For the first time in 25 years, the Medical College Admission Test has undergone a major overhaul, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The Association of American Medical Colleges — creator and administrator of the medical college entrance exam — increased the time of the test by three hours and added a fourth section and more interdisciplinary questions that will test how well students can apply what they've learned.
According to the AAMC, the revisions were made to reflect how healthcare delivery and the nature of illness have changed in the industry. For instance, an entire new section was added that covers psychology, sociology and biological foundations of behavior.
Concepts covered in the new section, which accounts for a quarter of the test, include social inequality, class consciousness, racial and ethnic identity, "institutionalized racism and discrimination" and "power, privilege and prestige."
Questions to test critical-thinking skills, statistical reasoning, physics and general chemistry in the capacity of biological systems have also been added.
Here's a snapshot of how the MCAT has changed, as highlighted by WSJ.
|
Old MCAT |
New MCAT |
|
|
Total time (with breaks) |
4 hr., 10 min. |
7 hr., 33 min |
|
Number of questions |
144 |
230 |
|
Number of sections |
3 |
4 |
|
Suggested prerequisite courses |
8 |
11 |
|
Score range |
3-45 |
472-528 |
Although reactions to the content of the new test have been mixed, a Kaplan survey of medical-school admissions officers found 80 percent in favor of the new version.
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