10
Wednesday, March 22. 1989 / University Daily Kansan
Essay questions in med school test designed to draw better applicants
by Jennifer Corser
Kansan staff writer
Changes in the Medical College Admission Test could alter student's perceptions that a narrow science education is best when applying to medical school, a University of Kansas institution, faculty member said yesterday.
"The perception is that if you do a lot in the sciences, you will do better in the MCAT and the first two years of medical school," said Dolores Furtado, professor of microbiology at the Med Center.
The Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington, D.C., last week changed the MCAT to include essay writing, which would evaluate a student's communication skills, said Karen Mitchell, director of the MCAT program. The change also will encourage students who have a broad education to apply to medical school, she said.
The changes will be implemented in 1991 and will mark the first time a professional school admission exam
has scored a student's communication skills, Mitchell said.
Furtado said the changes were important because physicians must be able to critically analyze the great amount of written information about illness.
"Physicians have got to spend a lot of time reading," she said, "so you want them to have verbal skills."
Furtado, who was a member of a national panel that recommended the changes, said the reduced number of applicants to medical school in recent years was an indication that people wanted a broader education.
"There are a lot of capable young people that are not choosing to go to medical school, and we want to make it more attractive to them," she said.
Furtado said the Med Center had already enrolled students with educator training and would increase the number would increase when the MCAT changes were implemented.
But Una Creditor, associate dean of admissions at the Med Center, said she did not think the changes would
affect the number of applicants to the Med Center. Students planning to apply in 1919 already are preparing for the essay addition, she said.
Mitchell said the association would remove two of the four science sections now on the MCAT and add two 30-minute essays. In the essays, students will be asked to explain two non-science quotations.
The addition of the essays is the first change in the MCAT since 1977, she said
Mitchell said that part of the reason for the change was a response to complaints from medical school deans who said many medical students could not communicate effectively.
Mitchell said the goal of the association's decision for the change was not to increase the amount of applicants to medical schools but to encourage more applicants with broader educations.
"What we're interested in is changing the characteristics of the applicant pool," she said.
Subject of documentary is freed from jail
The Associated Press
DALLAS — Randall Dale Adams, who once was three days from execution for the slaying of a police officer, was freed yesterday when a court ruled that he didn't get a fair trial.
"This is something I've dreamed about for 12½ years." Adams said after the release order was cleared by some last-minute legal action. "It's here, but give me a little bit of time to think about it."
Adams, whose conviction was questioned in the documentary film "The Thin Blue Line," said he was happy that two courts ruled in his favor but wouldn't feel vindicated unless his name is cleared in a second trial.
"I still would like to have had the trial, but that's not up to me," he told reporters. "That's up to the state of Me."
Prosecutors said Monday they were prepared to try Adams again for the 1967 shooting of Dallas patrolman Robert Wood, but have not decided whether to pursue the
Adams had been ordered released on a $50,000 personal recognition bond set Monday by state District Judge Larry Baraka. But prosecutors had tried to get Baraka removed from the case, saying he was biased in Adams'
the prosecution succeeded in getting the bond raised to $100,000 cash late Monday, keeping Adams in prison another night. He had been in prison for more than 12 years.
Earlier yesterday, *Irol Morris*, who directed "The
Imm Blue Lance," announced he would put up the money to
run a radio show.
Adams was condemned to die in 1977, but the sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1980.
"The Thin Blue Line" suggested the slaying was committed by the prosecution's chief witness, David Harris, who is on death row for another slaying but was not charged in the Wood killing. During a hearing in December, Harris recanted his trial testimony and told Baraka that Adams did not kill the policeman.
Two tombstones were found in Templin and Hashinger Hall during Spring Break, KU police reported Monday.
FOUNDSTONE DISCOVERED.
The stones were at KU during Spring Break. The tombstones, that is.
TOMBSTONES DISCOVERED:
Sgt. Schuyler Bailey, police spokesman, said an investigation was underway.
The tombstones, each valued at $750, were found in rooms in the residence halls. Housing maintenance workers discovered the headstones.
Irv Isbell, manager of Lawrence Memorial Park Cemetery, 1517 E. 15th St., said the cemetery was not that bad. "It wasn't that he had heard of such thefts."
"It's a very rare thing," he said.
"As far as I know, we've never had them taken from here. It surprises me when you go and do something like that."
The tombstone found in Templin was of a Kanwaka woman who died in 1895. KU police reports said she often taken from a cemetery in Stull
The second tombstone, found in Hashinger, was inscribed with birth and death dates in the 1800s. Isbell suggested that the tombstone may have come from a junkward.
"Sometimes the family wants to replace the stone and buy a new one, so she's upset to help the dupe. We don't know what happens to them after that."
Local Briefs
RAPE CHARGE FILED: A Lawrence man was charged Monday afternoon with the rape of a pup in a schoolyard, he was unable to appear in court next week.
Jim Flory, Douglas County district attorney, said his office did not wait long to file charges.
It was a matter of getting all the information ready prior to filing formal charges." Flory said.
The alleged rape occurred Sunday night when a 21-year-old KU graduate student was attacked at
The man was being held last night in Douglas County jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.
a friend's home. She said she knew the attacker and that the alleged assault occurred in the empty house after she had gone to bed.
SLOWED: A two-week old investigation into the death of a Eudora man whose skeletal remains were found March 10 has slowed. Loren Williams of Douglas County Sheriff, said yesterday.
"It doesn't appear that we'll ever be able to determine his cause of death," Anderson said. "He can cause to indicate foul play either."
The remains of Paul O. Abel, 28,
were found March 10 in a field in
western Douglas County, eight
miles northwest of Lawrence.
Abel's car, a 1974 Mustang, was found 20 miles west of where his remains were found on Interstate 70. The car was towed by the driver, and the body of Transportation but was not linked to Abel until last week.
WEEKEND GRASS FIRES:
Monday's weather was a welcome wet blanket for Douglas County.
Grass fires swept the county during the weekend, burning five fields. Citations were issued in relation to two of the fires, the Douglas County sheriff's office reported Monday.
A ban on burning was issued March 14 by Mike Amyx, chairman of the Douglas County Commission. The ban restricts the careless use and disposal of smoking materials, open fires and the controlled burning of fields, trash and other areas or materials.
The citations were issued Sunday to a Wellsville man and a Wakarusa woman, who both started small fire to burn debris. Together, the fires burned more than 10 acres, reports said.
The other three fires were accidental, a spokesman for the sheriff's office said. Reports said one pasture pipe was caused Saturday exhaust pipe from a riding lawn mower and burned about two acres of land in northwest Douglas County.
Another fire started when a Lawrence man emptied a bucket of three-day old ashes onto the ground, according to reports.
The inmate attempted to hang himself with his socks, which he tied together and attached to a ladder in the cell, according to reports.
INMATE TRIES SUICIDE: A 34-year-old Lawrence man tried to hang himself Friday night in the Douglas County jail, the Douglas County sheriff's office reported yesterday.
Loren Anderson, Douglas County sheriff, said the inmate was rescued before he was injured.
"The officers took him down because the inmates called as soon as he started." Anderson said.
Anderson said the inmate had been undergoing psychiatric treatment.
AIDS LECTURE AVOIDED: Not many people checked into a discussion about AIDS at the Lawrence Public Library last night.
Jack Baur, Lawrence resident, led two women in discussing "Coping with AIDS: The Public Response to the Epidemic." The discussion was initiated by the National Issues Forum.
Baur said forums sponsored by groups whose members participated were more successful.
"You feel when you're going to discuss something, especially if it's controversial, that you like to know that the people you're discussing are not all cans are sort of allergic to controversy. It's part of our culture."
Thursday, March 23 is the filing deadline for the BOARD OF CLASS OFFICERS
Applications are available in 410 Kansas Union and are due NO LATER THAN 5 P.M., MARCH 23.
STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES
STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES
Attention to good health is of prime importance in the management of diabetes. This includes:
- awareness of complications created by smoking, alcohol and drug abuse.
- Watkins Health Center offers a Diabetes Clinic to assist you in the total management of your diabetes.
- importance for regular check-ups, including blood pressure monitoring, eye and dental examinations
Call 864-9507 for information.
- the daily care of feet, skin and teeth.
A screening test for visual acuity is available at Watkins Health Center. You can be referred to an eye specialist outside of Watkins if it appears you may need corrective lenses. Save your vision by taking care of your eyes, and always remember to follow doctor's advice. You will be able to see the difference!
SAVE Your Vision Did You Know:
Healthy Lifestyle Programs
Free Seminars! Healthy Lifestyle programs will be offered on a continuing basis by Ann Kohl, M.S., R.D.
Normal Nutrition March 22 3-4 p.m.
3rd Flr.
Safe Weight Loss
March 23 3-4 p.m.
2nd floor Conference Room
The seminars are as follows
Physical Fitness March 24 3-4 p.m. 2nd floor Conference Room
2nd First Conference Room
WATKINS HEALTH CENTER STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES
$6.49
$9.99
Big End
Department of Health Education #864-9570
$4.49
Short End
Half Slab
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EDUCATION
This Special Will Drive You OINKY!
Half Slab
HOG HEAVEN RIB SPECIAL
Full Slab
All children of size 5-12 will be handed homemade tote card free high up to the sky!
Offer good thru 4:3-89
Dallas Recruitment Activity Center (EG)
If interested, please return coupon to:
719 Mass
No Coupons Accepted With This Offer
CONSIDER A CAREER WITH THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
GRADUATING IN 1989?
Initial assignments in Washington, D.C U.S. Citizenship required / EOE
P. O. Box 50397
Dallas. Texas 75250
NAME (please print) ___
ADDRESS___ PHONE___
CITY/STATE.
GRADUATION DATE ___ MAJOR.
ZIP
CHECK AREA(S) OF EMPLOYMENT YOU WOULD CONSIDER:
OVERSEFASJ(Collection & Analysis)
. OVERSEAS (Collection & Analysis)
TECHNOLOGY (Telecommunication, Networks, Research & Development)
ANALYTICAL RESEARCH (Economic, Political, Military & Geographic)
MANAGEMENT TRAINEE
PLEASE RETURN COUPON BY APRIL 12, 1989