The test was administered on 12 different dates between January and July. It will be administered 11 more times in August and September. Statistics about the first half year’s experience follow:
Students took the MCAT 38,700 times between January and July. Including check-in, the length of the testing day for the average student was six hours, almost three hours shorter than it was under paper delivery. Just as they did in the past, students with disabilities received suitable testing accommodations. Fewer than 90 of the first 38,700 testings were interrupted by technical problems that were preventable (e.g., registration errors, server failures). Additionally, thirty-five students were unable to test due to inclement weather. All of these students were rescheduled and tested or have reservations to test.¼br> Students submitted fewer complaints about excessive noise, heat and other bothersome testing conditions than in the past. With 200 complaints filed thus far, test center complaints are down by 80% compared to this time last year. AAMC staff has responded to all of the students’ complaints, making determinations about the probable impact of these circumstances on students’ scores, retesting students when needed, and refunding testing fees. (This process is described more fully below.) The time needed to report students’ scores was cut in half from 60 to 30 days.
There are two ways that students can register complaints about the conditions of their test administration:
(1) Students who feel that testing conditions may have disadvantaged them on the test day are invited to file a test center complaint (called Center Problem Reports or ‘CPRs’) before they leave the center. The test center administrators will submit the CPRs to Prometric and AAMC. These reports are used for general monitoring of test center conditions and as background for further investigation. Please tell your students to file these reports as they are vital to correcting procedural, room, equipment and any other issues.
(2) If students decide after they leave the testing center but before they receive their scores, that their testing conditions were problematic, they are instructed to write to AAMC about their complaints. Instructions for students who want to file complaints to the AAMC are provided in the MCAT Essentials document and on the MCAT Website .
Prometric staffs review complaints. Students are rescheduled/retested when the conditions are deemed likely to have effected test scores. AAMC also prepares letters for the medical schools to which students apply that describe the testing conditions and their likely impact on student performance.
As some of you may be aware, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the central service through which you apply to US MD schools, has initiated a pilot study for the 2008 entering class. They are piloting the use of criminal background checks for all ACCEPTED applicants for 2008. You can go to the AAMC site for further details. The listing of the 10 participating schools for the pilot study are provided and include the University of Rochester.
The Diabetes Center at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo is currently looking for a student to fill a part-time research position. This position would require a time commitment of approximately 10-15 hours per week. These hours involve early morning sessions from 7:30am-10:30 a.m. 3-5 times per week (Monday through Saturday) - so academic schedules during the fall semester must fit accordingly.
They are looking for a self-motivated, enthusiastic, undergraduate or graduate level student who holds or is working towards a bachelor’s degree, preferably in the sciences. This is a clinical research position, and research experience of any kind is preferred.
Applicants must be able to begin immediately and continue into the fall semester. All interested applicants should send a résumé and cover letter by NEXT Wednesday, July 25th (via mail, email, or fax) to:
Laura Cataldi
Research Assistant, Diabetes Center
Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo
219 Bryant Street
Buffalo, NY 14222
(716) 878-7268
(716) 878-7364 FAX
Email: lcataldi@buffalo.edu
UB BREAKING RESEARCH
MORNING SICKNESS BENEFITS: Women who suffer from morning sickness during pregnancy may have a 30 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer later in life, according to a study by UB epidemiologists.
Read why morning sickness can be good for you.
SCIENCE & RELIGION: A UB study of 1,600 scientists at 21 research universities found that scientists are much less religious than the general population, but not because they became less religious during their scientific pursuits.
Learn how religion affects scientists.
ENZYMES AT WORK: The discovery of a mechanism responsible for the action of enzymes may lead to improved design of synthetic catalysts used to manufacture a wide range of products, according to UB chemists.
Read about enzymes.
SAVE THE DATE!
UB PREHEALTH STUDENT CLUB PICNIC
Sunday, September 9, 2007 at the (tentative location) South Lake Community Room and outdoor area.
There will be food, fellowship, games and a chance to meet other prehealth students and related faculty and staff.
ALL prehealth interested students welcome! Feel free to bring a folding chair or blanket.
From: 12:00-4:00 p.m.
All prehealth interested students welcome!
Effective fall 2007, Prehealth Drop-In Hours will NO LONGER be offered. The decision was made after considering the feasibility of providing accurate and thoughtful advising pertaining to 6 professional health schools within 15 minute time slots. Drop-In hours have been replaced with additional appointment times available to all UB prehealth students. For an appointment, please consult “Scheduling Prehealth Appointments” and then call 716-645-6013.
We would encourage freshmen and sophomore students especially to consider coming to the workshop titled “So You Want to Be a Doctor…” PRIOR to setting an appointment. For the listing of fall 2007 workshops, please go to the main page of the Prehealth website and link on the “Workshops” tab. “So You want to be a Doctor” would also be appropriate for any one just beginning to think about choosing a professional health career in medicine, dentistry, chiopractic, optometry, podiatry and veterinary.
We are able to convey much more information in a workshop forum during an hour as opposed to a 1/2 hour appointment where you also may wish to discuss your schedule, courses, clinical exposure, etc.
New Waiver Requirement for Student Medical Insurance
UB Students: The UB Student Medical Insurance Waiver/Enrollment Process
has changed.
Please be advised the University at Buffalo Student Medical Insurance
Plan waiver requirement is now an annual process. If you have waived
this coverage in the past, you must enroll or waive each year starting
with the academic year 2007-2008. Domestic students may enroll, waive
or verify your own coverage by visiting the UB Student Insurance Office
website (international students must still use a paper process but the
form is on the website): Here are some things to think about:
• If you’re covered under your parents’ plan, coverage may end at age
19 or 21. Most health plans have age restrictions that limit coverage for
dependents;
• You may not be covered away from home or abroad. Be sure your current
policy covers you in the Buffalo area; and,
• You may not have prescription drug coverage. With the cost of
prescription drugs growing by double digits, you need all the help you
can get. The UB Plan includes unlimited prescription benefit at the Sub
Board I Pharmacy. The UB Student Medical Insurance Plan offers you these assurances.
Please note: Students who successfully complete their on-line waiver
prior to the first Fall 2007 bill will not be charged for insurance on
their tuition bill. All full-time undergraduate and graduate students
and all international students are automatically enrolled in a Student
Medical Insurance Plan unless proof of comparable coverage is provided
to the University by October 2, 2007 the final waiver deadline.
Students that do not submit proof of comparable coverage will be
enrolled in the plan and the insurance premium will be charged on the
student’s tuition bill. Also, for students who may be getting student
loan refunds, if you waive before the refund is processed, you will get
the entire refund UP FRONT instead of getting all but the insurance
amount and then a second refund check later.
The UB Student Medical Insurance Plan offers you:
• Access to Aetna’s nationwide network of health care professionals,
including primary care and specialist doctors including Kaleida Health
Systems;
• Travel Assistance Services and Worldwide Medical coverage while
traveling or studying abroad;
• Vision, Fitness and Alternative Health Care Discount Programs in the
Buffalo Area; and,
• All students can purchase Vital Savings, a discount program that can
be used across the country at participating providers for dental,
vision, alternative health care and fitness.
Questions? Customer Service at Chickering can help with the new on-
line process for waivers, enrollment, answering policy coverage questions
and more. Call 1-800-954-5793
