCAT Exam: Format
Biological
Sciences
(Biology,
Organic
Chemistry)
Grade: 0-15
Verbal
Reasoning
Grade: 0-15
• 5.25 hr exam
• Computer
• BS/PS/VR: 70
min each with
52/52/40
questions
• WS: 60 min; 2
questions
Physical
Sciences
(General
Chemistry,
Physics)
Grade: 0-15
Writing
Sample
Grade: J-T
The MCAT2015 Timeline
New exam goes
live in Spring
Prep materials available
MCAT2015 Preview Guide
Available
Last dates for current
exam
More prep
materials released
2015
2013
2014
Jan
2015
Spring
2015
Fall
2016
First Med School Class selected
with new MCAT Exam
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
MCAT2015 Exam
Chemical & Physical
Foundations of Biological Systems
Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills
# of Test
Questions
Testing Time
(minutes)
65
95
60
90
65
95
65
95
Lunch Break
Biological & Biochemical
Foundations of Living Systems
Psychological, Social, & Biological
Foundations of Behavior
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
Psychological,
Social and
Biological
Foundations
of Behavior
Grade: 0-15
• 6.25 hr exam
• Computer
• 60-65 questions
per section
• Stress on
foundational
concepts (“big
ideas), content
categories
(topics/”facts”)
and scientific
inquiry &
reasoning skills
Chemical &
Physical
Foundations
of Biological
Systems
Grade: 0-15
Critical
Analysis and
Reasoning
Skills
Grade: 0-15
MCAT 2015 Exam: Format
• 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
• 6.25 hr exam
• Computer
• 60-65 questions
per section
• Stress on
foundational
concepts (“big
ideas), content
categories
(topics/”facts”)
and scientific
inquiry &
reasoning skills
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation
Biological &
Biochemical
Foundations
of Living
Systems
Question Distribution:
Biochemistry 25%
Biology 65%
General Chemistry 5%
Organic Chemistry 5%
•
•
•
•
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
Psychological,
Social and
Biological
Foundations
of Behavior
Question Distribution:
Introductory psychology
60%
Introductory sociology 30%
Biology 10%
•
•
•
Grade: 0-15
Critical
Analysis and
Reasoning
Skills
Grade: 0-15
Question Distribution:
•
•
Range of disciplines in social
sciences & humanities
No specific course work or
antecedent knowledge
necessary
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation
Biological &
Biochemical
Foundations
of Living
Systems
Grade: 0-15
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)
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation
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
Psychological,
Social and
Biological
Foundations
of Behavior
Grade: 0-15
Sociology Courses
• Sociology 1 or 2 (Introductory)
• Sociology 28 (Health Care
Policy)
• Sociology 33 (Self & Society)
• Sociology 49.10 (Health
Disparities)
• (Sociology 68) (Global Health
Systems)
MCAT 2015 Exam: Preparation
Critical
Analysis and
Reasoning
Skills
Grade: 0-15
• Writing 5
• First Year Seminar
• “Practice reading” complex
literature in humanities & social
sciences
• Philosophy
• Logic
• Theory
• Historiography
• Anthropology
• Government (Policy)
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 MCAT2015 to be
released
• 2015: 2nd full-length practice test to be
released
• Last chance to take the “old exam” will be
January, 2015
Resources for Students
• Available now:
• “Preview Guide for the
MCAT2015 Exam
(Second Edition)”
• Videos describing the
exam
• FAQ’s
•
AAMCvideo:
• www.youtube.com/user/AAMCvi
deo
www.aamc.org/mcat2015
Test Preparation for
the New Exam
• By 2014:
• The Official Guide to
MCAT2015 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