MCAT Syllabus 2023 : Check Section-wise Syllabus and Skills in each Section
The MCAT exam syllabus consists of the topics and skills that are evaluated in the four constituent sections. The syllabus is provided on the official website of the Association of American Medical Colleges and can be downloaded in PDF format.
MCAT Syllabus 2023
MCAT Syllabus 2023: Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) prescribes the syllabus for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Students can access the syllabus of the MCAT test from the AAMC official website in PDF format. The MCAT syllabus gives a thorough outline of the sections and their contents, and the skills evaluated in each section. The MCAT exam is an assessment of an aspiring medical student’s knowledge and skill set that is required for success in medical school.
The MCAT exam lays emphasis on deep knowledge of the most crucial scientific ideas and concepts instead of superficial knowledge of various random scientific facts. The sections are based on the foundational ideas and conceptual understanding in the field of science. The sections require candidates to synthesize their understanding of multiple scientific disciplines and use their combined knowledge and analysis to answer the questions.
There are four sections in the MCAT exam which include critical analysis and reasoning skills; biological and biochemical foundations of living systems; chemical and physical foundations of biological systems; and psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour. The MCAT exam consists of four sections that evaluate a candidate’s aptitude and readiness for medical school. Each section is scored between the range of 118 to 132. The combined total MCAT score ranges from 472 to 528.
MCAT Syllabus 2023
The MCAT syllabus can be downloaded from the official website of AAMC. Students are advised to go through the MCAT exam pattern and syllabus content as it will help them to create an informed exam preparation strategy. The syllabus gives the topics that are included in each of the four sections as well as the skills that are assessed in each section. The four skills which are evaluated are scientific reasoning and problem-solving; data-based and statistical reasoning; knowledge of scientific concepts and principles; and reasoning about the design and execution of research.
MCAT Exam Sections
The MCAT exam consists of four sections that assess a medical aspirant’s skill set and knowledge which are prerequisites for a successful medical education and career. The following sections are evaluated in the MCAT test :
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behaviour
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
The section on biological and biochemical foundations of living systems consists of the following foundational concepts :
- Foundational Concept 1 : Biomolecules
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Foundational Concept 1: Biomolecules |
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to the protein |
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generation to generation and the processes that increase genetic diversity |
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metabolism |
- Foundational Concept 2 : Cells
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Foundational Concept 2: Cells |
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of prokaryotes and viruses
specialization |
- Foundational Concept 3 : Tissues, Organs and Organ Systems
endocrine systems and the ways these systems coordinate the organ systems |
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organ systems
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Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
The foundational concepts in the section on Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems are as follows :
- Foundational Concept 4 : Physical Principles that Facilitate Living Processes
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Foundational Concept 4 : Physical Principles that Facilitate Living Processes |
Translational motion, forces, work, energy, and equilibrium in living systems |
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Importance of fluids for the circulation of blood, gas movement, and gas exchange. |
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Electrochemistry and electrical circuits and their elements |
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How light and sound interact with matter |
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Atoms, nuclear decay, electronic structure, and atomic chemical behavior |
- Foundational Concept 5 : Chemical Principles that Govern Molecular Dynamics of Living Systems
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Foundational Concept 5: Chemical Principles that Govern Molecular Dynamics of Living Systems |
Unique nature of water and its solutions |
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Separation and purification methods |
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Principles of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics |
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Nature of molecules and intermolecular interactions |
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Structure, function, and reactivity of biologically relevant molecules |
Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behaviour
The section on psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour consists of the following foundational concepts :
- Foundational Concept 6: How Individuals Perceive, Think about, and Respond to the World Due to Biological, Psychological, and Sociocultural Factors
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Foundational Concept 6: How Individuals Perceive, Think about, and Respond to the World Due to Biological, Psychological, and Sociocultural Factors |
Making Sense of the Environment |
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Responding to the world |
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Sensing the environment |
- Foundational Concept 7: Behaviour and Behaviour Changes Influenced by Biological, Psychological and Sociocultural Factors
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Foundational Concept 7: Behaviour and Behaviour Changes Influenced by Biological, Psychological and Sociocultural Factors |
Social processes that influence human behavior |
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Individual influences on behavior |
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Attitude and behavior change |
- Foundational Concept 8 : How Individuals Think about Themselves and Others, and Communication with Others
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Foundational Concept 8 : How Individuals Think about Themselves and Others, and Communication with Others |
Social Thinking |
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Self-identity |
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Social interactions |
- Foundational Concept 9: Cultural and social differences that influence well-being
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Foundational Concept 9 : Cultural and social differences that influence well-being |
Demographic characteristics and processes |
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Understanding social structure |
- Foundational Concept 10: Social stratification and access to resources that influence well-being
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Foundational Concept 10: Social stratification and access to resources that influence well-being |
Social Inequality |
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
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Foundations of Comprehension |
Inferring meaning or intent from immediate sentence context |
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Understanding the basic components of the text |
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Reasoning Beyond the Text |
Applying or extrapolating ideas from the passage to new contexts |
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Assessing the impact of incorporating new factors, information, or conditions on ideas from the passage |
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Reasoning Within the Text |
Integrating distant components of the text to infer an author's message, intent, purpose, belief, position, bias, assumptions |
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Recognizing and evaluating arguments and their structural elements (claims, evidence, support, relations) |
MCAT Exam Skills
The MCAT test is an assessment of the following core skills :
- Scientific reasoning and problem-solving
- Data-based and statistical reasoning
- Knowledge of scientific concepts and principles
- Reasoning about the design and execution of research
The section on critical analysis and reasoning skills specifically requires candidates to demonstrate their ability to comprehend and analyse the given passages. The passages are derived from a wide range of sources in the social science and humanities, such as ethics, philosophy, cultural studies, and population health.
- Scientific Reasoning and Problem-Solving: Scientific reasoning and problem-solving include the skill of analyzing and assessing scientific explanations and predictions. Further, it refers to the candidate’s reasoning ability with respect to scientific theories, models, and principles.
- Data-based and Statistical Reasoning: Data-based and Statistical reasoning incorporates the student’s aptitude for analysing patterns given in graphs, figures and tables. Candidates are evaluated on their ability to reason about data and deduce logical inferences and conclusions from the given data.
- Knowledge of Scientific Concepts and Principles: In the section on knowledge of scientific concepts and principles, candidates will be required to demonstrate their understanding of scientific concepts and principles. Further, they will also be assessed on their ability to identify the connections and interfaces between closely related scientific concepts.
- Reasoning about the Design and Execution of Research: Students will be evaluated on their ability to reason about ethical issues in research. Moreover, they will need to demonstrate their understanding of significant aspects in scientific research.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who releases the syllabus of the MCAT exam?
Association of American Medical Colleges releases the syllabus of the MCAT exam on its official website.
Which skills are assessed in the MCAT test ?
The skills assessed in the MCAT test include scientific reasoning and problem-solving; data-based and statistical reasoning; knowledge of scientific concepts and principles; and reasoning about the design and execution of research.
Which are the four sections of the MCAT exam ?
The 4 sections of the MCAT exam are critical analysis and reasoning skills; biological and biochemical foundations of living systems; chemical and physical foundations of biological systems; and psychological, social, and biological foundations of behaviour.
What is the score range of the MCAT total score ?
The total MCAT score ranges from 472 to 528.
What is the score range for the 4 sections in MCAT exam ?
The score range for each of the 4 sections in MCAT exam is from 118 to 132.
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