The new MCAT: An incentive for reform or a lost opportunity?

Abstract

The upcoming revised Medical College Admissions Test, based on the recommendations in the HHMI-AAMC report, could be an opportunity to reflect on and revise our curricula, not only for those students who are aiming for a career in the health sciences, but for all students. Unfortunately, the proposed chemistry learning objectives do not seem to provide a coherent framework with which to work. Rather, these objectives are fragments, disconnected ideas, and facts that are clearly parts of existing traditional curricula. If we rely on this report to redesign our courses, it is unlikely that redesign would produce students who understand the core concepts of chemistry. An alternate approach is to use the research on teaching and learning in chemistry to provide us with the evidence and learning theories on which to base curricular redesigns. Learning materials that are designed with an understanding that meaningful learning builds upon and connects to students' prior knowledge, and that difficult concepts are best developed in a well designed scaffolded framework or learning progression are far more likely to help students develop robust understanding of chemical concepts. © 2013 The American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.