The MCAT exam has been part of the medical school admission process for over 90 years. Most medical schools in the United States, and many in Canada, require applicants to submit recent MCAT scores. Additionally, many other health professions and graduate programs accept MCAT scores as evidence of academic knowledge and skill relevant to their field of study.
In conjunction with its member medical schools, the AAMC develops and administers the MCAT exam multiple times each year. The exam is administered at hundreds of Pearson VUE testing sites in the United States, Canada, and select locations throughout the world.
The MCAT exam tests concepts that medical school faculty, residents, and students rate as important to entering students’ success in the medical school curriculum. It is a standardized, computer-based exam with content divided into four multiple-choice sections.
Exam Overview
| Section | Number of Questions | Content | Time Allotted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test-day certification | 4 minutes | ||
| Tutorial (optional) | 10 minutes | ||
| Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | 59 | 10 passage-based sets of questions (4-6 questions per set) & 15 independent questions | 95 minutes |
| Break (optional) | 10 minutes | ||
| Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills | 53 | 9 passage-based sets of questions (5-7 questions per set) | 90 minutes |
| Mid-exam break (optional) | 30 minutes | ||
| Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | 59 | 10 passage-based sets of questions (4-6 questions per set) & 15 independent questions | 95 minutes |
| Break (optional) | 10 minutes | ||
| Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior | 59 | 10 passage-based sets of questions (4-6 questions per set) & 15 independent questions | 95 minutes |
| Void Question | 3 minutes | ||
| End-of-day survey (optional) | 5 minutes | ||
| Total content time | 6 hours and 15 minutes | ||
| Total "seated" time* | About 7 hours and 30 minutes |
*Total seated time does not include check-in time upon arrival at the test center.
The natural and social sciences sections are organized around 10 foundational concepts, or “big ideas,” in the sciences. The test content draws from disciplines in year-long courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry, introductory physics, and introductory biology and from introductory courses in biochemistry, psychology, and sociology. Multiple-choice questions in these sections will ask you to combine your scientific knowledge from multiple disciplines with your scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.
The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section includes questions that test your ability to comprehend and analyze information you read in passages taken from a wide range of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. This section requires no specific content knowledge.
To learn more about what's on the MCAT exam, visit the What's on the MCAT Exam? Content Outline. This resource contains a complete description of the competencies you are responsible for knowing on the MCAT® exam. It also lists and discusses the exam’s conceptual framework, organized around foundational concepts, content categories, and scientific inquiry and reasoning skills.
The AAMC has free and low-cost resources and practice products to help you prepare for the exam. Learn more.
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