The Irish Times - Friday, June 1, 2012

SEN FLYNN, Education Editor

THE NEW entry and selection test for entry to medicine known as the Hpat has done little to widen access to the profession, according to a draft review for the Higher Education Authority.

The review also concludes that students who can afford to take expensive preparatory courses for the Hpat (Health Professions Admission Test) outperform others despite claims the exam presents a level playing field for all students. More than 50 per cent of Hpat candidates take commercial coaching courses, the review states.

The review by the medical schools and other experts concludes that students who repeat the Hpat perform significantly better.

In all, one-third of successful applicants in the past two years were actually repeat candidates, with many of them dropping out of other much-coveted college courses. More than 85 per cent of students who repeated the exam improved their scores.

The findings are unlikely to be welcomed by the Department of Education, which has promoted the Hpat as a new-style exam where compared to the Leaving Cert there is less reliance on rote learning.

But medical schools will be under pressure to make changes before the 2013 exam next February.

Education sources say possible changes include:

* Hpat scores will be valid for a period of one year only;

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Medical school entry test fails to widen access to profession