<p>And this surprises you how exactly? </p>
<p>Changes to the 2015 MCAT were announced 3 years ago. </p>
<p>AAMC has published numerous initiatives and projects exploring the changing role of the physician. Some as far back as 2000. </p>
<p>See:</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/holisticreview/”>https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/holisticreview/</a></p>
<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/admissionsinitiative/”>https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/admissionsinitiative/</a></p>
<p>Especially read about competency-based skill sets that med applicants will be judged on:</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/admissionsinitiative/competencies/”>https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/admissionsinitiative/competencies/</a></p>
<p>(Hint: It ain’t just about ochem any more….)</p>
<p>Medical school admission has always been more than just numbers. </p>
<p>I’m happy medicine isn’t just science, but it’s a homogenous mixture of many varieties of passion and what it truly takes to become a doctor isn’t your IQ, but your ability to analyze and communicate.</p>
<p>Btw, I happen to be worried for ochem, but I will be fine. I just need to focus on gaining other skills as well. Not the 4.0 gpa.</p>
<p>This will also pave the way for more doctors who lack the science and math skill, but excel at teamwork, oral communication, compassions., to become Practicing MD’s. </p>
<p>True scope of medicine is changing. As time goes on, there will need to be more changes in medicine, nothing will stay constant forever. </p>
<p>I think you’re misreading the AAMC documents. </p>
<p>There aren’t going to be doctors who “lack the science and math skill”; there are going to be doctors who excel at teamwork, oral communication, compassion and excel at science and math skills.</p>
<p>Many med schools (esp those with holistic admission processes) already select for this type of student.</p>
<p>Boston U SOM is one of early adopters of holistic admissions. Their results are here:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1300411”>http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1300411</a></p>
<p>The number of URMs matriculating are up, but so is the average GPA, sGPA and MCAT score.</p>
<p>This trend appears to hold for other holistic admission schools. </p>
<p>The comments section of the Times article is well worth the read.</p>
<p>“This will also pave the way for more doctors who lack the science and math skill”
-While the social maturity, communication skills are extremly important and have been greatly underestimated by many, there is NO WAY around having absolutely superior science and math background (I would not call it skills so much as background). I cannot see the way around it at all. Do not go to another extreme and underestimate ability to analyse the problem at hand based on your scientific background and strong analytical skills (that could be developed only by understanding a very abstract world of math). As selectivity is up every year, there is no way for somebody who lack in the science and math background to get in, nope, not a chance in the sky.</p>
<p>By lack I kind of meant not excel enough to obtain 35+ on the MCAT. Teamwork, oral communication etc, has always been important, it’s just until recent they are bringing it up. Many people have these skills better than others even if they don’t get that 35 MCAT score. @MiamiDAP </p>
<p>Score is only one stat, the other your GPA and science GPA. If you do not excel in these, the doors will be closed (most likely automatically, got to go thru initial cut before anybody even looks at your application which is among 5000+ at every Medical school, including the lowest of the lowest ranked. On the flip side, the communication skills, social skills as important as they are (I believe that they are extrememly important and have been undestimated) will have NO influence on your MCAT score, NONE. Do not count on these either, Testing in social area has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO with actually possessing these skills. Some kids were tuning them from the young age, getting to know various people being involved in many un-related activities and plunge sometime into risky unknown. That usually paying off in a huge way later. Taking some “social study” class will do you zilch in this area. These skills primarily tested during interview since everything else is reflected in your application, score, gpa. </p>
<p>You don’t need to excel in those particular areas. A good 3.5 gpa with amazing LOR, while you have important EC’s that show a connection to your overall passion and medicine, I don’t see why you’d be declined from medical school. </p>
<p>Of course they have no influence, I’m merely stating that just because one doesn’t have a 35 mcat, doesn’t mean their communication skills are inferior to one who has a 35+ mcat. </p>
<p>If one can truly display these skills through different types of ECs and a great LOR, who is going to deny, say, a 30 MCAT? Most schools will, but that doesn’t stop you from other medical schools. You’ve proven you have the ability to communicate, and communicate and work with others rather well. </p>
<p>Many people with 40+ don’t even know how to greet people. I wouldn’t want someone like that in my medical school, despite the superior mcat score. </p>
<p>Overall conclusions, you don’t need a 3.8 or 35 mcat, if you can truly gain important experience through ECs, and have amazing LOR, these are the factors that show your teamwork, you’re communication ability, you’re real world experience, which is by far greater than getting 3.7+ in orgo and physics, one will still have good chances in medical school. </p>
<p>@WannaBeDoc</p>
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<p>I don’t think this is more an urban legend than fact. The 40 MCAT individuals I’ve met (n=3) all had perfectly fine interpersonal communication skills. They weren’t geeks/gunners who spent all their in the library studying either. They were, for lack of a better word, very normal.</p>
<p>Before you start going overboard on the rhapsodizing that a great EC can make up for a below average GPA or MCAT, please realize that truly amazing ECs are tough to come by. It’s expected that all LORs are very strong and supportive (i.e. “amazing”) of the candidate. Apparently according to adcomms on that other site, it’s quite rare even to see a LOR that doesn’t call the applicant the best thing since sliced bread. </p>
<p>WannaBe-- med school admission is a buyer’s market. They can demand anything they want and get it. Since a med school can fill every single one of their seats 3 to 4 times over with fully qualified candidates, they can cherry-pick applicants who have it all—strong stats AND strong interpersonal competencies. It’s not an either-or situation. </p>
<p>[See false dichotomy <a href=“http://mind.ucsd.edu/syllabi/98-99/logic/falsedichotomy.html”>http://mind.ucsd.edu/syllabi/98-99/logic/falsedichotomy.html</a> ]</p>
<p>FWIW, according to MSAR, for the 2012-13 cycle, the average accepted applicant had a 33 MCAT and 3.7 GPA.</p>
<p>“If one can truly display these skills through different types of ECs and a great LOR, who is going to deny, say, a 30 MCAT”
-most (all?) top 20s. Very limited choice. If one wants to pursue their choice, it is highly advisable not to shoot yourself in a foot and have high stats. It is NOT a bad idea at all to have 4.0 / 35 (believe me, I have a real example of it, it is very rewarding to have these stats) and IN ADDITION, everything else is amazing. However, some schools will definitely cut you automatically without looking at your additional amazing everything else, guarantee, probably more true that even just 3 years ago, since competition is up every year. So, do not talk yourself down, it is futile waste of time, talk yourself up, up to 4.0 and 35, it is NOT a waste of time, it is the ONLY thing one should do if planning for Med. School ( and have everything else at amazing levels)
Another good advice - do not argue with anybody who advises you, just listen, if you want to follow, do so, if not, then do not. Again, you are going against your own self by arguing with people who give you advice that is solicit4ed by none other but YOU. And more so, do not argue with people who just share their experiences and nothing else. I said “nothing else” becuase all these other “else” you can find on the internet, there is no point in repeating it here.<br>
Agian the goal of 4.0 / 35 is a perfect goal. You might not reach it, but it is a very good idea to have this goal, period.</p>