Sir, – Many students applying to study medicine at third-level have recently sat the HPat exam. This exam was introduced principally to broaden the accessibility to medicine. It has succeeded in reducing the reliance on extraordinary points in the Leaving Certificate in order to enter medicine – now those candidates who obtain places have the highest HPat scores in combination with their Leaving Certificate results.
The HPat examines three core areas: Logical reasoning, interpersonal understanding and non-verbal communication. However, students with the neurological diagnosis of dyspraxia are completely disadvantaged by this final domain which examines non verbal reasoning. This tests a candidates ability to identify patterns and predict which pattern will be the next to occur in a sequence. Dyspraxia, a form of developmental co-ordination delay (which is internationally recognised as affecting 6 per cent of those between 11 and 18 years of age), limits their abilities in perceptual reasoning ie appreciating shapes when presented from different views. They have great difficulty completing patterns and understanding the logical sequencing of diagrams. Since at least 20 per cent of the overall mark in the HPat is allocated entirely to the interpretation of shapes and patterns in this section of the exam, it is almost impossible for dyspraxic students obtain the high marks necessary to achieve a place in medicine.
Prior to the introduction of the HPat exam, entry into this career was still a realistic option for them. At present no Irish medical school is offering a HPat exemption for dyspraxic students. The exam is conducted in Ireland by an Australian examinations body ACER. However, the decision regarding its suitability for dyspraxic students rests mainly with the four Irish medical schools, which could jointly decide to exempt these students. Hopefully they will remove this obstacle. – Yours, etc,
Dr MIRIAM CASEY,
Consultant Physician,
St James’s Hospital,
Dublin 8.