Changes to the MCAT?!

[ShySpliceosome]

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[FONT=Times New Roman,serif][FONT=Calibri,sans-serif] I e-mailed the chair of my Biology department requesting to be added to the waitlist for Anatomy and Physiology this fall, stating that I need to take it in preparation for the MCAT next summer. Instead of adding me to the waitlist, she said this:

"...I am a pre-med advisor. I meet with the admissions directors of local med schools. Anatomy and Physiology is not one they see as being more significant on future MCATs. They are emphasizing more of the genetic, molecular, and cellular topics. That doesn’t mean that A & P wouldn’t be valuable, but so would other courses. The test is changing soon, so information from former test-takers may not be accurate..."

Just what is that supposed to mean?! Has anyone else heard anything about this? According to the AAMC website, Physiology is still a major part of the MCAT! The only change I see for the 2013 MCAT is the removal of the writing sample section. I am really confused and worried now; I'm afraid the only Physiology I'll learn before the MCAT will end up coming from MCAT study guides, practice exams, etc.
..

 

[illinichief89]

MCAT is moving towards more genetics and cell bio. Physiology is still important though to the test. Anatomy not so much. But yea they are only removing writing section in 2013. But by 2015 they will be adding a behavioral sciences section, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Mehd School]

Your advisor is 100% correct, and seemingly well informed. Trust me when I say that's a fresh breath of air.

The physiology you'll need for the exam can be learned from prep books. It would definitely help, but isn't sufficient reason to be pushed into a class in my opinion.

I'm taking A&P this fall, and taking a January administration. My seat is already reserved, however.

 

[New Vocab]

So can anyone do a comprehensive list on the new requirements for the 2013-2015 tests? What exactly are they changing and what is the reason for the change?

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

What she's referring to is the fact that in 2015 the MCAT all but drops orgo from BS and replaces it with straight up biochemistry (in addition to several other big changes). In addition, many people claim that the MCAT has already de-emphasized A&P in favor of molecular biology, basic biochemistry, and genetics.

 

[dropper]

Your advisor is a ****ing idiot. Unless you're planning on taking the 2015 MCAT, physiology is CRITICAL.

 

[Temperature101]

Your advisor is a ****ing idiot. Unless you're planning on taking the 2015 MCAT, physiology is CRITICAL.

I agree 100%. The AAMC practice tests I took so far have at least 2 physiology passages in BS.

 

[New Vocab]

If you're taking the exam in 2013 or 2014, all that's changing is no writing section, and an optional experiment section in its place.

Why the hell would I do an "optional experiment section", rather than just walking right out the door as soon as I'm finished the test's required parts? What's the relative benefit?

Also, can I learn biochem on my own?

 

[Economics]

I agree 100%. The AAMC practice tests I took so far have at least 2 physiology passages in BS.

Those are practice tests which are old tests. As was stated above, its phasing away from really specific details and more towards cell Bio, Bio Chem, etc, or so people say. I will rather be safe than sorry though and learn the physiology material.

 

[Economics]

Why the hell would I do an "optional experiment section", rather than just walking right out the door as soon as I'm finished the test's required parts? What's the relative benefit?

Also, can I learn biochem on my own?

I believe you get some sort of prize for your efforts. I've heard rumors that its a gift card to a restruant or something along those lines.

And in my opinion, you can learn any subject on your own. You need to put in the effort though.

 

[PanRoasted]

physio is CRITICAL? Uh...what? I have never taken a physio or anatomy class in my life, and I do just fine. Take it if you can, but if you can't it's not going to murder your BS subscore. Let's all try to keep things in perspective.

 

[dropper]

physio is CRITICAL? Uh...what? I have never taken a physio or anatomy class in my life, and I do just fine. Take it if you can, but if you can't it's not going to murder your BS subscore. Let's all try to keep things in perspective.

Fact 1: BR Biology has 5/10 sections dedicated to topics directly pertaining to physiology and will most likely be covered in a physiology course

Fact 2: EK Biology has 4.5/9 sections dedicated to topics directly pertaining to physiology and will most likely be covered in a physiology course

Ipso facto, not taking a physiology course would be a mistake, and you would be forced to work twice as hard while covering these sections. Cool, you "do just fine", yet if you had taken a physio course you would have spent 50% less time learning and understanding these sections which obviously account for a large portion of the BS section. Let's all try to keep things in perspective.

 

[shaboobly]

So can anyone do a comprehensive list on the new requirements for the 2013-2015 tests? What exactly are they changing and what is the reason for the change?

how can anyone give you a list when the changes arent even made? visit aamc.org

 

[bluebillion]

This is all so confusing...so changes are being made to the MCAT before 2015?? 😕😕

 

[shaboobly]

This is all so confusing...so changes are being made to the MCAT before 2015?? 😕😕

they have to test out the new sections and what kind of questions will be good, the same as they already do with the experimental passages.

 

[Mehd School]

This is all so confusing...so changes are being made to the MCAT before 2015?? 😕😕

It's quite simple.

The Only change before the 2015 shift is that there will no longer be a writing section of the test.

There is an *optional* section that will test content that will be on future (2015+) examinations, and you will be compensated for doing the survey section.

Before 2015, there will be no content change, there will be no time changes, question number, or subject makeup. After 2015, you're on your own. I can only imagine companies like Kaplan are crapping their pants trying to throw together some prep material for sections that haven't been tested yet.

 

[NeuroSho]

Physiology is still important. Although there's definitely been a marked increase in genetics and molecular genetics. That's pretty well accepted.

If anything, it seems like the only topic that is decreasing in importance is Organic. The AAMC recently changed the MCAT curriculum and explicitly removed a couple topics (including aromaticity and Elimination reactions). They weren't replaced with any other organic topics, they were simply removed.

 

[PanRoasted]

Fact 1: BR Biology has 5/10 sections dedicated to topics directly pertaining to physiology and will most likely be covered in a physiology course

Fact 2: EK Biology has 4.5/9 sections dedicated to topics directly pertaining to physiology and will most likely be covered in a physiology course

Ipso facto, not taking a physiology course would be a mistake, and you would be forced to work twice as hard while covering these sections. Cool, you "do just fine", yet if you had taken a physio course you would have spent 50% less time learning and understanding these sections which obviously account for a large portion of the BS section. Let's all try to keep things in perspective.

OK, point taken. No need to get snarky. Although you did say before that physiology is "CRITICAL," yet now you've seemed to stepped down from that position to say that it would've saved me a little time studying.

I rest my case.

 

[Mehd School]

If anything, it seems like the only topic that is decreasing in importance is Organic.

That doesn't at all seem to be the case. The July 27th administration had 3 organic passages plus some discreets. This has seemingly been the norm for this years tests.

Organic is advertised as 25% of the content tested. It has however been closer to 35-40%.

Organic is very much a factor and has increased in importance in terms of volume of content tested.

 

[NeuroSho]

That doesn't at all seem to be the case. The July 27th administration had 3 organic passages plus some discreets. This has seemingly been the norm for this years tests.

Organic is advertised as 25% of the content tested. It has however been closer to 35-40%.

Organic is very much a factor and has increased in importance in terms of volume of content tested.

Idk, I disagree. My May exam of this year had one True organic passage and a few discretes. The disparity here may be that I don't really consider biochemistry to be orgo. The types of questions are just very different.

Most people I've talked to say that biochemistry is taking increasing importance. In 2005 or 2006 the AAMC came outright and said that reactions with aromatics, alkenes, and alkynes are no longer of importance for the MCAT, and would be replaced by a focus on molecular genetics and biological molecules. Alot of these "organic" passages seem to really be asking questions about the nature of carbs, sugars, lipids, not about reagents, nomenclature, predicting products, etc.

 

[Bamfu]

That doesn't at all seem to be the case. The July 27th administration had 3 organic passages plus some discreets. This has seemingly been the norm for this years tests.

Organic is advertised as 25% of the content tested. It has however been closer to 35-40%.

Organic is very much a factor and has increased in importance in terms of volume of content tested.

This. It seems like they're increasing organic chem question numbers to maybe prepare for Biochem? True story, they're similar and go together well.

A lot of the organic chem questions I've run into are biochem questions that you can figure out with pretty advanced knowledge of organic.

I'm glad I was good at organic, but I wish I had taken biochem 🙁

 

[Mehd School]

Idk, I disagree. My May exam of this year had one True organic passage and a few discretes. The disparity here may be that I don't really consider biochemistry to be orgo. The types of questions are just very different.

Most people I've talked to say that biochemistry is taking increasing importance. In 2005 or 2006 the AAMC came outright and said that reactions with aromatics, alkenes, and alkynes are no longer of importance for the MCAT, and would be replaced by a focus on molecular genetics and biological molecules. Alot of these "organic" passages seem to really be asking questions about the nature of carbs, sugars, lipids, not about reagents, nomenclature, predicting products, etc.

I don't really know what to tell you. What the AAMC said in 2005 seems to be irrelevant to the fact that there have been anywhere from 16-25 strictly organic chemistry questions out of the 52 Biological Science questions in 2012. Your May exam only having one organic passage is actually the outlier this year.

And all I can say is bring it on. I wreck organic passages, but if you give me a passage about immunoglobulin inhibitions, metabolites, or some other garbage I fall asleep.