MCAT - cwru-osr.weebly.comcwru-osr.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/7/0/11703893/changes_to_the_mcat.… · MCAT 2015 – Tomorrow What has happened since the recommendations were approved

MCAT ® is a program of the Association of American Medical Colleges

MCAT

Today and Tomorrow

Dana Dunleavy, Ph.D.

Association of American Medical Colleges Dawn Zhao, Ph.D. Association of American Medical Colleges SGSA/CGSA 2012 March 2012

Agenda MCAT Today – • Test Administration • Test Prep • Research • Questions

MCAT Tomorrow – • What informed the recommendations? • Overview of MCAT2015

• What has happened since the recommendations were approved and what resources are available

• Spreading the Word • Questions

MCAT – Today

Test Administration

Test Administration: 2011 Testing Summary 28 administrations

97,589 registrations • 6% no-show rate

91,624 tests administered • 6% void rate

85,754 scores released to medical schools

75, 313 unique examinees • 86% - 1 attempt • 13% - 2 attempts • 1% - 3 attempts

MCAT Accommodations • 35% increase in accommodations applications approved in 2011 • < .5% testers with accommodations • Most commonly provided accommodations include: Extra testing time

• Time-and-a-quarter • Time-and-a-half • Double-time • Extra Breaks

Separate testing rooms • Specifically for disability • To allow other accommodations, such as food and

drink

Numbers of 2011 examinees varied by race/ethnicity

Group 2010 2011 Percent Increase

American Indian and Alaskan Native 857 897 5%

Asian 16,574 17,760 7%

Black or African American 6,185 6,654 8%

Hispanic or Latino 5,632 6,446 14%

White 32,640 34,025 4%

Total 61,888 65,782 6%

2012 Registrations as of March 23 January

• 7,214 examinees tested • 6,791 scores released • 3% increase from 2011

March – September registrations • 10% increase from 2011 • By the time we close the testing year,

% increase won’t be as high

Security continues to be a top priority • Examinee Agreement • Open letter to examinees • Monitor student blogs • Upgraded all test centers from VCR to DVR • Wand all examinees before entering testing room • Investigate all reports of testing irregularities or registration violations • Pursue criminal and civil action to protect the integrity of the MCAT exam.

Changes to the MCAT exam in 2013 • To support the development of new test

content, the AAMC will begin administering a voluntary, un-scored trial section at the end of the current exam beginning in January 2013

• Examinees who volunteer to participate and put forth a good faith effort, will be compensated

• To prevent an increase in the length of the testing day, the AAMC will stop administering the Writing Sample at that time

• Admissions officers will continue to receive Writing Sample scores from 2012

MCAT – Today

Test Prep

Low-cost Test Preparation Resources from AAMC: • Free web resources • The Official Guide to the MCAT® Exam • MCAT Practice Tests • The Official MCAT ® Self-Assessment Package

Fee Assistance Program (FAP) • For families at or

below 300% of poverty level (subject to change)

• Application released in January each year

• Online application

2012 Benefits: • Fee reduction for MCAT

$85 • AMCAS

14 free applications • Free copy of

The Official Guide to the MCAT Exam and MSAR®

www.aamc.org/fap

MCAT Preparation

Online Practice Tests www.e-mcat.com

• real MCAT questions • mirrors actual test • practice test 3 free to all • $35 each for other tests

The Official Guide www.aamc.org/officialmcatguide

• MCAT basics in one place • data on scores & retesting • 140 unique questions • $30

Bulk order discounts? Call (202) 828-0416

New for Spring 2012 The Official MCAT® Self-Assessment Package Analyze your MCAT knowledge

Identify strengths and weaknesses in MCAT topics to guide test preparation

Compares individual performance to other MCAT examinees

• $104 for all 3 sections • Purchase individually Biological and Physical Sciences - $45 each Verbal Reasoning - $40

www.aamc.org/mcatsap

Data to Support Individualized Prep The Official MCAT® Self-Assessment Package

•Detailed analysis by: • Exam section • Content category within a section • Self-rated confidence pre & post test • Items self-identified as “guessed” • Cognitive skills tested • Item difficulty and type (discrete or passage-based)

Practice Test Data to Track Progress •Baseline test, before preparation begins • Follow-up tests, to track improvements

MCAT – Today

Development and Research

How did MCAT Total scores from 2010 and 2011 examinees compare?

17

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 45

Perc

enta

ge

Total Score

2010 (Mean=25.0)

2011 (Mean=25.1)

MCAT total Scores by Sex, Race and Ethnicity for 2008-2010 Examinees

What’s new? Updated the Using MCAT Data in Medical Student Selection document • Added grids describing how MCAT predicts

different outcomes Materials will be added to the Admissions Officers’ website by April 30th • Data (grids) describing how MCAT predicts a

large group of outcomes by racial and ethnic group are available online only

Do you have any feedback about the Using MCAT Data in Medical Student Selection document? • Do you like what we added? • What other outcomes are of interest? • What other information would be useful to

include in the document for you or your admission committee?

Please e-mail your comments to: [email protected]

What’s coming up? Academic Medicine cluster Preparing for MCAT2015

• Item development

• Score reporting(June PDC meeting) • Validity Study Service

Questions

MCAT2015 – Tomorrow


What informed the recommendations?

Recommendations for MCAT2015

• 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.

Recommendations were based on • Input from blue ribbon and advising panels • Feedback from participants at over 90 outreach

events • Data from over 2700 survey respondents

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

Enriches Exam By Testing: • Competencies in Scientific Foundations of

Future Physicians Report (SFFP) • Scientific inquiry, reasoning, research methods

and statistics skills • Concepts in social and behavioral sciences that

provide a foundation for learning in medical school about the behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health


Overview of MCAT2015

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



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.



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.



Exam content in these sections typically taught in: • Introductory biology • Introductory general chemistry • Introductory organic chemistry • First semester biochemistry





Biological Systems








Biological Systems






Concept 6

• Biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors influence the ways that individuals perceive, think about, and react to the world.

Concept 7

• Biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors influence behavior and behavior change.

Concept 8

• Psychological, socio-cultural, and biological factors influence the way we think about ourselves and others.

Concept 9

• Cultural and social differences influence well-being.

Concept 10

• Social stratification and access to resources influence well-being.



Exam content in this section typically taught in: • Introductory psychology • Introductory sociology • Introductory biology

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

Combining SIRS & Concepts

Foundational Concept 1 Foundational Concept 2 Content

Category 1A

Content Category

1B

Content Category

1C

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 Systems





What has happened since the recommendations were approved and what resources are available

What happened after the Board of Directors approved the exam? • Press release and press conference, Twitter

conversation, announcement to over 4,000 participants in the MR5 listserv, posted to and was shared on AAMC’s Facebook

• Stories in 47 national regional papers and trade papers and journals, 85 campus papers, and on NPR

• Held 7 content specific webinars for pre-health advisors and baccalaureate faculty

What resources are already available?

• Detailed descriptions of test blueprints

- Topic and subtopic lists levels at which they are tested

- Skill descriptions

• Over 75 example questions and answers

www.aamc.org/mcat2015

Videos: Webinars:

What else is or will be available?

Coming Soon!

Other Resources for Students By 2014 committed to: • One 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)

Other support for Pre-health advisors and faculty Prehealth iCollaborative • Searchable online repository of free

recommended content • Available summer 2012

Contact : Jen Page [email protected]

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

Focus On Outreach • AAMC is committed to ensuring that

EVERYONE is aware of changes to MCAT

• MR5 official recommendations call for special attention to: • the needs of educationally-disadvantaged

students • faculty at under-resourced institutions

With help from:

• MR5 committee members • Diversity affairs officers • Medical school admissions • Pre-health advisors

Committee Focused on Outreach

Reaching out to:

• Community colleges • Under-resourced institutions • Regional groups • Students

Can You Help With Outreach? Boots-on-the-Ground Campaign: Together we CAN reach everyone!

Join us! • Presentation materials

ready to go • Watch & learn • Speak to a local group of

your choice • Volunteer to fulfill a request

for presentation Questions? [email protected]

Spreading the Word: Please ask us for: • Video and publication links • Slide decks with talking notes • Handouts • Step-by-step instructions

We’d love to help!

Questions

©

Documents

MCAT - cwru-osr.weebly.comcwru-osr.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/7/0/11703893/changes_to_the_mcat.… · MCAT 2015 – Tomorrow What has happened since the recommendations were approved