RIG MCAT PRESENTATION 2017

MCAT

Alexander McKinnon & Muzeen Ismath MD Students

Faculty of Medicine University of Manitoba

2017

OBJECTIVES

Who are we?

What is the MCAT?

How do I prepare for the

MCAT?

How do I take the MCAT?

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Born in Winnipeg

B.Sc at Gonzaga University on

a tennis scholarship

Med 2 at the University of

Manitoba

Interested in: Emergency,

Rural Family, Anesthesia

3

MUZEEN ISMATH

MY MCAT JOURNEY

M C A T S U M M E R O F 2 0 1 2 - 1 4

Wrote the MCAT 3 times during

that period

Took Princeton Prep Course prior

to the last exam

Studied full-time during summers

of last 2

Applied only to U of M

4

Born in Deloraine

B.Sc. (Hons) Mount Allison

University

M.Sc. University of Western

Ontario

Med I at the University of

Manitoba

Interested in: Rural family,

Emergency, Paediatrics

5

ALEXANDER MCKINNON

MY MCAT JOURNEY

M C A T S U M M E R O F 2 0 1 4

Bought MCAT prep books on Kijiji

Studied most evenings during my M. Sc. and wrote a practice exam each weekend for ~4 months

Wrote the MCAT in the fall

Applied to U of M, U of S and NOSM.

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WHAT IS THIS “MCAT” YOU SPEAK OF?

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MCAT

“The Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®) is a standardized, multiple-choice

examination designed to assess the examinee's problem solving, critical thinking,

and knowledge of science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of

medicine. Scores are reported in

• Biological and biochemical foundations of living systems

• Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems

• Psychology, social, and biological foundations of behavior

• Critical analysis and reasoning skills

-Association of American Medical Colleges

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THE TEST

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Time: 95 minutes

Passages: 10

Questions: 59 44 passage-based Questions per passage: 4-6

Minutes per passage: ~8

15 independent Qs

Passage types: Information Experiment Persuasive Argument

Content: General chem (30%) 1st term biochem (25%) Intro physics (25%) Organic chem (15%) Intro Bio (5%)

10

CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

Time: 90 minutes

Passages: 9

Questions: 53 53 passage-based

0 discrete

Questions per passage: 5-7

Minutes per passage: 10

Passage types: Humanities (50%)

Social Sciences (50%)

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CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND REASONING SKILLS

Time: 95 minutes

Passages: 10

Questions: 59 44 passage-based Questions per passage: 4-6


15 independent Qs

Passage types: Information Experiment Persuasive Argument

Content: Intro bio (65%) 1st term biochem (25%) General chem (5%) Organic chem (5%)

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BIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL FOUNDATIONS OF LIVING SYSTEMS

Time: 95 minutes

Passages: 10

Questions: 59 44 passage-based Questions per passage:

4-6


15 independent Qs

Passage types: Information

Experiment

Persuasive Argument

Content: Intro psych (65%)

Intro sociology (30%)

Intro Bio (5%)

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PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF BEHAVIOR

Each section scored: 118-132

Max score: 528

Average MCAT score: 500

Average applicant: 506*

Average applicant invited for mmi: 510*

Average accepted: 513*

Min accepted: 498*

Your target score: 528

* Stats are from the class of 2020 mb pool.

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SCORING

HOW ON EARTH DO I PREPARE FOR THE MCAT

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Undergrad

Textbooks

MCAT Book

MCAT Course

WikiPremed

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HERE ARE THE OPTIONS

PRO

You already have them

CON

A lot of extra material

Won’t teach how to take the

test

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UNDERGRAD TEXTBOOKS

PRO

Designed for the MCAT

CON

$100-$200ish

There’s so much to choose from

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MCAT BOOK

MCAT COURSE

PRO

Teach to the test

Provide you with a schedule

An instructor to answer questions

CON

EXPENSIVE

Sessions depend on quality of instructor

Doesn’t have good data for new MCAT

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http://www.wikipremed.com

http;//www.khanacademy.org

PRO

FREE

Khan is advertised on aamc

CON

Does not have good data for new MCAT

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WIKIPREMED/ KHAN ACADEMY

http://www.wikipremed.com

Learn the content however you want.

DO PRACTICE TEST/QUESTIONS

These are the best way to study

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SO WHAT SHOULD I DO?

PRACTICE TESTS

Buy online from AAMC (http://www.e-mcat.com)

$35 for 1 (there are currently 2- exams)

Included with some books

Included with courses

Computer-based test

DO aamc exam as a diagnostic and then again closer to test date

YOU CAN NEVER DO ENOUGH PRACTICE

TESTS/QUESTIONS FROM AAMC

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http://www.e-mcat.com



FREE MCAT-STYLE QUESTIONS

http://www.bestsamplequestions.com/mcat-sample-questions/mcat-sample-

questions.html

Not an exact representation the new MCAT questions but excellent practice

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http://www.bestsamplequestions.com/mcat-sample-questions/mcat-sample-questions.html











WHAT UNDERGRAD DO I NEED TO KNOW?

Physical Sciences

First year physics

First year chemistry

Know your equations!!!

First Semester Biochem

Biological Sciences

First year biology

Organic chemistry

Social Sciences/Humanities

First year Psychology

First year Sociology

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WHAT VERBAL DO I NEED TO KNOW

No outside knowledge is required

WE read for pleasure or for knowledge

MCAT reading is for purpose and structure

Purpose = why the author wrote what he did

Structure = how the author presents ideas

Know keywords

Continuation

Contrast

Conclusion

Opinion

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HOW TO STUDY

Make a calendar/Stay organized Build in obligations

Time for friends/family

Study in a test-like environment

Study at the same time as when you will take your test

Practice, practice practice

Do what works for you!

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Focus on weak areas

Read, Read, Read

Address any fatigue or focus issues

Practice at the computer

Create test-friendly habits

No coffee during the test

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UNTIL A WEEK BEFORE TEST DAY

Focus on strengths

Eat good meals at regular times

Continue your sleep/wake schedule

Practice in a test-like environment

Visit the test site!!!

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DURING WEEK OF TEST DAY

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Plan your day!!!!

TEST DAY

Wake up on time

Eat normal breakfast

Warm up physically and mentally FLASHCARDS/practice exam/study sheet

Wear comfortable clothing

Dress in layers

Bring high-energy foods

Arrive at test site at least 30 minutes prior to your appointment time

Don’t forget current photo ID

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Printout of confirmation

email

Personal photo ID (2)

Snack / Sports drink

Extra jacket or

sweatshirt

Watch

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CHECKLIST FOR TEST DAY

TAKING THE MCAT

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THE TEST

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TUTORIAL

Can I highlight keywords located in the passage or in the

question stem?

Can I strike out wrong answer choices using the mouse?

Can I access a Periodic Table using an icon on the screen?

Will I be able to adjust the screen layout?

Is a test timer provided? If so, where will it be located?

Can I mark questions that I would like to go back and review

if time has not expired?

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TOUGH QUESTION?

Do you get points for 2nd best answer?

Do you get points off for guessing?

Are hard questions worth more than easy question?

Are all passages the same difficulty?

Are passages in a particular order?

If you don’t know…guess.

If it looks tough…come back to it.

DO NOT LEAVE A QUESTION BLANK

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• If two answers mean the same,

neither can be right

• Avoid absolute language (i.e. all,

never, always, etc)

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GUESSING STRATEGY

VOID MY SCORE

You only have ONE opportunity to void your exam

I wish to have my MCAT exam SCORED.

I wish to VOID my MCAT exam.

Only voided if requested on test day

Cannot void scores at a later date for any reason

Scores cannot be reinstated at a later date for any reason

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VOID MY SCORE

Yes, if you…

Left a large number of questions blank

Got physically ill during test

Had extreme test administration problems

Shouldn’t have been there in the first place

No, if you…

Felt the test was hard

Felt like you guessed too much

Didn’t finish every passage

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• Can have one MCAT reservation at a time

• Take the exam up to 3 times per calendar

year

• A void exam does not count as one of the 3

attempts in a year

• No shows count as an attempt

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MCAT RULES

FINISHING THE MCAT!!

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FINAL TIPS

• Practice, practice,

practice

• Stay motivated

• Find friends

•Make it fun

• Remember end-goal

• Nerves are expected

• Practice

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SEE YOU ON THE WARDS!!!!

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Any Questions?

PASSAGE BASED EXAMPLE

Cholesterol is a structural component of plasma membranes and a precursor of steroid

hormones. The typical blood cholesterol level of healthy humans is about 1.8 mg/mL.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (HC) is a disease associated with high cholesterol levels; HC

affects 1 in 500 people. The cholesterol level of moderately affected individuals is about 3.0

mg/mL. Severely affected individuals have cholesterol levels around 7.0 mg/mL.

HC is relatively common in some families and absent from others. Research shows no

significant difference between the dietary habits of individuals in affected and unaffected

families.

Biologists believe that HC is caused by a malfunction at the plasma membrane. The cells of

healthy individuals have cholesterol-containing vesicles, whereas the cells of individuals with

HC do not. A comparison of the homogenized cells reveals that individuals with HC lack a

membrane protein that normally binds to a particular cholesterol-containing particle (LDL).

This same protein is found in the membrane of cholesterol-containing vesicles.

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Cholesterol is a precursor of which of the following hormones?

a. Insulin

b. Gastrin

c. Thyroxin

d. Estrogen

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Cholesterol is a structural component of plasma membranes and a precursor of

steroid hormones. The typical blood cholesterol level of healthy humans is about 1.8 mg/mL.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (HC) is a disease associated with high cholesterol

levels; HC affects 1 in 500 people. The cholesterol level of moderately affected individuals is

about 3.0 mg/mL. Severely affected individuals have cholesterol levels around 7.0 mg/mL.

HC is relatively common in some families and absent from others. Research shows

no significant difference between the dietary habits of individuals in affected and unaffected

families.

Biologists believe that HC is caused by a malfunction at the plasma membrane.

The cells of healthy individuals have cholesterol-containing endocytotic vesicles, whereas the

cells of individuals with HC do not. A comparison of the homogenized cells reveals that

individuals with HC lack a membrane protein that normally binds to a particular cholesterol-

containing particle (LDL). This same protein is found in the membrane of cholesterol-

containing vesicles.

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a. Insulin

b. Gastrin

c. Thyroxin

d. Estrogen

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a. Insulin

b. Gastrin

c. Thyroxin

d. Estrogen

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Is it reasonable to conclude that HC is caused by a genetic disorder?

a. Yes, because HC is common in certain families, regardless of the type of diet

they consume.

b. Yes, because HC is common in families that consume low-cholesterol diets.

c. No, because individuals in families that consume high levels of cholesterol are

more likely to acquire the disease.

d. No, because HC appears to be caused by a defective protein and not a

defective DNA sequence.

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families.







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they consume.






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they consume.






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A man and a woman, each with a cholesterol level of about 3.0 mg/mL, have a child

with a cholesterol level of 7.0 mg/mL. Assuming that HC is determined by alleles at a

single locus, does this observation provide evidence that the HC allele is dominant to

the normal allele?

a. No; HC is recessive, because the disease is expressed in the child but is not

expressed in the parents.

b. No; HC is codominant, because the heterozygous parents have a less severe

form of the disease than does the homozygous child.

c. Yes; HC is completely dominant, because the child inherited the most severe

form of the disease.

d. Yes; HC is completely dominant, because both parents carry the allele and have

the disease.

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families.







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the normal allele?








the disease.

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the normal allele?








the disease.

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THANKS AGAIN!!!

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RIG MCAT PRESENTATION 2017

Health & Medicine

Transcript of RIG MCAT PRESENTATION 2017