Ensuring Fairness: An Interview with the Director of MCAT Security and Compliance

Updated March 3, 2022. The article was updated to correct minor grammatical errors and formatting.

Accuracy and fairness in scoring the MCAT exam is an essential part of the test’s role as an indicator of future medical school success. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) requires all test-takers to sign an Examinee Agreement, promising to refrain from cheating or other compromises of the test. The agreement ensures that all medical school applicants can enter the applicant pool on a level playing field, and abiding by this agreement is an important start for examinees to show their commitment to professionalism in their careers as medical practitioners. SDN recently talked with Jason Bell, Director of MCAT Security and Compliance at the AAMC, to further discuss MCAT security and his role in maintaining the integrity of the exam.

What are your responsibilities as Director of MCAT Security and Compliance?

I am responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating policies and procedures that help secure the content found on the MCAT® exam and that help protect the validity of test scores. That can include anything from reviewing security procedures at test sites, ensuring those who sit for the exam meet the AAMC’s eligibility requirements, or investigating cheating and other violations of the Examinee Agreement.

How do you prevent cheating and other security threats?

The best way to prevent cheating and other security threats is by implementing strong policies and procedures that effectively communicate the responsibilities of every examinee, and the consequences if an examinee fails to meet those responsibilities. The MCAT® Essentials explains what examinees can and cannot do when they register for the MCAT, when they sit for the exam, and when they share their exam experiences. By enforcing these policies, the AAMC helps prevent examinees who choose to bend or break the rules from gaining an unfair advantage over others.

Are there types of examinee violations that you see frequently?

The most common violations usually involve an examinee accessing prohibited items, like a cell phone or notes, during a break. There are also examinees who violate the Examinee Agreement by sharing too much information about the test. If examinees are unsure about what information they can and can’t share, we encourage them to review the Agreement and refer to the guidelines. If examinees still aren’t sure if what they are about to say or post is a violation, they can always ask if the information is more specific than what’s found on AAMC’s content outline [What’s on the MCAT2015 Exam?]. If the comment or post is more specific than what is on the outline, it’s probably a violation of the Agreement.

Are there ways that a student might cheat unwittingly? What are the consequences?

The only way I can see how an examinee could cheat unwittingly is if he or she failed to read through the Essentials, which all examinees certify that they have read at the time they register for the MCAT. When it comes to major violations like cheating, the AAMC has a responsibility to protect the examinees who followed the rules. If we have to investigate a cheating incident, consequences may include placing the examinee’s scores on hold, invalidating scores if the cheating can be confirmed, sending a letter of the outcome of the investigation with any medical school applications the examinee may submit, and banning the examinee from sitting for the MCAT in the future.

How has MCAT security changed in the history of the test?

Technology. It’s a double-edged sword. While technological advances definitely help improve security for computer-based tests, gone are the days when cheating was limited by the ability to pass notes or share information in person. Cell phones, e-mail, message boards – the number of ways that people are able to communicate with one another in this day and age has exponentially increased the threat of stealing and distributing information protected by copyright laws and/or the Examinee Agreement.

Why is MCAT security important?

Medical schools throughout the United States and Canada rely on the MCAT as part of the application process. The validity of test scores is inherently dependent on how well we are able to protect exam content from being exposed or known until it’s supposed to be seen by examinees. The ultimate goal is to provide a testing experience that allows an examinee’s performance on the MCAT to be fairly compared to the performance of other examinees, regardless of which test questions they receive. If an examinee commits a violation that provides an advantage to themselves or someone else, it’s unfair to those who spend an enormous amount of time and effort to do things the right way.

What is the most important thing you want test-takers to know about MCAT security?

The number of examinees who sit for the MCAT each year far exceeds the number of students admitted to medical and health profession schools. You aren’t just competing with others who took the MCAT on the same date as you, or even in the same year. You may be competing for a coveted spot at a university medical school with someone who took the MCAT after you took it. If you violate the Examinee Agreement by disclosing specific test information, or if you choose not to share information about others who are cheating or committing other violations, it doesn’t just put other examinees at a disadvantage. It may also help someone else get your spot in medical school.