<p>I believe the rationale is that the difference between the current MCAT and the 2015 will be enormous. (Even the numerical scoring will be rev-amped and renormed.) The differences would make it difficult to impossible–and very un-fair-- to compare current MCAT scores with the 2015 MCAT scores.</p>
<p>And AAMC holds all the power here–they get to make the rules.</p>
<p>Doesn’t this also give advantage to actual bio majors? It seems they are revamping EVERYTHING including the current science sections and it seems people would benefit more if they had taken a year sequence of biochem, genetics and micro. That’s just my opinion.</p>
<p>I couldn’t find anything on the scoring system as I got tired of looking. Have they released the scale yet?</p>
<p>New test is being piloted starting Jan 2013. Piloting will continue throughout 2013-2014. MCAT test takers in 2013-14 are being asked/strong armed into taking one of the new sample sections [human behavior, biochem] when they sit for their MCAT. </p>
<p>The new scoring system will be announced when the new exam goes into effect in Jan 2015. Rumors say the new scale may be 5-100 with each subsection worth 25 points instead of the current 15.</p>
<p>And the BIG change will be the incorporation of a section on human behavior which will include topics from psych, soc, medical ethics and possibly anthropology. </p>
<p>So more science AND more social science.</p>
<p>oh jesus medical ethics and possibly anthropology… that does not sound fun. I guess I have two shots at this ^.^. I really hope that even if some of us do get stuck taking the new one they will give us proper material to review and reteach ourselves. If introductory sociology and psychology is all that is actually required then reviewing it will not be that challenging for anyone, then again this is the MCAT, something that has destroyed hopes and dreams.</p>
<p>Here you go–the Official 2015 MCAT Preview Guide. Chapter 6 has a list topics that might be asked in Human Behavior section.</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</a></p>
<p>And AMCAS has already said it will release updated study materials in 2014, in plenty of time for 2015 test takers.</p>
<p>If med ethics, human behavior, psych, and soc are seriously this big of turnoffs for you, you might want to consider another career path. Not trying to sound extreme; it’s just that you will be dealing with people day in and day out if you’re a doctor–and many of those people will be sick, upset, or stressed out (and that’s not including the administration, support staff, and colleagues you’ll be working with!). Heck, there are elements of ethics, behavior, psych, and soc in just about every patient encounter I can recall–even the surgical ones!</p>
<p>Its not that its a big turn off. Being test it on it is a big turn off because functionalist theory questions in doc are extremely confusing for me personally. Ethics questions are also not very fun. I also feel like sociology is completely irrelevant to a doctor. Sociology is the study of society as a whole or parts of it not individuals.</p>
<p>Biology and chemistry are much, MUCH, much more relevant.</p>
<p>Boy are you going to be unhappy when you find out that ethics class lasts for all 4 years of med school… </p>
<p>And sociology is relevant because you will taking coursework on public health policy and other healthcare issues. Public health is by definition about groups, not individuals.</p>
<p>Scienceguy
At most Med schools, grades in the clinical rotations third year count double. Since it involves daily patient interaction it can and often does cause problems for those lacking in social skills and can be the great grade equalizer.</p>
<p>My S once told me a story about a fellow student he shared a rotation with. Said student was lamenting the fact that he had had straight As the first two years but had been unable to get anything above a 3 (on a 1-5 scale) in his 3rd year rotations. </p>
<p>As others have said, if you think it’s all about biology and chemistry you are sadly mistaken and are in for a shock-if you even make it to Med school.</p>
<p>This has been a great discussion on what will be added to the MCAT. Will anything (besides writing) be removed or de-emphasized on the new MCAT?</p>
<p>Just writing AFAIK. </p>
<p>Might be slightly less emphasis on physics, due to the inclusion of biochem in the PS, but that’s pure speculation on my part.</p>
<p>New MCAT will be significantly longer than the current exam. (6.5 hours vs. the current 4.5/5 hours)</p>
<p>I think everyone has the wrong impression. Knowing how diabetes and other diseases work as it pertains to chemistry and biology is much more important to me. I intend to be a pathologist or a virologist. </p>
<p>I will gladly face those medical ethics classes and thrive in my weakness ^.^</p>
<p>Luckily every job I’ve ever had has required me to have impeccable social skills so im not too worried about any of that. If would not be able to hold a Transfer Mentor position at my current school if that were the case.</p>
<p>My apologies, I do react a bit sourly if someone tells me something might not be right for me as I have been told my entire life.</p>
<p>Anyways, less physics, BOOOO, that’s the best part! enough about me thanks wayoutwestmom for all of the helpful links!</p>
<p>(I am naive little ungrad so bare with me!)</p>
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<p>And you don’t think that social norms (which include drinking, smoking, eating, drugs, teenage births, prohibition on using birth control), in communities have anything to do with individual health or spread of disease? :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Do you think that the study of virology – how viral agents spread? – has nothing to do with populations? :D</p>
<p>ScienceGuy: this is EXACTLY why the mcat was changed. lol</p>
<p>Yeah. Everything shifts MS3. My D says the pre-clinical years have at least some resemblance to UG. MS3 is a totally different animal. </p>
<p>My D is science focused, too but thankfully is a genuinely nice person. Even then, she chafes at the subjective nature of clinical grading. </p>
<p>It becomes obvious in MS3 why medical schools (by and large) select for compassionate, caring, concerned, socially-skilled individuals who can “do” science.</p>
<p>I’m not going to argue that I know more about medicine than you blue. That much is obvious lol. </p>
<p>I’m simply saying it is more important to me to know the biology and chemistry of it then some sociological behavior that might or might not explain something. This is because I love biology and chemistry. I do not have passion for sociology because that is not my strong point but I do appreciate it. Chemistry and math are my strong points which is why it’s more important to me.</p>
<p>Why do I always get in arguments on this forum. /facepalm I need to keep my mouth shut all of you know much better than I. I should just nod lol.</p>
<p>Scienceguy you may know how chemistry pertains to diabetes, but your patients won’t give a flying fig and it’s them you’ll need to be treating.</p>
<p>You’ll need to understand why people persist in bad habits despite knowing that those very same habits are killing them. (And if you don’t think that happens, hang around outside a cancer treatment facitlity one day and watch people with tracheotomies puff away. It’s not just something you see on anti-smoking ads.) </p>
<p>Or why some groups resist all vaccinations. Or believe anything Jenny McCarthy says.</p>
<p>You need to understand the socio-cultural pressures and expectations of population groups in order to best treat your patients.</p>
<p>And if you want to do virology or pathology, you might be better served by doing a PhD. Your job descriptions will be virtually the same and there’ll no pesky expectations of actually dealing with human beings.</p>
<p>This is true I completely agree wowm. I once had a chiropractor that my mother forced me to see who insisted that vaccinations were useless and he preceded to brag about how his kids were not vaccinated. I did not understand that.</p>
<p>I agree a PhD might serve better but what if I change my mind? My decision is much more delayed till recidency ( I think? Hah). Doctors Without Boarders inspired me to change everything.</p>
<p>Ack! you sound like one of my kids upon starting college: whining about how she had to make decisions about what her major(s) and minor(s) would be and lamenting if she chose X she would have to forego Y…</p>
<p>Life is about making choices. Sometimes by choosing one thing you have to close the door on another. You can’t postpone decisions forever. Sometimes you just have to close your eyes and jump…</p>
<p>And in reality, you’ll be choosing much sooner than residency what your area of interest is. You’ll be starting to make choices as early as your first year of med school…</p>
<p>And there are plenty of PhDs who later go to med school. There are 3 (out of class of 96) in D1’s class at a mid/lower-mid tier state med school. At med schools that emphasize research, you’ll find many more. In fact, the NIH offers programs for biomed PhDs who want to attend med school.</p>
<p>D2’s BF is doing a biomed PhD in bio at a top ranked program. Despite his already having a strong area of research interest (staph genetics in micro), he’s required to do rotations through at least 6 different labs during his first year. In some ways, he has more flexibility in his choices than med students do.</p>
<p>I am a bit confused; if I am applying to medical schools in the summer/fall of 2015 to hopefully enter in the fall of 2016, will I take the new or old MCAT?</p>
<p>If you take the MCAT in 2015, you will take the new MCAT. (Last date to take the old MCAT will be Sept 2014.)</p>
<p>AAMC was supposed to issue a blanket policy statement in July 2012 explaining when the old MCAT scores will no longer be acceptable for med school application. However, no statement has yet appeared. </p>
<p>It is possible that AAMC will require all applicants for med schools who will begin Summer/Fall 2016 or later to take the new exam.</p>