Test history now reported with MCAT

U-WIRE) DURHAM, N.C. – The medical school admissions pressure cooker, known as the MCAT, just got a whole lot hotter.

Among the changes approved for 2003, the most significant is that medical schools will now receive an applicant’s entire testing history – not just the highest score – when a student applies. This means the days of taking the MCAT “for practice” are over.

“Do it once, do it right – that’s mostly our take on it,” said Albert Chen, executive director of graduate programs for the Kaplan test prep company.

Previously, if a student fared poorly on the test and wished to withhold the results, subsequent score reports would indicate the test was taken but would not reveal the score.

-The Chronicle (Duke U.)

NYU professor, secretary involved in murder-suicide

(U-WIRE) NEW YORK – A romantically involved professor and secretary from New York University’s dental school were found stabbed to death Sunday night in the professor’s New Rochelle, N.Y., home after what police are calling a possible murder-suicide.

Ghada Kharouba, 37, and Franklin Perez, 31, were found in the bedroom of Kharouba’s apartment. It is unclear who the murderer was.

The two were dating for several months, but the relationship had soured, College of Dentistry Student Council President Isaac Tawil said.

Police said they believe the two died sometime after midnight Saturday night.

-Washington Square News (NYU)

Herpes cases surge at Dartmouth

(U-WIRE) HANOVER, N.H. – Cases of genital herpes diagnosed at Dartmouth College spiked this month, with a total of eight new cases of the sexually transmitted disease already reported just over halfway through November. The usual average is just one or two cases per month, Director of Women’s Health Elizabeth Hirsh said.

The simplest and most direct explanation for the jump in numbers is the growing national prevalence of the herpes virus, Hirsh said.

Another possible explanation for the increase in HSV diagnoses is the apparent correlation between physical outbreaks of the virus and stress, Hirsh said, noting that November is midterm month.

-The Dartmouth (Dartmouth College)

U. Utah kissing booth incident raises equality questions

(U-WIRE) SALT LAKE CITY – If a gay man wants to go on a date with the student body president, he will soon have his chance.

Organizers changed the policy after an incident at Tuesday’s kissing booth, held outside the student union.

While the booth was giving out Hershey’s Kisses, sophomore Adam Noshiraban approached the booth with his dollar and asked the male attendant for a kiss. The attendant said Noshiraban should kiss the female attendant, not him.

Organizers have since said that no restrictions will be placed on gender in the future.

-Daily Utah Chronicle (U. Utah)