Mcat distractions, and Chicago's EMT test being yanked.

[InfiniumEtAl]

Recently Chicago had a problem with its Paramedic and EMT test being yanked due to its ?integrity being compromised?. Everyone now has to take the National exam, which has a passing of only 40%. They initially claimed it would take almost 10 months to create new ones. But, they were pressured to complete it faster. It will still take them over 3 months. Anyone else had this happen to them personally.

Also, the lawyer that?s defending me from my ambulance accident (into a cabbie) is also handling the case of the MCAT students who were taking their test in a new location, in Chicago, and are suing a saxophonist who distracted them throughout the test with his music. He was playing right under their window. (She took the case because she had gotten a seat right near the vending machine for her L-SAT and she definitely got a lower score than her potential.) Anyone had this happen to them and what did you do about it during the test and after?

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[47534]

During my MCAT test (taken in a hotel ballroom), some choir in a nearby room decided to practice singing. One of the testing administrators left to ask them to quiet down after a while. I didn't do as well as I had hoped on the MCAT either, but I don't think that was due to the gospel music... I don't think anything came of it. At least, I'm pretty sure no one who took the test in the same place decided to sue...

Er, and to get back on topic since this is the EMS forum--nope never heard of anyone's EMT test being invalidated, and I'm glad it didn't happen to me.

 

[dgmedic]

Passing of only 40% on the National??? I would say that the educational programs need to be looked at first! That's horrible!

 

[Apollyon]

Er, and to get back on topic since this is the EMS forum--nope never heard of anyone's EMT test being invalidated, and I'm glad it didn't happen to me.

In New York we used to have "on-site scoring" - I did it for my paramedic - but they stopped it after a few years due to "irregularities".

 

[skyreaper]

I don't know how the EMT state licensure works but it totally screwed me over. I took my EMT-B class in Oklahoma which is a National Registry state...because my school starts at UIUC the twenty fifth I was unable to take the written portion of my EMT-B exam...so now I'm certification-less and license-less. The national registry is not bad at all... are you sure about the 40% percent pass rate? But then again, it shouldn't be too easy since people's lives are on the line.

 

[Febrifuge]

Day-um. 40%? Can that be right? I mean, you only need to get 105 right out of 150 questions (70%) to pass the thing. And 3/5ths of your people don't pass? Is that a Chicago statistic, or a national one? ('cuz I very much doubt the national average is a 40% pass rate.)

I hate to sound like a weiner, but everyone from my class passed. The national exam is hard, but it's nowhere near MCAT hard.

 

[bandaidsNhoses]

In New York we used to have "on-site scoring" - I did it for my paramedic - but they stopped it after a few years due to "irregularities".

Actually NYS is becoming a National Registry State. The BLS portions are all supposed to confirm already. The ALS portions are in progress but my school taught us 3 different ways: NY State, National & NY City MAC. We are required to take all 3 exams. Though the NYC one is just a test of their protocols to be able to work in the 911 system. Still, the MAC is a bit unerving to some people: written exam & oral exam in front of one of their docs.

Oh and the state has be doing onsite for years and will continue to do so. They only "certify" so many sites to be an onsite testing facility. My college happens to be one for the region. Most likely the state suspended the onsite facilty for it's scoring irregularities. But that's interesting since they send their own representatives nowadays to do the scoring themselves, and not any local staff...

 

[cczar]

The NREMT has a 40% pass rate because it is designed to be taken by good test takers. I scored fairly high on my test but I also didn't study for it at all. In fact I played video games for the weeks leading up to the test. Some of my classmates who were very good paramedics, during their field time and got outstanding reviews from their preceptors on their knowledge and skills failed the test. Also with the NREMT-P scoring system in which you must pass all 6 sections to pass the test it is easy to fail. I know my teacher took his NREMT-P test during our class scored 95% on trauma 90% on medical, 100% on cardiology and operations, but 68% on peds. He failed. That is why the test has a low pass rate not because of the education you recieve.

 

[DSM]

I hate to hurt my fellow ems folks feelings when they compare the national registry to the MCAT.....

The National Registry was a really hard test

And the MCAT was.................Something entirely different!

I have a friend in school who took her MCAT in Alabama and a girl had a seizure in the middle of the test. The proctors told them to keep testing....but they lost track of time and of course who could test in the middle of that.

As a paramedic, I am glad I was not there.....I can't imagine not helping someone who was in that kind of trouble but I would not want to sacrifice my test either.


Rock and a Hard place.

 

[SMW83]

I hate to hurt my fellow ems folks feelings when they compare the national registry to the MCAT.....

The National Registry was a really hard test

And the MCAT was.................Something entirely different!

I have a friend in school who took her MCAT in Alabama and a girl had a seizure in the middle of the test. The proctors told them to keep testing....but they lost track of time and of course who could test in the middle of that.

As a paramedic, I am glad I was not there.....I can't imagine not helping someone who was in that kind of trouble but I would not want to sacrifice my test either.


Rock and a Hard place.

yeah, especially since as when you are in EMS or FireFighting, you have a moral dilemma, seeing as you are supposed to help....

By the way did they help the seizure victim... ?

 

[DSM]

yeah, especially since as when you are in EMS or FireFighting, you have a moral dilemma, seeing as you are supposed to help....

By the way did they help the seizure victim... ?

The proctors did but the students were instructed not too......Hence the proctors forgetting about the time. She is appealing because she had not completed TWO sections....she had them marked in the book and was about to put them on the card when the proctors called time without giving a 5 minute warning.

 

[Febrifuge]

A friend-of-a-friend story? Hmmm. The Snopes-O-Meter is registering some kind of a level. Is there any archived news or writing about this? I mean, I hear you when it comes to the underlying point about how evil the MCAT is, but it sounds so... extreme.

But what an awesome thing to talk about at interviews! I bet they'd remember you later.

APPLICANT:
"Yeah, that score is missing until next April because I couldn't finish the section. It's an interesting story; maybe you read about it in the news. They wouldn't let the ambulance crew in until the Cone of Silence was lifted and the doors were un-sealed, as they thought someone would slip me answers through the earpieces of a stethoscope. But what was I gonna do? I had a post-ictal patient, and had to watch her heart and resp rates without any equipment. With no idea of her BP I had to stay close, and they wouldn't let me use her forehead for a writing surface. It took a federal mediator under the direction of the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, but they released the partial score. Anyway, imagine it's an 8 to a 10, like the rest of the sections, and it works out okay."

SCHOOL REP:
Uh... okay, then. Next question. If you were a tree...

 

[DSM]

A friend-of-a-friend story? Hmmm. The Snopes-O-Meter is registering some kind of a level. Is there any archived news or writing about this? I mean, I hear you when it comes to the underlying point about how evil the MCAT is, but it sounds so... extreme.

But what an awesome thing to talk about at interviews! I bet they'd remember you later.

APPLICANT:
"Yeah, that score is missing until next April because I couldn't finish the section. It's an interesting story; maybe you read about it in the news. They wouldn't let the ambulance crew in until the Cone of Silence was lifted and the doors were un-sealed, as they thought someone would slip me answers through the earpieces of a stethoscope. But what was I gonna do? I had a post-ictal patient, and had to watch her heart and resp rates without any equipment. With no idea of her BP I had to stay close, and they wouldn't let me use her forehead for a writing surface. It took a federal mediator under the direction of the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, but they released the partial score. Anyway, imagine it's an 8 to a 10, like the rest of the sections, and it works out okay."

SCHOOL REP:
Uh... okay, then. Next question. If you were a tree...

Well, considering that I SPOKE with the girl who it happened and I know this girl is a super intelligent student who will make a fantastic doctor some day, I believe her. Now you don't have to believe my story but that is ok too.

And it is possible for someone with medical problems to collapse in the middle of a very stressful test. And it is possible for a delay in getting an ambulance to a patient if you have worked on one you know this. And it is possible for less than knowledgable persons to do more harm to a seizing patient by sticking objects in the mouth, not preventing the head from hitting the floor repeatedly, not keeping the patient on her side to help keep the airway open. Being in EMS for over 15 years I have a natural desire to help someone in distress regardless of the level of care I can render. Yes, I would have continued with my test but I would have been severely distracted.

I just think the proctors should have removed the girl from the room leaving one proctor to care for the class. That would have been the fair thing to do for the students.

 

[FoughtFyr]

A friend-of-a-friend story? Hmmm. The Snopes-O-Meter is registering some kind of a level. Is there any archived news or writing about this? I mean, I hear you when it comes to the underlying point about how evil the MCAT is, but it sounds so... extreme.

O.k., but during my administration of the MCAT the was a misprint in one series of the booklets (i.e., everyone with test form "XX"). A passage in the VR section was repeated verbatim, so obviously there was a problem. This apparently affected a large section of the Midwest. Some proctors instructed the testers to continue, others stopped the exam for affected testers and at least one stopped the test entirely. My proctor stopped the test for those affected, including my close friend and study partner. In the end, the scores of everyone with the misprinted test form were invalidated, as well as the scores of those whose proctors stopped the test altogether. A letter of apology and explanation was sent along with a refund. The problem was, they were not offered a "special" retest. All of them were forced to wait for the next administration. Thankfully, the AAMC did not invalidate everyones' scores as I did well - but, I can, based on previous experience, see a proctor being as ridiculous as stated in the post...

- H

 

[DSM]

As long as humans are in charge there will be problems. Thankfully, my mcat testing experience went smoothly

 

[SMW83]

As long as humans are in charge there will be problems. Thankfully, my mcat testing experience went smoothly

good luck and hope you have good scores!

 

[Febrifuge]

Whoa there! I believe you! I'm just saying, what an extreme situation. And it's all the more awesome because it was real (and everyone was okay in the end) because it helps to spread the legend of the evil MCAT.

You gotta admit, some stories spread just because of their value in proving a point, even though they're not true. It's rare when they are. That's all I was saying.

And I'm no 15-year veteran, but I am an EMT, so hey, I hear ya. And since I'm still almost two years out from my MCAT, I have yet to develop the test-taking skills to feel like I'd keep on filling in the bubble sheet. Maybe I'll get there.

 

[DOrk]

[QUOTE=bandaidsNhoses]Actually NYS is becoming a National Registry State. The BLS portions are all supposed to confirm already. The ALS portions are in progress but my school taught us 3 different ways: NY State, National & NY City MAC. We are required to take all 3 exams. Though the NYC one is just a test of their protocols to be able to work in the 911 system. Still, the MAC is a bit unerving to some people: written exam & oral exam in front of one of their docs.

Oh and the state has be doing onsite for years and will continue to do so. They only "certify" so many sites to be an onsite testing facility. My college happens to be one for the region. Most likely the state suspended the onsite facilty for it's scoring irregularities. But that's interesting since they send their own representatives nowadays to do the scoring themselves, and not any local staff...[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately, I don't see NY becoming a registry state any time soon...Far too much ALS in NY (outside of NYC) is provided by CC techs.....Rural NY is almost all CC, and setting up bridge-to-paramedic programs will take a long time...

 

[jammin06]

I have a friend in school who took her MCAT in Alabama and a girl had a seizure in the middle of the test. The proctors told them to keep testing....but they lost track of time and of course who could test in the middle of that.

yea, i was in that testing room. it was insane. they had EMT's in the room with time still left on the clock, and we were expected to keep going. The girl didn't actually have a seizure, but was trying to walk to the exit, fell, and hit her head on a table. Minor laceration above the right eye, possible concussion.

 

[DSM]

I have a friend in school who took her MCAT in Alabama and a girl had a seizure in the middle of the test. The proctors told them to keep testing....but they lost track of time and of course who could test in the middle of that.

yea, i was in that testing room. it was insane. they had EMT's in the room with time still left on the clock, and we were expected to keep going. The girl didn't actually have a seizure, but was trying to walk to the exit, fell, and hit her head on a table. Minor laceration above the right eye, possible concussion.

Are you guys going to have any recourse over that? Or will the scores just stand?

That sucks for you guys. Sorry!