Concerns over aptitude test for medicine courses

The Institute of Guidance Counsellors has called for medical schools to stop using an aptitude test to help select incoming students.

A report for the medical schools on the system in place since 2009 is about to be finalised and discussed with the Higher Education Authority next week, with some changes likely to be recommended as a result.

Scores from the Health Professionals Admission Test (HPAT) taken by about 3,000 people each February are counted along with Leaving Certificate points to select undergraduate entrants to medicine.

However, concerns have been raised about elements of the system, particularly the advantages it conveys to those who can afford preparatory courses for the HPAT, and also on the question of whether students should be allowed use their test score from a previous year.

The IGC said the intended aim of the system — to reduce points pressure on students — had not been achieved, based on the available evidence.

IGC president Gerry Flynn said: “Its introduction has, however, introduced a huge additional financial barrier to students seeking a place and conferred considerable benefits on those who can afford the very expensive preparatory courses and who can also afford to repeat the HPAT.

“It is a further obstacle to stated Government policy of promoting equality of access and opportunity. We are urgently calling on the minister to examine the available evidence and request the medical colleges to abandon the practice of putting additional obstacles to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds accessing medical courses.”

Average students’ scores have risen from less than 150 out of 300 in the first year to almost 160 this year. Just over 500 people were offered places on undergraduate medicine degrees last month, with minimum combined HPAT-Leaving Cert scores of at least 737 needed, compared to the lowest score of 713 in 2009.

Anybody with a HPAT test score and at least 480 Leaving Cert points is eligible for selection, but figures obtained by the Irish Examiner last year showed that nobody with less than 515 points got into medicine in the first-round of CAO offers, a significant decrease on the minimum 570 points needed in 2008.

The inclusion of more tests, interviews, personal statements or other non-exam assessments are to be considered by the universities in efforts to reduce the focus on Leaving Cert points for selecting entrants.