Items Allowed During Exam Breaks

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During your scheduled breaks, you may access only food, water, and medication. All break policies are outlined in the MCAT® Essentials and Testing Center Regulations and Procedures, which you are required to read. Please be especially mindful of the following policies while taking your breaks, or at any time after check-in and prior to completing the exam:

  • Do NOT access your cell phone or any other electronic device. Better yet, leave these devices at home or in your car. Even holding or touching an electronic device is considered a violation of MCAT policies and will be treated as such.
  • Do NOT access any notes or other study materials.
  • Do NOT leave the testing center.
  • You may not remove a purse, backpack, or other bag you may have brought to the testing center from your locker during breaks. If you need to access food, water, or medication, make sure to remove the item only and leave any bags in your locker. The bag MUST remain in the provided storage at all times. 
  • Once you are seated for your exam after your scheduled break, you will be required to start your exam even if your full break time has not expired. 

Note: Your test time will stop only for the allotted scheduled break time, so plan your scheduled breaks accordingly and allow time for checking into the testing room.

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Contact the MCAT® Program

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. ET Closed Wednesday, 3-5 p.m. ET

Online Contact Form

202-828-0600
MCAT Security Tip Line

The MCAT program considers the integrity and security of the exam process to be very important. If you observe any irregular behavior or exam security violations before, during, or after an examination, there are three options for reporting. 

1: STOPit! Anonymous Reporting App:   

stopit - Android Apps on Google Play 

STOPit App on the App Store (apple.com) 

SEARCH: AAMC- MCAT Exam 

2: AAMC Webform 

3: Call  202-903-0840

MCAT Essentials

Read the MCAT Essentials for Testing Year 2025.

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