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50 dollar for MCAT writing survey.

I

ingenue007

Senior member
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is currently
conducting research on the Writing Sample portion of the MCAT. AAMC
would like to recruit pre-medical students to participate in this
project.

Participants will take two Writing Sample prompts under timed test
administration conditions. In addition to the opportunity to
participate in this valuable practice administration, the students
will be paid $50.00.

The research session will be conducted on Saturday, November 22, 2003
at 10:00AM. The total time each student will be required to
participate in the research session will be 1.5 hours.

If you are interested in participating, please register at:

https://actrs19.act.org/app/mcatFTreg/mcatws
 
<shudder> I remember this section of my MCAT.... Not a pleasant experience. Of course, neither was the rest of that 9 freaking hour test...
 
Is there a link to this from the main AAMC page? I don't want to give out my SS number to a site with a strange address. Also, can I take this if I already took the MCAT?
 
I remember this section of my MCAT.... Not a pleasant experience. Of course, neither was the rest of that 9 freaking hour test..



Definately the most insane test I have ever taken. I would have to say about 90% of it was not even applicable to medical school or medicine in general. Since medical schools continue to want tremendously high scores on this test for admissions requirements, they are pushing away some of the best applicants. Just because an individual does not so well on this test they are almost 100% of the time denied from all schools regardless or extracirculars, GPA, and volunteer hours, jobs. I understand the purpose of the test completely but not even considering an applicant due to MCAT scores is just stupidity to me, but I guess that is the way schools want it today. The schools are pulling away from future doctors that can communicate with patients and instead are opting for those that are total geniuses but lack communication skills and common sense. I believe that if this trend continues patients will be visiting medical/biological scientist instead or docotrs in the future. This is a very bad move in my opinion.


Just my 2 cents worth
 
Med schools like the MCAT because there is a high correlation between passing board exams, and doing well on the MCAT. There are enough people that do well on the MCAT that schools can choose people that have good communication skills. After working in health care for a few years, I strongly prefer obnoxious physicians that are technically and intellectually sound to touchy-feely practicioners that are clueless.
 
Perfect for my socially defective, magna cum laude son to pick up some extra side money. Anyone wanting to be a doctor and waste their youth in school pick up many noticeable quirks in their character.
 
Originally posted by: kehi
I remember this section of my MCAT.... Not a pleasant experience. Of course, neither was the rest of that 9 freaking hour test.. Definately the most insane test I have ever taken. I would have to say about 90% of it was not even applicable to medical school or medicine in general. Since medical schools continue to want tremendously high scores on this test for admissions requirements, they are pushing away some of the best applicants. Just because an individual does not so well on this test they are almost 100% of the time denied from all schools regardless or extracirculars, GPA, and volunteer hours, jobs. I understand the purpose of the test completely but not even considering an applicant due to MCAT scores is just stupidity to me, but I guess that is the way schools want it today. The schools are pulling away from future doctors that can communicate with patients and instead are opting for those that are total geniuses but lack communication skills and common sense. I believe that if this trend continues patients will be visiting medical/biological scientist instead or docotrs in the future. This is a very bad move in my opinion. Just my 2 cents worth
Click to expand...

I humbly disagree with the generalization, but agree with the sentiment....I think the MCAT is a crappy test, no doubt, but as rallycobra said, there is a high correlation b/w scoring well on it, and doing decent on licensing exams, etc. More specifically, doing well on the Verbal Reasoning section is strongly correlated to doing better in medical school because the section correlates well with critical thinking ability. I used to teach MCAT test prep at Kaplan and have seen this time and again. Admittedly, this is my observation etc (and not a randomized, controlled trial), but it seems that most students who do really well on the science portion of the test AND who don't do well on the VR portion end up not doing well later in med school once they get in. Again, this is a small sample, and doesn't apply to most people, but it's my observation.

Whatever the case, rather than the science, it's critical thinking and application that seems to correlate with doing well on the test and doing well in med school. The only prob is that most people do not develop this skill b/c they don't practice enough....they spend time memorizing and regurgitating facts and info. The MCAT DOES NOT test for this, but most college tests do. USMLE Step 1 does a little bit, but not as it's main focus. Step 2 does not. All of these test require a basic understanding of science (differing fields with differing levels of detail), but more importantly, ask the test taker to apply their knowledge and reason to an unknown situation. Hard, but different than the usual science test, and NOT impossible to study for.

Anyway, enough rambling....my 4 cents worth.

MD.

Edit: Typos and such.
 
Originally posted by: doinmybestatlast
Perfect for my socially defective, magna cum laude son to pick up some extra side money. Anyone wanting to be a doctor and waste their youth in school pick up many noticeable quirks in their character.
Click to expand...

True dat, but I'd never trade it for any profession in the world. No job allows me to combine cutting edge technology, hard-core detective work, and interaction with people like medicine does. It's a lot of fun if you do it for the right reasons (not $$$ because there ain't none any more), and if you can put up with people that hate your guts.

MD.

P.S. Oh, summa cum laude is probably what's required nowadays...
 
Originally posted by: kehi
I remember this section of my MCAT.... Not a pleasant experience. Of course, neither was the rest of that 9 freaking hour test..



Definately the most insane test I have ever taken. I would have to say about 90% of it was not even applicable to medical school or medicine in general. Since medical schools continue to want tremendously high scores on this test for admissions requirements, they are pushing away some of the best applicants. Just because an individual does not so well on this test they are almost 100% of the time denied from all schools regardless or extracirculars, GPA, and volunteer hours, jobs. I understand the purpose of the test completely but not even considering an applicant due to MCAT scores is just stupidity to me, but I guess that is the way schools want it today. The schools are pulling away from future doctors that can communicate with patients and instead are opting for those that are total geniuses but lack communication skills and common sense. I believe that if this trend continues patients will be visiting medical/biological scientist instead or docotrs in the future. This is a very bad move in my opinion.


Just my 2 cents worth
Click to expand...

Its the AMA a tell you. Huge influx of students admitted would give doctors a less bargaining chip for higher wages. Why give a veteran doctor high six figures for soemthing when you can stiff a new graduate with 50K a year. I've seen countless people who tried the medical route but didn't make head dental. I went dental. I can't write so I'm not even gonna bother with the MCATs. But the MCAT books are good for DAT review but science/math they all the same. Its more practice that's all you really need. Plus medicals not my thing.

I sure wish the AMA would relieve the pressure. I don't think when I get out in 3 years I can still ive in the bay area. Ever street corner they'll be a dentist.


 
What's a passing score for you medical guys on the board exams?

70%?

I hope they don't start raising dental to like 80% and then limit the # of times you can take part 1/2.

Though I would like to see myself pass the board exams beyond bare minimum, never know I might screw up and need a low minimum. hehe 🙂

 
I took the dental boards part one earlier this year. That was the toughest test I have taken. Scored >90th percentile.

As for those who think of dentistry as an alternative to medicine, think twice. Dentistry is equally hard as medicine. Actually the first two years of dental school you take the same courses as medical students, but have dental courses on top of that. If you think it's going to be a breeze, you are in for an awakening. Don't go to professional school because you want money; go because you have an interest or else you are going to have a couple of miserable years of your life.

Regarding dentists on every street corner. there is actually an expected large shortage of dentists coming up. Elderly dentists are retiring and admissions are not increasing. Anyhow, dentistry is a great career. You are a doctor, not on call, don't have to deal much with HMOs, most are the boss, avg income is 112k IIRC (although my school avgs 185k after 5 years), and can work 4 days a week if you want to.
 
Originally posted by: ingenue007
I took the dental boards part one earlier this year. That was the toughest test I have taken. Scored >90th percentile.

As for those who think of dentistry as an alternative to medicine, think twice. Dentistry is equally hard as medicine. Actually the first two years of dental school you take the same courses as medical students, but have dental courses on top of that. If you think it's going to be a breeze, you are in for an awakening. Don't go to professional school because you want money; go because you have an interest or else you are going to have a couple of miserable years of your life.

Regarding dentists on every street corner. there is actually an expected large shortage of dentists coming up. Elderly dentists are retiring and admissions are not increasing. Anyhow, dentistry is a great career. You are a doctor, not on call, don't have to deal much with HMOs, most are the boss, avg income is 112k IIRC (although my school avgs 185k after 5 years), and can work 4 days a week if you want to.
Click to expand...

Where you from man? I'm in san jose. OKay I"m generalizing but oh so often I see some new development some dental office will pop up. I'm looking at my own family we have 9 dentist. I will be #10. blah. But I agree with the perks. Not on call, be your own boss, good pay.

I know there's a shortage right now in certain areas of the country. Last I read Nevada is in real shortage. Emergency = 2 week wait. But that's an old article. Probably one of the reason behind UNLV getting a dental program.

Did you go because you had an interest? I figure I have an interest as the idea of dentistry is the way to go has been drilled into my brain since I was a child. I don't outright love or its my childhood dream as to be a dentist but I don't necessarily hate it. Funny that got me think when I was small I wanted to be a garbage man. haha.
 
I just remember reading a statistic showing nation-wide the number of dentists planning to retire exceeds the amount graduating. I am guessing there were more dental schools (which seems likely since there have been only closings except for the one in Phoenix and NV opening) or just larger classes. I don't really remember how and why I was interested in dentistry (no family members are). In anycase, I am obsessed with it now. I can't wait to learn something new everyday. Just read the manual on how to use Renamel. Can't wait to try it out on two class 3s tomorrow.
 
Originally posted by: mdbound

P.S. Oh, summa cum laude is probably what's required nowadays...
Click to expand...

lol only if your college or university was either not a hard one, or was one of the hard ones that inflate grades like crazy(half the ivies). I only say this because I looked at my school's medical school acceptances list and not everybody was summa cum laude or even magna cum laude. In fact, not even everybody who got into a med school was cum laude...

And before you go thinking that it was just to some crackhead school, or only like 3 people or something but sometimes it was clearly quite a few people...

Of course keep in mind I think the schools are MUCH more lenient if you spend a few years between the time you graduate and the time you apply for med school...assuming you do something useful that actually makes you more attractive.
Arrgh now you people got me worried about medical school again. I have a sucky GPA that I really need to work VERY hard on now to pull up and this is not happiness when you go and see the acceptance list again and see a lot of people whose records sort of resemble yours getting rejected by everybody. Garrgh.

But for what it's worth UCSF and Stanford both took someone with a 3.51 overall and 3.52 science(not cum laude if you care since our cum laude is 3.55).
And the AVERAGE acceptance GPA for Chicago Med was 3.51 which is also not cum laude, with an average science gpa of 3.40 and this was over 6 people...
Texas san antonio took 3 people with an average GPA of 3.29...
Hey new york med took 19 people with an average gpa of 3.43 and science of 3.37!
New York Med here I come!!!

*cries*
 
hmmm FWIW it seems that a huge upside to the MCAT is that if you did poorly in a few of your classes in college because of some stupid things(possibly including not being anal jerks like some of the other premeds are and harrasing professors for points), it can show that you do in fact, know how to do orgo, and are in fact smart enough to be a physician.

I say this because I noticed someone got into my university's med school(which is by the way a top 5 med school ... university of rochester) with a 3.45/3.29...but they had a 34 MCAT =)

Uhh...how did someone with an 18 MCAT get into the Univ. of Buffalo med school...with a 3.35 overall and 3.47 science GPA...double BIO/Health and Society major...uhh...I'm guessing this is being an underrepresented minority and begging U. Buffalo(only UB took this person). Dammit why can't I be an underrepresented minority.

Say, can they actually do anything to do you if you apply and put yourself as african american or something? What if you believe that all humans came from Africa and that thus you are in all technicality an African-American?

That's it I'm turning African American. I do go to a black church weekly, might as well make it official so I can get into med schools easier lol. Dammit...

I actually considered putting myself as african american for college apps just for kicks but I chickened out. Oh well
 
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