MCAT Preparation

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MCAT Preparation

• UBC Pre-Medical Society
• Eric Chou, Ashim Verma, Bahar Ghobassy and Tu Diep

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What is the MCAT?

• MCAT stands for Medical College Admission Test
• MCAT is a standardized, multiple-choice
  examination designed to assess problem solving,
  critical thinking, and writing skills in addition
  to the examinee's knowledge of science concepts
  and principles prerequisite to the study of
  medicine.

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What is the MCAT?

• MCAT is administered by the Association of
  American Medical Colleges
• Held twice each year, mid-April and mid-August.
• The test dates for 2004 are April 17th and August
  14th
• To register to write the MCAT, you have to do it
  online at http//www.aamc.org/students/mcat/

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How long is the MCAT?

• A regular session of the MCAT is held on a
  Saturday.
• It is a whole day process beginning at 9am and
  ending at about 5pm. The ending time depends on
  the pace of the test at each test location.
• Before 9am, there is a check-in process which
  takes about one hour.

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MCAT Categories

• Physical Sciences
• Verbal Reasoning
• Writing Sample
• Biological Sciences

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Schedule For the MCAT Test Day
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Physical Sciences
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Physical Sciences

• Requires a general understanding of basic physics
  and inorganic chemistry.
• Scoring in this section is very similar to the
  biological sciences and verbal reasoning (1
  15).
• Time allotment 77 multiple-choice style
  questions in 100 minutes.
• Question types range from
• Experimental
• Conceptual
• Calculation

• (No calculators are allowed on the MCAT).

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Physical Sciences - Physics

• Force, Motion, Gravitation
• Equilibrium Momentum
• Work Energy
• Wave Periodic Motion
• Fluids Solids
• Electrostatics, Electricity, Magnetism
• Atomic Nuclear Structure
• Light Geometric Optics
• Sound

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Physical Sciences - Chemistry

• Stoichiometry
• Electronic Structure The Periodic Table
• Bonding
• Phase Equilibria
• Solution Chemistry
• Acid Base Chemistry
• Thermodynamics Chemical Equilibria
• Chemical Kinetics

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Physical Sciences - Passages

• Many (not all) Physical Science questions are
  accompanied with a descriptive passage of
  relevant physical phenomena.
• Passages may describe experimental procedures,
  provide historical context to important
  physiochemical discoveries, or provide
  information on naturally occurring phenomena.
• 6-10 questions typically follow each passage.
  Questions that follow are usually either one of
  experimental, conceptual, or calculation types.

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Independent Questions
Questions 70-77 are not based on a descriptive
passage.

• Rapid Fire type questions which test elementary
  concepts and may require minor calculations.
• Approximately 16-19 free-standing questions in
  the Physical Sciences Section, usually divided up
  in groups of three that are spaced out throughout
  the section.
• MCAT Hint Many students find they work through
  the test faster and more efficiently if they
  attack these questions first. It allows for you
  to get them out of the way early on, leaving you
  the rest of the time to slow down to read
  passages.

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Physical Sciences Sample

• Two objects of charge q and Q are a distance, d
• apart. What happens to the electrostatic force if
  the
• distance, d, between them is doubled?
• a) F
• b) F/2
• c) F/4
• d) 2F

F KQq/d2 F is therefore proportional to 1/d2
We are doubling d so the the F is now KQq/(2d)2
KQq/4d2. Compared to KQq/d2, there is a
difference By a factor of ¼.
Answer
C
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Verbal Reasoning Writing Sample
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Verbal Reasoning

• Time allotment 60 questions in 85 minutes.
• Passages are from the humanities and social
  sciences. Typically they are about 500-600 words
  in length.
• Approximately 5-10 questions per passage.
• Scoring is similar to biological sciences and
  physical sciences (1-15)

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Writing Sample

• Two topics given, 30 minutes per topic.
• Topics are emotionally uncharged and are not
  medically related.
• Example
• The more people rely on computers, the more
  people become alienated from one another.
• Write a unified essay in which you perform the
  following tasks. Explain what you think the above
  statement means. Describe a specific situation in
  which computers might not alienate people from
  one another. Discuss what you think determines
  whether or not computers alienate people from one
  another.

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Writing Sample

• The topics require an expository response.
• The markers are looking for development of a
  central idea in a cohesive and logical manner.
• Writing should be clear and should follow
  accepted practices of grammar, syntax, and
  punctuation consistent with timed, first-draft
  composition.
• Writing sample scored from J T.
• Essay must be written in black, ball-point pen.

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Biological Sciences
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Biological Sciences

• This section covers both biology and organic
  chemistry.
• Possible scores range from 1 to 15.
• This section has 77 multiple choice questions
  about 16 questions are free-standing questions,
  and the rest are in passages.

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Biological Sciences - Biology

• Molecular Biology
• Microbiology
• Generalized Eukaryotic Cell
• Specialized Eukaryotic Cells and Tissues
• Nervous and Endocrine Systems
• Circulatory, Lymphatic, and Immune Systems
• Digestive and Excretory Systems
• Muscle and Skeletal Systems
• Respiratory and Skin Systems
• Reproductive System and Development
• Genetics and Evolution

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Biological Sciences Organic Chemistry

• Biological Molecules
• Oxygen-Containing Compounds
• Amines
• Hydrocarbons
• Molecular Structure of Organic Compounds
• Separations and Purifications
• Use of Sepectroscopy in Structural
  Identification

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Free Standing Questions

• They are questions that are not based on a
  passage
• Generally requires knowledge based on
  memorization

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Free Standing Questions - Example

• Which of the following hormones is LEAST directly
  regulated by the anterior pituitary?
• A. Cortisone
• B. Epinephrine
• C. Progesterone
• D. Thyroxin
• Answer

B
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Passage Style Questions

• There are 11 passages in total in the Biological
  Sciences section
• The answers to the questions can sometimes be
  found in the passages at least hints to the
  correct answer
• Some questions, although are related to the
  passages, can be answered without reading the
  passages.

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Final Notes on MCAT Preparation
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How to Prepare for the MCAT The Princeton
Review www.princetonreview.com/medical Kaplan www.
kaplan.com (Click on MCAT) AAMC
www.aamc.org/students/mcat/practicetests.htm
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Recommended Texts - The Gold Standard -
Kaplan MCAT Comprehensive Review - The Silver
Bullet - Exam Krackers
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The UBC Pre-Medical Society Contact Ph (604)
822 8084 Office Wood G30 Websitehttp//www.ams
.ubc.ca/clubs/premedical Email
Premedical_at_club.ams.ubc.ca