The New MCAT

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>Informative article in the NY Times about what will be covered in the new 2015 MCAT</p>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/education/edlife/pre-meds-new-priorities-heart-and-soul-and-social-science.html?_r=1&hp%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/education/edlife/pre-meds-new-priorities-heart-and-soul-and-social-science.html?_r=1&hp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>There is a pretty good discussion of what will be included in the new social science section and why Intro Soc and Intro Psych might not be enough.</p>

<p>Kaplan estimates the new material on the MCAT (which includes the new science topics as well as the new human behavior section and revised reading section) will essentially double the number of classes required for pre meds.</p>

2

<p>Wow and with the load of classes already required…I’m glad D will be taking the 2013 MCAT. </p>

<p>I see the benefit of some psych knowledge, but soc…?</p>

3

<p>that is the year i’ll be taking it. i guess i’ll have to consider taking intro soc and intro psych freshman year. i just hope my adviser can help me a little bit, but it seems many schools are still scrambling to develop a course plan for pre-meds reflecting the new mcat. lovely!</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the link. D2 took Sociology this semester in preparation for the new MCAT. However, she could take it in 2014 after jr year…</p>

5

<p>D2 is taking her MCAT in Jan 2013 and thus will be required to take one of the new subtests as part of AMCAS’s pilot program for the new MCAT. She was told it would be one of the following: human behavior, genetics or biochem. But she won’t find out which one until test day.</p>

<p>She had courses in genetics, biochem (both required by our state med school), medical anthro, medical ethics, ethics, philosophy of science (which focussed on ethical issues in the life sciences) and several in behavioral neuroscience. No psych or soc, though.</p>

<p>It’ll be interesting to see what she thinks. If she has any relevant comments after she takes the exam I’ll pass them on here.</p>

6

<p>My D will be taking the MCAT in spring, 2013. What is this pilot program? Is everyone in it? Is it just to test out the new subject areas or does it count? D has taken genetics and biochem and three neuroscience courses but I’m not sure what’s meant by human behavior.</p>

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<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/reserving/276580/differentexam.html[/url]”>https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/reserving/276580/differentexam.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>It’s not clear from this whether one can elect not to participate and simply take the traditional MCAT without the writing portion. D seemed to indicate she wasn’t given much of choice.</p>

<p>If you’re interested in seeing what kind of content the human behavior section will include, the 2015 MCAT Guide is here:</p>

<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/students/download/266006/data/2015previewguide.pdf[/url]”>https://www.aamc.org/students/download/266006/data/2015previewguide.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Description starts on p.89</p>

8

<p>I hate all these new sections on the MCAT, it makes the preparation process longer and more tedious, including taking more classes/self studying more material</p>

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<p>At least we will be better doctors? lol</p>

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<p>Methinks Kaplan needs to back and check its math. </p>

<p>Currently, there are 8 science courses + 2 English courses that most med schools require, i.e., 10. (And yes, many require 2 courses in math, but not all.) So, that’s 10 or 12.)</p>

<p>Adding genetics, biochem, sociology and psychology is plus 4. And lemme see, based on SAT math (which Kaplan teaches), 4/10 = 40% increase in courses, or 4/12 = something less than 40%. And since a doubling generally means 100% increase (at least based on SAT math), Kaplan’s rep has an epic fail. :rolleyes:</p>

<p>and, “fewer than half of Kaplan students” have taken psych or soc. Is that 10% or 49%? Is that both or just one? (Many premeds I know take Intro Psych for the easy A.) </p>

<p>fwiw: my guess is that some/many med schools will drop second semester of organic and replace it with biochem.</p>

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<p>I really hope the medical schools adjust their requirements by next year. It’s awfully confusing with all the controversy of the addition of Biochemistry and the less need for Organic Chemistry.</p>

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<p>I really don’t see it changing the number courses much for pre-meds, especially bio majors. My son’s (bio major) school already requires genetics and biochem in addition to the year of orgo. Most schools have some type of distribution requirement where they have to take humanities and social science classes to get their degree. It may alter the classes they take, but not necessarily increase the number.</p>

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<p>^^Exactly. For most premeds, this is much ado about nothing. For the pure science geeks, who hate on readin’ a writin’, this change will be a shock to their systems.</p>

14

<p>Awesome, this gives me a new reason to major in Psychology</p>

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<p>I find it slightly irritating that they are putting in psych and soc, though I’ve taken intro courses in both and some upper level soc classes.</p>

<p>I plan on taking the MCAT in the summer of 2014. Does anyone know if schools are requiring that applicants of said year need to take the new one? Prolly should make a thread about that heh.</p>

16

<p>Apparently a decision about whether all 2015 applicants will need 2015 MCAT will be issued sometime this month.</p>

17

<p>I hope to god not lol.</p>

18

<p>“Examinees will need to be informed that, as of a certain date, medical schools will only accept the new exam with their application. How is that being addressed?
The AAMC and medical school admissions officers are currently considering this question. They are weighing the pros and cons of asking all applicants for the 2016 entering class to take the new exam. They’re also talking about the window within which they would accept scores from the current exam if they decide to accept scores both from the current and new tests for 2016 admission. AAMC and the admissions officers expect to decide on this question in June and will communicate it to stakeholders via e-mail to our 4,000-member listserv (including pre-health advisors and other baccalaureate faculty), postings on the MCAT2015 Web site, and through social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.”</p>

<p>for anyone wondering. It seems that it will only effect 2016+ applicants. </p>

<p>Also regarding the sociology and psychology. </p>

<p>“In addition to introductory biology, chemistry, and physics, MCAT2015 tests concepts that are taught at many undergraduate institutions in first-semester biochemistry, introductory psychology, and introductory sociology.” </p>

<p>Both quotes are straight from aamc.org FAQs. I’m not sure who to trust more aamc or NY Times’s (or Times’ idk) information, I feel like aamc might mislead us in thinking that introductory is enough. Those classes were VERY easy though.</p>

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<p>Since you’ll apply in 2015 to begin medical school in 2016–I think that’s what kristen meant about 2015 applicants.</p>

<p>The new MCAT may be required for everyone applying in summer 2015 or later.</p>

20

<p>Yeah it seems my brain its all there I meant applicant 2015 as in I would be applying for fall 2015. </p>

<p>Doesn’t it seem quite insane that they would require it for all 2016 applicants though. I mean what if I decided to take a year (or years) off of the med school direction and get a masters degree I’d have to retake the MCAT.</p>