MCAT 2015

Stephanie Myers Premed advisor for Chemistry & Physics

Why change?

 The current MCAT version has been used for 24 years.

 It’s time for a review  It should reflect the current practice of medicine  Changes based on interviews with /surveys from  Medical school faculty  College (BS) school faculty  Medical students and residents

What’s on the new exam?

https://www.aamc.org/students/services/343550/mcat2015.html

MCAT2015 Test Sections

Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skills

Knowledge of scientific concepts & principles Scientific reasoning and problem solving Reasoning about the design and execution of research Data-based and statistical reasoning

Overarching skills

 Skill 1: Knowledge of Scientific Principles  Skill 2: Scientific Reasoning and Problem Solving  Skill 3: Reasoning about the design and execution of research  Skill 4: data based and statistical reasoning  General mathematical concepts and techniques

Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

 59 items, 95 minutes  This section asks you to combine your 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.

 Understanding the processes unique to living organisms, such as growing and reproducing, maintaining a constant internal environment, acquiring materials and energy, sensing and responding to environmental changes, and adapting, is important to the study of medicine. You will be tested on your knowledge of how cells and organ systems within an organism act both independently and in concert to accomplish these processes, as well as your ability to reason about these processes at various levels of biological organization within a living system.

Foundational Concepts—Biological Sciences

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Foundational 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.

Foundational Concept 2

Highly-organized assemblies of molecules, cells, and organs interact to carry out the functions of living organisms.

Foundational 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.

   Discipline:   First-semester biochemistry, 25% Introductory biology, 65%  General chemistry, 5%  Organic chemistry, 5% Foundational Concept:  Foundational Concept 1, 55%  Foundational Concept 2, 20%  Foundational Concept 3, 25% Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skill:  Skill 1, 35%  Skill 2, 45%  Skill 3, 10%  Skill 4, 10%

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

 59 items, 95 minutes  This section asks you to 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.

 Understanding the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of tissues, organs, and organ systems is important to the study of medicine. You will be tested on your knowledge of the basic chemical and physical principles that underlie the mechanisms operating in the human body, and your ability to apply an understanding of these general principles to living systems.

Foundational Concepts—Physical Sciences

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Foundational 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.

Foundational Concept 5

The principles that govern chemical interactions and reactions form the basis for a broader understanding of the molecular dynamics of living systems

   Discipline:   First-semester biochemistry, 25% Introductory biology, 5%  General chemistry, 30%  Organic chemistry, 15%  Introductory physics, 25% Foundational Concept:  Foundational Concept 4, 40%  Foundational Concept 5, 60% Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skill:  Skill 1, 35%  Skill 2, 45%  Skill 3, 10%  Skill 4, 10%

Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior

 59 items, 95 minutes  This section tests your 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.

 Understanding the behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health is important to the study of medicine. You will be tested on your knowledge of the ways in which psychological, social, and biological factors influence perceptions and reactions to the world; behavior, and behavior change; what people think about themselves and others; the cultural and social differences that influence well-being; and the relationships between social stratification, access to resources, and well-being.

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Foundational concepts—Social Sciences

Foundational Concept 6

Biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors influence the ways that individuals perceive, think about, and react to the world.

Foundational Concept 7

Biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors influence behavior and behavior change

Foundational Concept 8

Psychological, sociocultural, and biological factors influence the way we think about ourselves and others, as well as how we interact with others.

Foundational Concept 9

Cultural and social differences influence well-being.

Foundational Concept 10

Social stratification and access to resources influence well-being

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Discipline:*

Introductory psychology, 65% ** Introductory sociology, 30% Introductory biology, 5%      Foundational Concept:Foundational Concept 6, 25% Foundational Concept 7, 35% Foundational Concept 8, 20% Foundational Concept 9, 15% Foundational Concept 10, 5%     Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skill:Skill 1, 35% Skill 2, 45% Skill 3, 10% Skill 4, 10%

Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

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Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

53 items, 90 minutes  This section asks you to critically analyze information from a wide range of social sciences and humanities disciplines. Specific knowledge of these disciplines is not required for this section; all of the information you will need appears in the passages provided. Among the areas from which content is drawn are ethics and philosophy, cultural studies, and population health.

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Foundational Concepts—Critical Analysis

Skill 1: Foundations of Comprehension

• Understanding the basic components of the text.

• Inferring meaning from rhetorical devices, word choice, and text structure.

Skill 2: Reasoning Within the Text

• Integrating different components of the text to increase comprehension

Skill 3: Reasoning Beyond the Text

• Applying or extrapolating ideas from the passage to new contexts.

• Assessing the impact of introducing new factors, information, or conditions to ideas from the passage.

Passage Types

Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills passages come from a variety of humanities and social sciences disciplines.

Comparison of Current vs. MCAT2015 Exam

Current Exam

X Tests biology, physics, general and organic chemistry Tests biochemistry, psychology, sociology Tests problem solving with multiple disciplines Tests analytical reasoning Tests analytical reasoning with an increased emphasis on population health, health disparities, ethics, and philosophy Increases emphasis on scientific problem solving and data-based reasoning Balances testing competencies in the natural, behavioral and social sciences X

New Exam

X X X X X X X 18

MCAT2015 Concepts

At many colleges in introductory:     Biology General Chemistry Organic Chemistry Physics And concepts from:   First-semester biochemistry First-semester psychology and sociology Research methods and statistics concepts used in introductory science labs, psychology, and sociology

Foundational Concept FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC1 (E5*and parts of E8*) FC2 (E6*) FC2 (E6*) FC2 (E6*) FC2 (E6*) FC2 (E6*) FC2 (E6*) FC2 (E6*) FC2 (E6*) FC2 (E6*) FC2 (E6*)

Course mapping tool

CC2A CC2A CC2A CC2B CC2B CC2B CC2B CC2B CC2B CC1D CC1D CC1D CC1D CC1D CC1D CC2A CC1B CC1B CC1B CC1C CC1C CC1C CC1C CC1C CC1D CC1D Content Category Topic CC1A Amino Acids CC1A Protein Structure CC1A CC1A CC1A Non-Enzymatic Protein Function Enzyme Structure and Function Control of Enzyme Activity CC1B CC1B CC1B CC1B CC1B CC1B CC1B Nucleic Acid Structure and Function DNA Replication Repair of DNA Genetic Code Transcription Translation Eukaryotic Chromosome Organization Control of Gene Expression in Prokaryotes Control of Gene Expresson in Eukaryotes Recombinant DNA and Biotechnology Evidence that DNA is Genetic Material Mendelian Concepts Meiosis and Other Factors Affecting Genetic Variability Analytic Methods Evolution Principles of Bioenergetics Carbohydrates Glycolysis, Gluconeogenesis, and the Pentose Phosphate Pathway Principles of Metabolic Regulation Citric Acid Cycle Metabolism of Fatty Acids and Proteins Oxidative Phosphorylation Hormonal Regulation and Integration of Metabolism Plasma Membrane Membrane-Bound Organelles and Defining Characteristics of Eukaryotic Cells Cytoskeleton Tissues Formed From Eukaryotic Cells Cell Theory Classification and Structure of Prokaryotic Cells Growth and Physiology of Prokaryotic Cells Genetics of Prokaryotic Cells Virus Structure Viral Life Cycle Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NO!

NO!

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Topic taught at your school Topic On Current MCAT Yes X Yes X Yes Yes Yes X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X CHEM 1211 X X X X X X X X X X X CHEM 1212 X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x BIOL 1107 x x x x x x x x x x BIOL 1108 x x

MCAT2015 Test Administration

MCAT2015 Test Day

Test Section

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior Total Content Time

# Questions

59 53 59 59 - Total “Seat” Time --

Time

95 min 90 min 95 min 95 min 6 hr, 15 min 7 hr, 30 min

Test Section

Examinee Agreement Tutorial (Optional)

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

Break (Optional)

Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Number of Questions

- --

59

--

53

Mid-Exam Break (Optional) --

Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems 59

Break (Optional)

Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior

Void Question Satisfaction Survey

(Optional)

Total Content Time Total "Seat" Time

--

59

- --

- --

NOTE: The total time does not include check-in time on arrival at the test center

Time

10 minutes 5 minutes

95 minutes

10 minutes

90 minutes

30 minutes

95 minutes

10 minutes

95 minutes

5 minutes 5 minutes

6 hours, 15 minutes 7 hours, 30 minutes

MCAT2015 Logistics

   30-minute mid-exam break and two 10-minute breaks Examinees with extended testing time can test over two days Hotel discount program 20

MCAT2015 Registration Fee

  Registration Fee for MCAT2015: $300 Fee Assistance Program (FAP)    Discounted MCAT registration fee Free MCAT test preparation materials Scholarships for accommodated applicants needing updated evaluations 21

MCAT2015 Testing Calendar

    Registration will open in February 2015 Test dates in the months of April – September   No October or November test dates January 2016 exams will be part of the 2016 testing year Test dates still in line with academic calendar Carefully studied previous testing calendars 22

Same number of seats on fewer dates

• • • • Fourteen dates with same number of seats All exams will start at 8AM No double-day administrations Mostly Friday or Saturday dates 23

MCAT2015 Score Scale and Score Reporting

Since old and new scores can’t be compared…

…the new MCAT scores will be reported on new and different scales

The scale for each of the four sections ranges from 118 to 132, and 125 is the “top of the section curve”

The new score scale ranges from 472 to 528, and 500 is the “top of the curve”

Applicants at the “top of the curve” are likely to do well in medical school

MCAT2015 Score Reports

 

New scores

 Total score  4 section scores

Tools to help interpret scores

   Percentile rank for each score Confidence band for each score A score profile to highlight strengths and weaknesses

MCAT2015 Score Reports-An Example



Applicant:Tom Jones

  MCAT test date: MCAT total score: May 2015 506 

Interpretation tools

   Percentile rank: Confidence band: 76 +/- 2 Score profile: score in each section

 

How does Tom’s MCAT total score of 506 compare?

Check the percentile rank!

Tom’s total score was the same or better than 76% of examinees who will take the new exam in a typical year

Percentile Ranks

• • Percentile ranks reported in the first year will be based on the performance of examinees who test on the first few test administration dates in April We can “estimate” the percentile ranks for a typical year from those first few test dates

How accurate is Tom’s MCAT total score of 506?

   Check the confidence band!

Every score has some uncertainty Checking this uncertainty helps guard against over-weighing small score differences While the

best

estimate of Tom’s score is 506, scores from 504 to 508 are plausible 37



What are Tom’s strengths and weaknesses?

Compare his profile of scores on the 4 new sections Tom’s BEST score was from Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

Section Section Score

125 Chemical and Physical Foundations of Living Systems Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior 127 130 124

MCAT2015 Prototype Score Report

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A few words about “early” examinees

 For examinees taking the exam in April or May:  Scores will take longer than the 30-35 days to be reported due to additional score processing time needed .

 However, these scores will be released before the first AMCAS ® 2016 application release.

 In addition, “preliminary” Percentile Rank estimates will be provided prior to the official score release  April test-takers will likely have scores released on June 16    May test-takers will likely have scores released on June 30 June test-takers will likely have scores released on July 21 July test-takers will likely have scores released on August 18

Incentives for April examinees

  To help ensure that numbers of examinees are sufficient to support the analyses associated with the development of the new scales Examinees taking the exam in April 2015 will receive a gift card from Amazon.com for $150 (equal to half the cost of registration)

How will medical schools interpret the new scores?

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MCAT2015 Resources for Students

What’s on the MCAT2015 Exam? interactive tool

www.aamc.org/mcat2015exam

Khan Academy MCAT Collection

• • • • • Collaboration with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Free instructional videos and review questions Will cover all natural and social science content on new exam Over 400 videos and hundreds of questions available now Over 30,000 views daily

www.mededportal.org/icollaborative/pre-health

Pre-health Collection within MedEdPORTAL’s iCollaborative

• • • Free, open access resources for MCAT2015 content For faculty to use in classrooms For student independent study

www.mededportal.org/icollaborative/pre-health

The Official Guide to the MCAT Exam (MCAT2015), Fourth Edition

• Includes 120 practice questions and solutions • Online practice questions option • $35 for book and online practice questions • • $30 book only $10 online practice questions only

www.aamc.org/officialmcatguide2015

Official MCAT2015 Sample Test

• Available Fall 2014 • Full-length test • Representative of the new exam • Online test • Score report with number correct • Estimated scores not possible • Low-cost $25

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Official MCAT2015 Study Sets

• Available early 2015 • Reclassify previous MCAT questions to MCAT2015 • Hundreds of questions grouped into study sets • Offer lots of practice with actual questions • Low cost

Official MCAT2015 Practice Test #1

• Available Fall 2015 (NOW!) • Full-length test • Previously administered questions • Low-cost resource

Additional Free Resources For Students

 The student website is a key resource for:        Links to all resources Exam policies and procedures Registration and Accommodations Preparation resources FAQ’s Videos Most up-to-date information

www.aamc.org/mcat2015

Questions?