Medical Applications, above all else, turn on two things: your GPA in undergrad, and your MCAT score. Indeed, you can track your chances of admissions success simply by combining these two inputs, and the AAMC (which administers the MCAT), provides the data to back this up.
In this article, we’re going to go over the MCAT; what it is, why it matters, and how you can prepare for it. Doing well on the MCAT is a key component of preparing for medical school, and all aspiring physicians will need to grapple with this exam (with a few notable exceptions). Let’s get started!
What is the MCAT anyway?
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a computer based exam for students interested in medicine. It is required by both MD and DO programs, for schools in the US, Canada, and some parts of the Caribbean. The test is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) a nonprofit organization composed of medical schools, teaching hospitals, and scientific societies.
The MCAT has been reformatted numerous times in its history, most recently in 2015; with the current form of the exam projected to be used until 2030. While the number of sittings varies each year, it is generally more than 25. The test is only administered at official testing centers.
The exam consists of four sections. These are:
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (59 questions, 95 minutes)
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (53 questions, 90 minutes)
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems (59 questions, 95 minutes)
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (59 questions, 95 minutes)
Each of these sections is scored from 118-132, yielding a total combined score of 472-528. The average score of all test takers is 500-502, while the average score of students who enroll in MD programs is 511-512. The questions are multiple choice for all sections, and the passages used are predetermined. Unlike the GRE, the difficulty of the test does not vary in response to your performance on it. That said, the grading on the exam is scaled; some questions are harder than others, and are worth more if you get them correct, or cause lower penalties if you miss them.
The test takes seven and a half hours in total. Scores are released after a period of approximately thirty days after taking the test. If you feel you are performing badly on the test, you may cancel it at any time during taking, or for a five minute period after you finish. The test will not be scored, and your results on it are not reported.
You may take the MCAT a maximum of three times in a year, and a maximum of seven times in total. You may only register for a single testing date at once, and must wait two days after taking a test to register for another sitting. There is no cost to see your scores, or to send them to a medical school.
Accommodations
As with all other standardized tests, medical accommodations are available for the MCAT. AAMC has this article on how to apply for them. To sum it up: submit your requests early, be certain what accommodations you will need, and have documentation from a medical professional to submit supporting your request.
What the MCAT Covers
Overall, the MCAT is meant to test your knowledge of specific scientific concepts. This is a test of knowledge, focusing on the core concepts you will need in order to succeed in medical school. Each of the four sections covers slightly different material and concepts, and we’ll go over each in turn.
Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
This section, as the name suggests, covers how physics and chemistry provide the foundations for biological systems and interactions. Note that includes both stricter physics and chemistry questions, and questions which directly relate to biochemistry. You will also need an understanding of research methods and statistical analysis for this section.
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
This section is one of the harder ones for many students, as it is the least content based, instead focusing on reading comprehension and passage analysis. Passages can come from a range of disciplines, and many will have no relation to science. The passages are generally chosen to be on topics unfamiliar to the reader, and may be biased. All of the information needed to answer the questions is in the passages, but deep analysis of the passages may be needed.
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
This section has some overlaps in material with Chemical and Physical Foundations. It mainly tests biology and biochemistry, but some questions also deal with organic and inorganic chemistry. Questions will cover biomolecules, biological processes in living systems, and research methods and statistics.
Psychological, Social and Biological Functions of Behavior
This section, as the name suggests, mainly tests concepts of psychology and sociology. The goal is to have you demonstrate an understanding of the behavioral and societal factors in health. Questions cover behavior, perceptions, and how cultural and societal differences influence health.
All of the sections besides the second are designed to make you work with concepts you have learned, and to test whether you can draw connections between related concepts. They also want to test your ability to draw conclusions and understand experiments. Some questions will require you to parse graphs and other figures, and to use the information in them to draw conclusions.
When to Take the MCAT
Most students take the MCAT during their junior year, usually in fall or winter. That said, when you should take it depends on when you plan on applying to medical school. You need to have your MCAT scores before you apply, both to understand your chances and to ensure your application is reviewed promptly when you submit it, without schools needing to wait for your scores.
In general, we recommend taking the MCAT the year before you apply, studying in the fall and taking it in the winter. We recommend taking the test as few times as possible, and making sure you are well prepared before you sit for the exam.
How to Prepare for the MCAT
The general concepts you will need to know for the MCAT will be covered by your science courses at college. Indeed, this knowledge is what is covered in the courses required to be a pre med student. Thus the first way you prepare for the MCAT is by mastering the material covered in these courses, specifically biology, physics, and chemistry.
Of course, you should also prepare for the MCAT itself. The MCAT is one of the most important components of your medical school application, and doing well is very important. You want to have a mastery of all of the concepts you will need, and familiarity with the format of the exam as well.
There are plenty of resources out there to help with content mastery, and we suggest you begin there. As with the SAT, you want to master the content covered by the questions first, because without that mastery, you can do nothing more than guess. Once you have done this though, we suggest moving on to testing strategy.
The MCAT is a very long and involved test, and requires a measured approach. We suggest beginning with a solid study schedule, and a systematized approach to your preparations. This ensures you cover all the material you need to, and do so in time before the testing dates. The schedule can and should be altered if certain sections prove to be more or less challenging for you.
We suggest taking full practice exams. This does not have to be constant, but does offer you the most accurate assessment of where you stand in terms of preparation, and what sections you need the most work on. It also lets you know where you stand in regards to timing, something many students struggle with.
Finally, even as you are preparing, don’t let it consume all your time. You still have other coursework and obligations to take care of, and that includes an obligation to yourself. The risk of burnout is real, and is something to avoid. We recommend building days and times into your preparation for the MCAT to relax and blow off steam.
Do You Have to Take the MCAT?
Generally, yes, if you want to be a doctor. There are a few exceptions however. The primary one is BS/MD programs. Some of these programs will allow you to enroll directly in medical school without having to take the MCAT. Others, however, require you to take the MCAT, and score within a certain range, or at a certain percentile. There is no consistency in these programs on these requirements however, and you should research whatever program you join carefully to make sure of what you will need in regards to the MCAT.
Final Thoughts
While applications to medical schools are holistic, considering many different factors, the two most important remain your undergraduate GPA and your scores on the MCAT. This single test is therefore a constant source of stress for students preparing for medical school, who must spend long hours studying and preparing for it.
We hope this article has covered what you need to know about the test, when to take it, and how to go about preparing for it. This is a long process, and you don’t have to do it alone. If you want to hear how our test prep services can help you study for the MCAT, schedule a free consultation today. We’re always happy to hear from you.
