The MCAT Test: Your Ticket to Medical School

Detailed guide to the MCAT test and resources to help you stay on track

The MCAT stands for Medical College Admission Test. It is a standardized, multiple-choice exam administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The exam is a prerequisite for admission to nearly all medical schools in the US and Canada. Annually, over 80,000 applicants to American and Canadian medical schools submit their scores.

The exam has evolved over the years and, since 2015, has become primarily a reasoning-based exam – although a wide breadth of basic knowledge is required to answer the questions accurately. The MCAT exam will evaluate your knowledge of natural, behavioral, and social science concepts and principles, as well as problem-solving and critical thinking skills that are required in medical school.

MCAT exam sections, subjects and number of MCAT questions

Is the MCAT very hard? Do all US and Canadian medical schools require it?

Find out what are the four MCAT sections and the breakdown of the number of questions for each section.

Knowing the subjects that are tested on the exam will help you optimize your study time.

The MCAT is 7 hours and 30 minutes long, including breaks. Find out what else can you expect on test day.

Read these requirements for taking the MCAT as well as undergraduate courses that could help you.

Taking the MCAT requires planning and that includes choosing an MCAT date.

Find out how many times you can take the exam and how medical schools evaluate multiple scores.

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