An Overview of the New MCAT Exam

1. An Overview of the New MCAT Exam Marc Kroopnick Manager, MCAT2015 Development & Psychometrics Presentation made at the Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences Conference Arlington, VA March 14, 2014

2. Today’s Agenda • Overview of exam changes • Schedule • Description of the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems section • Support for Students, Advisors, and Faculty • Outreach • Q&A

3. Overview of Exam Changes • Preserve what works best • Eliminate what doesn’t • Enrich exam with concepts that future physicians are likely to need • Use a testing format that has proven to be successful

4. Schedule • The new exam will launch in the spring of 2015 • The current exam will be administered for the last time in January 2015

5. MCAT2015 Exam – Four Sections

6. What’s innovative? • Mirrors the interdisciplinary nature of scientists’ work • Asks examinees to use their knowledge, not repeat it • Speaks to current initiatives in competency-based science education • Recognizes the behavioral and socio-cultural determinants of health • Balances testing in the natural sciences with testing in the social and behavioral sciences and critical analysis and reasoning

7. Natural and Behavioral/Social Sciences sections: Questions will ask examinees to combine: • knowledge of natural or behavioral/social sciences concepts with • scientific inquiry, reasoning, research methods and statistics skills to solve problems that demonstrate readiness for medical school

8. MCAT2015 – 4 Sections, 4 Scores

9. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Solve problems combining knowledge of chemical and physical foundational concepts with scientific inquiry and reasoning skills that demonstrate one is ready for medical school.

10. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

11. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems • Exam content draw from: • Introductory general chemistry – approx. 30% • Introductory organic chemistry – approx. 15% • Introductory physics – approx. 25% • First semester biochemistry – approx. 25% • Introductory biology – approx. 5%

12. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems 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.

13. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Foundational Concept 4 • Content Categories • 4A: Translational motion, forces, work, energy, and equilibrium in living systems • 4B: Importance of fluids for the circulation of blood, gas movement, and gas exchange • 4C: Electrochemistry and electrical circuits and their elements • 4D: How light and sound interact with matter • 4E: Atoms, nuclear decay, electronic structure, and atomic chemical behavior

14. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Foundational Concept 4 • Content Category • 4C: Electrochemistry and electrical circuits and their elements • Electrostatics (PHY) • Circuit Elements (PHY) • Magnetism (PHY) • Electrochemistry (GC) • Specialized Cell – Nerve Cell (BIO)

15. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems 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.

16. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Foundational Concept 5 • Content Categories • 5A: Unique nature of water and its solutions • 5B: Nature of molecules and intermolecular interactions • 5C: Separation and purification methods • 5D: Structure, function, and reactivity of biologically-relevant molecules • 5E: Principles of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics

17. Chemical & Physical Foundations of Biological Systems Foundational Concept 5 • Content Category • 5E: Principles of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics • Enzymes (BC, BIO) • Principles of Bioenergetics (BC) • Energy Changes in Chemical Reactions – Thermochemistry, Thermodynamics (GC, PHY) • Rate Processes in Chemical Reactions – Kinetics and Equilibrium (GC)

18. Scientific Inquiry & Reasoning Skills • Knowledge of Scientific Concepts & Principles 1 • Scientific Reasoning and Problem Solving 2 • Reasoning About the Design • and Execution of Research 3 • Data-based and Statistical Reasoning 4

19. Natural and Behavioral/Social Sciences sections: Questions will ask examinees to combine: • knowledge of natural or behavioral/social sciences concepts with • scientific inquiry, reasoning, research methods and statistics skills to solve problems that demonstrate readiness for medical school

20. Support for Students, Advisors and Faculty • Developing resources for: • Prospective examinees • Pre-health advisors and faculty

21. Resources for prospective examinees: • The Preview Guide for MCAT2015 (free) • Detailed descriptions for all 4 sections, including knowledge and skills tested • Detailed topic lists • Sample test questions • Videos describing MCAT2015 and preparation • Dedicated web site: www.aamc.org/mcat2015

22. Resources for prospective examinees: • Free, on-line Khan Academy video tutorials and review questions • In collaboration with the AAMC, and with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation • Developed by medical students • First video tutorials launched in October 2013 • 500 videos (and 1,000 review questions) anticipated by this summer • Sociology and Psychology Textbook Resource (May 2013)

23. MCAT2015 Exam: Test Preparation www.aamc.org/mcat2015 • MCAT2015 Interactive Content Outline • The Official Guide to the MCAT, Fourth Edition (2015 Exam) • Sample Test

24. Resources for pre-health advisors and other faculty: • The Preview Guide for the MCAT2015 Exam • Presentation materials that can be used with colleagues and students • Webinar recordings on exam content • Course-Mapping Tool for the MCAT2015 Exam

25. Pre-health Collection within MedEdPORTAL’s iCollaborative • Online repository of instructional materials recommended for teaching pre-health competencies • 100+ pre-health teaching resources in the collection,including self-study materials  • Searchable by competency, MCAT2015 Foundational Concepts, or key words • User community comments and shares resources • Khan Academy video tutorials and review questions included www.mededportal.org/icollaborative/pre-health

28. Help Us Grow the Pre-health Collection! • Share a resource you created • Refer a resource you like www.mededportal.org/icollaborative/pre-health

29. New Call for Submissions Questions? Juan Burciaga • jburciag@mtholyoke.edu Ralf Widenhorn • ralfw@pdx.edu Jen Page jpage@aamc.org www.mededportal.org/icollaborative/pre-health • Submit an original resource that teaches a pre-health competency • Six prizes of $750 for best submission • biology • biochemistry • chemistry • physics • psychology • sociology • Opens May 1, submissions due June 30, 2014

30. MCAT2015Exam: Outreach www.aamc.org/mcat2015/admins Ideas? E-mail mcat2015@aamc.org • Q-UPP eNewsletter and webinars • Resources for medical schools, pre-health advisors, undergraduate faculty and pre-med students—find it all on our website! • Outreach to a broad audience • Students without pre-health advisors • Under-resourced undergraduate institutions without formal health advising programs

31. Questions?www.aamc.org/mcat2015/adminsmcat2015@aamc.org

32. Thank you!