Aspiring to enrol yourself in a medical college in the United States, Canada, Australia or Caribbean Islands? The answer is to crack the MCAT 2022 or Medical College Admission Test, an entrance examination that will help you get admission into a top medical college. This test is conducted 25 times, including in January, March, April, May, June and July, in 21 countries. It is designed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
What is MCAT 2022?
MCAT 2022 is a multiple-choice examination conducted to assess the critical thinking, problem-solving and writing skills of a candidate along with the knowledge of concepts of science and principles prerequisite to pursuing the field further.
The test assesses the candidates’ understanding of basic concepts in biology, chemistry and physics.
A candidate can register for the MCAT throughout the year. Depending on the region, each test costs between $315 and $360.
The MCAT exam is divided into four sections as per the recent update introduced by the AAMC. These sections are as follows:
- Biological and Biochemical foundations of living systems
- Chemical and Physical foundations of biological systems
- Psychological, social and biological foundations of behaviour
- Critical analysis and reasoning skills
Things to Know Before Applying for MCAT 2022
- As the test is a prerequisite to admission to a medical college, candidates need to apply for the college and inform the same during registration.
- A candidate must take permission from AAMC if he/she is taking the test for purposes other than attending medical school.
- There is a cap on the number of attempts. Candidates can write the test thrice in a period of one year; four tests in 2 years. Candidates can only write the test only 7 times in life.
- The test which is held online (computer-based) consists of four sections that have to be attempted within the duration of 7.5 hours.
MCAT Highlights
| Exam Name | Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) |
| Organising authority | Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) |
| Official website | aamc.org |
| Mode of exam | Online (Computer based) |
| Exam duration | 7 hours 30 minutes |
| Question type | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
Eligibility for MCAT 2022
- Candidates keen to pursue career in Allopathic, Podiatric, Osteopathic and Veterinary
- Candidates from the US and Canada need to have at least four-year undergraduate degree
- For international candidates, their candidature for MCAT is valid only if either they are pursuing or have completed MBBS
- Students can also write MCAT for purposes other than enrolling in a medical school. In this situation, the students must get special permission from authorities at AAMC.
MCAT Application Forms
Here is a Guide to Register for MCAT:
- Candidates need to create an AAMC account and give the information asked on visiting the official website students-residents.aamc.org
- Following this, candidates should verify the email
- Candidates can sign in and click on Start Exam Registration to make an appointment
- They need to provide the information asked like Personal Information, Biographic Information and Academic Background.
- Candidates can select the exam schedule and test centre for themselves.
- After the candidates have provided the information asked, they can pay the application fee using VISA or MasterCard credit card.
- Lastly, a confirmation email will be sent to the registered email ID regarding the appointment.
MCAT 2022 Fee Structure and Scheduling Zone
Fee for registration deadlines for MCAT varies depending on when the candidates are applying for the exam. It has been divided into three zones, i.e., Gold, Silver and Bronze.
Below are the details of these three zones:
Gold Zone: (29 days prior to exam date)
- Flexibility of date and location
- Reschedule exam at lowest cost
- Can get partial refund on cancellation of the reservation
- Low reschedule and cancellation fee for Fee Assistance Programs recipients
Silver Zone: (15 days prior to exam date)
- No increase in the registration fee
- Can reschedule exam in the given fee
- Can cancel the reservation but there would be no refund
Bronze Zone: (8 days prior to exam date)
- Can cancel the reservation but there would be no refund
| Gold Zone Deadline | Silver Zone Deadline | Bronze Zone Deadline | |
| Registration | $ 315 | $315 | $370 |
| Date and/or Test Center Reschedule Fee(non-refundable) | $90 | $150 | Not Applicable |
| Cancellation Refund | $155 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
| International Fee (non-refundable) | $105 | $105 | $105 |
Exam Pattern for MCAT 2022
MCAT, which is a computer-based test, consists of 221 multiple choice questions in four sections. It has to be attempted within 7.5 hours with optional breaks in between.
Here is the breakdown of the MCAT exam pattern:
| Section | Number of questions | Types | Duration |
| Examinee Agreement | 8 minutes | ||
| Tutorial (optional) | 10 minutes | ||
| Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | 50 | 10 passage-based questions (4-6 questions per set); 15 independent questions | 95 minutes |
| Break (optional) | 10 minutes | ||
| Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills | 53 | 9 passages (5-7 questions per passage) | 90 minutes |
| Mid-Exam Break (optional) | 30 minutes | ||
| Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | 59 | 10 passage-based 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 set of questions (4-6 questions per set); 15 independent questions | 95 minutes |
| Void Question | 5 minutes | ||
| Satisfaction Survey (optional) | 5 minutes | ||
| Total Content Time | 6 hours 15 minutes | ||
| Total “Seated” Time | 7 hours 30 minutes (Approx.) |
MCAT 2022 Syllabus
The test assesses the knowledge of candidates in major areas of science, psychology and sociology along with critical reasoning, analytical skills.
It primarily includes topics in four sections which are given below:
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: Ethics, Philosophy, Population Health, Social Sciences, Humanities Disciplines and, Studies of Diverse Culture
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems:
- Chemistry: Organic, and Inorganic,
- Biology: Cellular and Molecular, Biochemistry (introductory topics),
- Natural sciences: Research, Reasoning and Statistics
- Basic Biochemistry concepts, Statistics Concepts and Introductory Research Methods
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behaviour:
- Social and Behavioral Sciences: Scientific Inquiry, Reasoning, Research
- Concepts of Psychology, Sociology, and Biology about the Behavioral and Socio-Cultural Health Determinants
- Mental Processes and Behavior, Concepts of Psychology and Sociology, Introductory Statistics Concepts and Research Methods of Introductory Science
Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems:
- Introductory Biochemistry and Biology Concepts
- Chemistry: Organic and Inorganic, Concepts of Physics
- Show Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning, Research Methods and Natural Sciences
- Introductory Molecular Biology, Introductory and Statistics Concepts
MCAT Score
The MCAT score ranges between 472 and 528 while the sectional score range is between 118 and 132. For every incorrect answer, there will be a penalty.
Marks scored by the candidates are later converted into the score range, which is as following:
| Section | Score |
| Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | 118-132, midpoint:125 |
| Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | 118-132, midpoint:125 |
| Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills | 118-132, midpoint:125 |
| Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior | 118-132, midpoint:125 |
| Total | 472 to 528, mid-point – 500 |
Voiding the MCAT
There is an option of voiding the exam for students appearing for MCAT, at the completion of the exam. In this, students have the choice to opt-out of getting their exams scored. This exam will be counted towards the number of attempts at the MCAT exam.
Final Words
Becoming a doctor is, of course, a dream for many, and MCAT is one of the best options to kickstart your career. Although, the MCAT syllabus seems to be quite comprehensive and requires in-depth preparation there isn’t anything that is impossible. AAMC conducts the test 25 times a year, providing enough opportunities to candidates to improve on their scores. Prepare well and you have got this!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Can international students including Indians apply for the MCAT exam? What is the eligibility?
A. Yes, international students including Indians who are either pursuing or have completed MBBS can appear for MCAT.
Q. Is there a test centre for the MCAT exam in India?
A. There is no test centre for MCAT in India. Students can write the exam in the test centres in Thailand, Malaysia or Singapore.
Q. How many times a candidate can appear for MCAT in a year?
A. A candidate can write the test three times in a year.
Q. Is there an option to cancel the MCAT exam and get a refund?
A. There is a provision of cancellation only till the deadline of the Gold zone after which candidates will get no refunds upon cancellation.
