MCAT2015
The Basics
www.aamc.org/mcat2015
MCAT ® is a program of the
Association of American Medical Colleges
Agenda
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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
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.
Transforming Medical
School Admissions
Improving the holistic review of students….
Academic Competencies
• Courses completed
• Undergraduate grades
• MCAT Scores
Personal Competencies
• Personal statements
• Letters of
recommendation
• Reflections on
experiences
• Interviews
• More tools to come
Transforming Medical
School Admissions
Improving the holistic review of students….
Academic Competencies
Personal Competencies
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
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
How is MCAT Keeping Pace
With Medicine?
• Formed MR5 Committee
in 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
Roadmap to
Diversity:
Integrating
Holistic
Review
Practices
Scientific
Foundations
of Future
Physicians
Report
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.
MR5 Final Recommendations
• 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).
Partnering For Students
MCAT is committed to providing:
• Resources to help student prepare.
• A good testing experience.
Before moving on…
ANY QUESTIONS?
Overview of MCAT2015
Final recommendations:
Approval by AAMC
Board of Directors
anticipated
February 2012
Administer new exam:
Spring 2015
www.aamc.org/mcat2015
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.
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
MCAT2015 – 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
current
MCAT
Biological
Sciences
Physical
Sciences
# of Test
Items
52
52
Testing
Time
(minutes)
# of Test
Items
Testing
Time
(minutes)
70
Biological &
Biochemical
Foundations of
Living Systems
65
95
70
Chemical &
Physical
Foundations of
Biological
Systems
65
95
MCAT2015
Lunch Break
Verbal
Reasoning
Writing
Sample
Total Content
Time
40
2 Essays
60
Critical Analysis &
Reasoning Skills
60
90
60
Psychological,
Social, &
Biological
Foundations of
Behavior
65
95
4 hours,
20 min
Total Content
Time
6 hours,
15 min
MCAT2015
Who will take the new exam?
Final
recommendations
New exam
goes live in
spring
Prep materials
available
Last dates for
current exam
Anticipated BOD
approval
More prep
materials released
2015
November
2011
Feb.
2012
Sept
2012
Spring
2014
2012 entering freshman
take 2015 MCAT as Juniors
Jan
2015
Spring
2015
Fall
2016
First Med School Class
selected with new MCAT
Before moving on…
ANY QUESTIONS?
MCAT2015 – 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
Scientific Inquiry &
Reasoning Skills (SIRS)
Knowledge of Scientific Concepts & Principles
Scientific Reasoning & Evidence-based
Problem Solving
Reasoning About the Design
and Execution of Research
Data-based and Statistical Reasoning
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.
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.
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 multicellular
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.
Combining SIRS & 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 knowledge and skills.
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
MCAT2015 – 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
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.
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.
Concept 5
• The principles that govern
chemical interactions and
reactions form the basis for
a broader understanding of
the molecular dynamics of
living systems.
Combining SIRS & 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 knowledge and skills.
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
MCAT2015 – 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
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.
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.
Concept 9
• Cultural and
social
differences
influence wellbeing.
Concept 10
• Social
stratification
and access to
resources
influence wellbeing.
Combining SIRS & 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 knowledge and skills.
Psychological,
Social, & Biological
Foundations of
Behavior
Exam content in this section typically taught in:
• Introductory psychology
• Introductory sociology
• Introductory biology
MCAT2015 – 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
Critical Analysis &
Reasoning Skills
What it tests?
This section asks you to critically analyze, evaluate,
and apply information presented in a passage.
Critical Analysis &
Reasoning Skills
Skills tested:
Comprehension
Evaluation
Application
Incorporation of
Information
Critical Analysis &
Reasoning Skills
Passages from humanities & social sciences:
• Ethics
• Cross-cultural studies
• Philosophy
• Population health
*Specific knowledge of these disciplines is not
required for this section
Using Preview Guide
Have you already looked at
the preview guide in detail?
www.aamc.org/mcat2015
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
Using Preview Guide
•
•
Shows combination of concepts tested
and Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning
Skills (SIRS)
Sample items demonstrate how this
works
Using Science Discipline
Information
•
•
Section outlines include
notes on disciplines
Science discipline
information used to
indicate:
 level of knowledge
required
of a topic
 courses topic
typically taught
www.aamc.org/mcat2015
Example of Science Disciplines
Before moving on…
ANY QUESTIONS?
Answer to Burning Questions
Don’t have all the
answers right now….
Promise to share what
we know
and
provide timelines for
answers.
Why Is the Test So Long?
# of Test
Items*
Testing
Time
(minutes)
Biological &
Biochemical
Foundations of
Living Systems
65
95
Chemical &
Physical
Foundations of
Biological
Systems
65
95
MCAT2015
Lunch Break
Critical Analysis &
Reasoning Skills
60
90
Psychological,
Social, &
Biological
Foundations of
Behavior
65
95
*approximate
6 hours,
15 min
Total Content
Time
• Test questions have
been added to
increase the accuracy
of individual section
scores
• One break has been
lengthened to allow
examinees time to
eat.
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
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
What Courses Do Students Need?
• Depends on your school
• Providing information in the
Preview Guide to assist
Support for Curriculum Change?
Prehealth iCollaborative
• Searchable online repository of free
recommended content
• Available summer 2012
Contact :
Jen Page
jpage@aamc.org
Resources to Prepare Students?
By 2014 committed to:
• Free practice test
• The Official Guide to
MCAT2015
By 2015 committed to:
• One more practice test
Additional Possibilities:
• Improved content outlines
• Additional sets of practice
items
• Self-assessment package
like one planned for
current MCAT
(some sections, not all)
Financial Support For Students?
• Fee Assistance Program will continue
• Continue free test prep resources
• Free Summer Medical and Dental Education
Program continues
• Considering additional support
More info at:
www.aamc.org/fap
www.smdep.org
Other Burning Questions?
We’ll share the answers
we have!
Spreading the Word
Can you help?
• Share information with
your students
• Reaching out to
advisors who aren’t
here
• Reaching students
without advisors
Ideas?
mcat2015@aamc.org
• Boots on the ground
MCAT2015 Videos
For students:
For faculty, advisors and
others:
For easy sharing visit us on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/user/AAMCvideo
Thanks!
www.aamc.org/mcat2015