Poster Session #1

Presentation Type

Poster

Faculty Mentor’s Full Name

Mark Pershouse

Faculty Mentor’s Department

BMED

Abstract / Artist's Statement

One of the first questions prospective students ask the premedical sciences department is what major they should choose. Medical schools have no preference for major but students want to prepare as best they can for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) because it is one of the most important aspects of their application. Using data on MCAT scores and majors from the previous 6 years, I examined the possibility of correlation between major and MCAT score. The MCAT is broken into 4 parts: Biological and Biochemical Foundations, Physical and Chemical Foundations, Comprehensive Analysis and Reasoning Skills and Psychological, Social and Behavioral Foundations of Biology. Each section test contributes to a comprehensive exam that every student who finished a premedical track in their undergrad should have ample knowledge to perform well on. Comparing the different majors at each section test allows us to analyze the best possible recommendation to the overarching question of what major is the best for preparing students for medical school. This allows the entire university to give the best possible recommendation and increases the robust knowledge of our pre-medicine advisors.

Category

Social Sciences

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Apr 17th, 11:00 AM Apr 17th, 12:00 PM

Does Major Predict MCAT Success?

UC South Ballroom

One of the first questions prospective students ask the premedical sciences department is what major they should choose. Medical schools have no preference for major but students want to prepare as best they can for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) because it is one of the most important aspects of their application. Using data on MCAT scores and majors from the previous 6 years, I examined the possibility of correlation between major and MCAT score. The MCAT is broken into 4 parts: Biological and Biochemical Foundations, Physical and Chemical Foundations, Comprehensive Analysis and Reasoning Skills and Psychological, Social and Behavioral Foundations of Biology. Each section test contributes to a comprehensive exam that every student who finished a premedical track in their undergrad should have ample knowledge to perform well on. Comparing the different majors at each section test allows us to analyze the best possible recommendation to the overarching question of what major is the best for preparing students for medical school. This allows the entire university to give the best possible recommendation and increases the robust knowledge of our pre-medicine advisors.