In Reply: We agree with Koo and Martin that there are several strategies for integrating the behavioral and social sciences (BSS) into medical education. We are writing to clarify the role of the new MCAT exam in relation to these strategies. A new MCAT exam will be released in 2015. It is changing in response to the recommendations of medical school faculty about the knowledge and skills that students should demonstrate when they enter medical school. We and our colleagues on the MCAT advisory committee recommended that the new exam test knowledge of BSS concepts that provide the foundation for learning in medical school about the behavioral and sociocultural determinants of health. In their 2012 Perspective in the New England Journal of Medicine, Kaplan et al1 offered several compelling examples of the role of behavioral and sociocultural factors in life expectancy, managing illness, and disparities in health outcomes among racial and ethnic groups. They argued that, as with the natural sciences, students are not likely to develop complex knowledge of the psychological and sociocultural determinants of health without foundational knowledge. Teaching medical students how to counsel patients about risky behaviors without a background in theories of behavior change is like teaching gene therapy without a background in basic genetic principles. Given the importance of the BSS to medical practice, we and our colleagues recommended that the Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior section should test examinees’ knowledge of the psychological, sociocultural, and biological factors that influence perceptions and reactions to the world, behavior and behavior change, how we think about ourselves and others, how social and cultural differences influence well-being, and how social stratification affects access to resources and well-being.2 Currently, students arrive in medical school with varying levels of foundational knowledge in the BSS. This limits the amount and level of instruction devoted to teaching the behavioral and sociocultural determinants of health. We hope that the addition of the Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior section will ensure that students arrive with this foundational knowledge. That will provide more flexibility and time for medical educators who want to design more complex course work and training. Ultimately, we believe these more knowledgeable physicians will be better prepared to serve a more diverse population and to understand the impact of behavior on health and wellness. Although knowledge about the behavioral and sociocultural determinants of health is necessary, it is not sufficient for successful physician–patient relationships. Knowledge alone does not guarantee that medical students (or physicians) will work with patients in ways that demonstrate that they have values and beliefs consistent with that knowledge. The MCAT advisory committee recognized the importance of students’ values and beliefs but did not think they could be well measured by a standardized exam. We recommended that the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) investigate new tools to assess students’ values, beliefs, and skills related to patient care. The AAMC is beginning work on a project to evaluate ways to measure personal competencies, such as integrity, service orientation, and cultural competence, to supplement the information provided by the MCAT and other admissions tools.2 Steven G. Gabbe, MD Senior vice president for health sciences and CEO, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio; [email protected] Ronald Franks, MD Vice president for health sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama.