Everything You Need To Know About The MCAT
Are you an aspiring Doctor? Well, for you to become one, you need to sit for the MCAT exam. Fully known as the Medical College Admission Test, it is a multiple-choice, standardized, and computer-based exam. The exam has been part of the medical school admission process for more than 90 years. Every year, 85,000 students sit for the MCAT exam. Medical schools located in Canada and the United States require MCAT scores.
The MCAT exam tests people on the knowledge and skillsets that physicians, medical students, medical educators, and residents have essential prerequisites to practice medicine. The exam tests four areas and sections which include, Biochemical and Biological foundations of Living systems, Physical and Chemical Biological systems. The other two regions are; Reasoning skills and critical Analysis and Social, psychological and biological foundations of behavior.
When should the MCAT exam be taken?
You should take the exam when you are ready and prepared. Make sure you are conversant with the skills and content on the exam, which are the starting points of the science courses. It’s also essential to use an online tool to be sure you have covered all the skills before the exam.
However, examinees sit for their exams in the year that examinees wait to join medical studies. Before you choose an exam date, consider a high chance of you retaking the exam. Invest heavily on how much you understand the content. Additionally, you can get yourself an MCAT tutor before you sit the exam.
When choosing to take the summer MCAT exam, for example, the science class, it is wise to book the exams for late summer. There are also testing limits for these exams, for example, three times in one year or four times over two academic years. Medical schools also have access to your MCAT course scores. Due to the nature of the exams, it is wise to hire a tutor and do them while you are ready.
Is the MCAT exam important?
The MCAT exam is a crucial stage in the application process, but it’s only one part of joining medical school. Other aspects include academic strengths, exposure to health, medical research, interest, and personal life experiences. To know the 15 core things they look at, one can research the application for medical schools.
Registration
AAMC says that the cost of applying to medical school should not hinder one from being a physician. With the Fee Assistance Program, the students who wish to get financial assistance can do the MCAT exam. If a student meets the requirements, the fee is reduced, and also the Fee assistance program provides additional benefits and resources.
Preparation for MCAT exams
The MCAT exam requirements are usually on the exam tools. The skills and knowledge tested in the exam are introductory-level physics, biology, sociology and psychology, first-semester biochemistry, and organic chemistry. Since content differs from one school to another, it’s good to look at different schools and compare. Other faculty members and health advisors are also assets to help you prepare. An MCAT tutor can also come in handy. If you do not get a pre-health advisor, NAAHP, also known as the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions, has volunteer advisors who will come to your aid.
For AAMC to help you prepare for the MCAT exam, they partnered with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Khan Academy to create original review questions and video tutorials that cover the entire course. To pass these exams, you need to put together a study plan to focus, stay on track, and organize yourself. The AAMC also provides MCAT students resources and test preparation tools to practice and replicate the MCAT experience.
MCAT results
You will receive five forms of results from your MCAT exam. The five will include the four sectional area scores and a combined score of all the four sections ranging from 473 to 528. Your results are usually ready after 30-35 days after the exam date.
All in all, once the exam is complete and marked and you are not satisfied with your MCAT score, your advisor from pre-health can help you choose if you will retake the exam.