Latest revelations raise yet more questions about HPAT – Mitchell O’Connor

Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire TD and Chair of the Fine Gael Internal Education Committee, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has today (Monday) said that the latest revelations about the HPAT (Health Professionals Admissions Test) raise yet more questions about the medical school entrance exam, which must be completed by Leaving Certificate students hoping to study medicine at third level.

“I have been saying for some time now that I believe HPAT is biased and unfairly favours students who can afford to pay huge fees for coaching courses and grinds. The test is supposed to identify students who have the right aptitude and personality to become doctors. But as media reports today suggest, students who can afford to pay for expensive preparation courses are at a distinct advantage.

“While it is welcome that the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER), which administers the HPAT here, is launching an investigation into the matter, I believe it is time that the test is phased out entirely. I raised this issue in the Dáil some 18 months ago, because I believe that HPAT has simply become a revenue generator for expensive preparation courses since it was introduced five years ago.

“These preparation courses are big business, costing up to €1,000 for a two day course. The test purports to pick students best suited to a career in medicine. But results show that the vast majority of those who repeat the HPAT get a better result the second time around. If the test was genuinely about identifying students with personalities suited to medicine, then why would the same student do badly one year and much better the next, after taking grinds?

“There are other significant problems with the HPAT system. Foreign students coming to study at our medical colleges do not have to take HPAT, even though many of them will go on to work in Irish hospitals. Girls are outscoring boys in the second section of the paper, which is based on empathy questions. But surely it is the job of medical colleges to ensure young doctors are trained to deal with their patients in a professional and compassionate manner.

“HPAT was designed to broaden the type of doctors we produce, but instead we are potentially further restricting the profession to the sons and daughters of wealthy parents. I believe it is unfair that a student who works incredibly hard to get the maximum 625 points would be denied the course of their choice. Not only are high achieving students missing out, the HPAT is also skewing the points system because students are taking up another college course, repeating the HPAT and then leaving their original course when they succeed in the exam the second time around. This is pushing up points and disadvantaging other students.

“The HPAT is not fit for purpose. I look forward to the outcome of the ACER investigation, but I feel at this stage serious consideration should be given to phasing out the HPAT system entirely.”

ENDS