The New MCAT (and other high stakes exams) and Advising Your Students

1. The New MCAT (and other high stakes exams) and Advising Your Students David Jones, Ph.D. Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Admissions University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio

2. Going Forward????? MCAT 2015 STUDENTS MCAT 2015 MCAT 2015 MCAT 2015 MCAT 2015

3. An absolute read by all advisors!

4. Why Change?* • science is advancing rapidly • health care system is transforming • population is becoming more diverse *Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

5. Why Change?* • science is advancing rapidly • health care system is transforming • population is becoming more diverse • tomorrow's doctors (“health care professionals”) need to be prepared *Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

6. Why Change?* • science is advancing rapidly • health care system is transforming • population is becoming more diverse • tomorrow's doctors need to be prepared These factors play a major role in shaping what students learn in medical school…… *Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

7. Why Change?* • science is advancing rapidly • health care system is transforming • population is becoming more diverse • tomorrow's doctors need to be prepared These factors play a major role in shaping what students learn in medical school, and what they need to know when they begin *Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

8. What they need to know when they begin………..

9. What they need to know when they begin……….. What is not changing….. What is changing……… ?

10. Changes? • What isn’t changing: • biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry • introductory level “foundational concepts” • scientific inquiry andreasoning related to basic research methods and statistical concepts

11. What is not changing

12. Aligns with medical school competencies described by the Scientific Foundations For Future Physicians Committee

13. What the MCAT Does Not Test Knowledge/understanding of: • behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health • neurobiology of mental process and behavior • basic research methods and statistical outcomes • scientific inquiry and reasoning applied to social and behavioral sciences • ethics, philosophy, cultural studies, population health, social sciences and humanities AND the critical reasoning skills to analyze information in reading passages in the above content areas

14. Changes? • What is changing: • social and behavioral concepts coupled to biological foundations of behavior “Tests your knowledge and use of concepts……. behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health and health outcomes”* *Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

15. Changes? • What ischanging: • behavioral and socio-cultural concepts of health………coupled to biological foundations of behavior • knowledge/use of concepts in psychology, sociology and biology • application of scientific inquiry and reasoning related to basic research methods and statistical concepts • analysis of passages from the social sciences and humanities disciplines (ethics and philosophy, cultural studies, population health)

16. behavioral and socio-cultural • concepts of health……… coupled to biological foundations of behavior

17. SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE REASONING SKILLS SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY *Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

18. The “Four Skills” Combining Scientific Knowledge with Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning * • *Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

19. Combining Scientific Knowledge with Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skills to Answer a Question in……… • *The “Four Skills”. Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

20. Sample Question, P. 20(Partial hepatectomy leads to a proliferation of Ki76-positive hepactocytes) GI TPH1 enzyme mediates serotonin synthesis ; -/- TPH1 knockout

21. Sample Question, P. 20* GI TPH1 enzyme mediates serotonin synthesis ; -/- TPH1 knockout • * Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

22. Why Change?* • science is advancing rapidly • health care system is transforming • population is becoming more diverse • tomorrow's doctors need to be prepared These factors play a major role in shaping what students learn in medical school, and what they need to know when they begin *Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

23. Aligns with medical school competencies described by the Scientific Foundations For Future Physicians Committee Challenges and questions………. *Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

24. Questions for advisors “….how are (advisors) institutions preparing for the upcoming MCAT 2015 changes and how they plan to change their curricula if at all to meet the revised learning objectives by the spring semester of the student's junior year?”

25. Questions for advisors “…….how do students gain the knowledge or foundation in social and behavioral concepts?” “…….how are you advising students to prepare for this exam, and any other “high stakes” exam that is changing in content?”

26. Questions for advisors “…..how do we advise our students to prepare for the new MCAT given the lack of space in the curriculum to devote to a research experience?” “……many of our students work and do not have time to complete a research project to gain knowledge in scientific reasoning?”

27. Additional information* *Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam, AAMC (September 2012)

28. Questions for advisors …..how do you advise students who come to you with an associates degree earned through “early college” high school programs?

29. Questions for advisors “….. has any one come up with a programmatic way to help undergraduate students recognize when they need to move from the intention to apply to medical school to some other path and also provide assessments and guidance to help them come up with new options that are more promising?”