HPAT introduction was ‘clumsy’ and untested

The introduction of the Health Professionals Admiss-ions Test (HPAT) was clumsy, took many in the medical and education profession by surprise and was not pilot-tested.

This criticism of the new method of entry to medical school was written by Dr John Murphy in an editorial in the latest edition of the Irish Medical Journal.

“One of the major concerns is that we don’t know what the HPAT is measuring. It is far fetched to believe that a single written examination test at age 17 years will identify into the future doctors with creativity, flexibility and initiative,” said Dr Murphy.

The argument that doctors who were academic high achievers had poor social skills was unfair and could be incorrect, he said. “There is no evidence that the current group of young doctors emerging from medical school lack personal or social skills.”

This year, 48 per cent of medical school entrants were boys, and 52 per cent were girls. In the previous year, 60 per cent of places went to girls. “This attempt at gender engineering is a worrying departure in our education system,” he said.

“Rather than handicapping girls and their academic achievements, the education authorities should be seeking methods of raising the educational standards of boys.”

To remove all bias, students should not have to indicate their gender on the exam paper, he added.

Deducting points from those who scored more than 550 sent out the wrong message. Dr Murphy recommended it should cease.

He also said the HPAT had been given excessive importance – accounting for 35 per cent of total points. He suggested it have the same value as the other six Leaving Certificate subjects – 14 per cent.

He added the HPAT should be explained to pupils through the secondary school curriculum. - Irish Medical Times