The Medical College Admission Test, commonly known as the MCAT, is a major milestone for premed students and arguably one of the most substantial and challenging exams that they have to take. As one of the most significant factors in the evaluation of medical school applicants, the MCAT’s importance cannot be stressed enough.
But why do medical schools place such value on the MCAT? To answer this important question, it’s important to consider the MCAT’s significance beyond med school admissions.
[Related:What Is the MCAT Test Like and How Do You Prepare for It?]
Numerous exams are required to become a licensed physician, and the MCAT is just the start. In medical school and beyond, future doctors must take the United States Medical Licensing Examination. The USMLE is not one test, but three, referred to as Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3, with Steps 2 and 3 having multiple components.
Step 1 is usually taken after students complete their second year of medical school, Step 2 is usually in the fourth year and Step 3 is often taken during or after an internship or the first year of residency.
With the completion of Step 3 and having passed all the exams, a physician is able to apply for a state medical license. Although this is different from board certification, which requires another exam at the completion of residency, medical schools want to ensure that their students obtain licensure.
[Related:9 Residency Tips for Medical School Applicants]
An applicant’s performance on the MCAT correlates with the ability to do well on the USMLE. Multiple studies have shown that if an applicant does well on the MCAT, he or she can expect to do well on Steps 1 and 2. Though Step 1 has recently become pass or fail, the MCAT, along with consideration of an applicant’s GPA, can also help to predict student performance in med school.
With the above in mind, it is easy to understand why medical schools place so much value on the MCAT when deciding whether to admit a student. Their ultimate goal is to produce a practicing physician, and the MCAT is one tool that helps them determine if the applicant will be able to pass the licensing exams required in order to practice medicine.
Here’s the good news: While studies show the predictive value of the MCAT, they acknowledge that the effect may be small. That means that doing well on the MCAT is a factor in how well a medical student performs on the USMLE, but there are other variables such as test-taking ability and preparation that can affect the overall score.
[Read: How to Become a Doctor: A Step-by Step Guide.]
The MCAT is important, but most medical schools will evaluate an application in its entirety and not focus only on the numbers in the score report.
It is crucial for medical school applicants to understand the implications of the MCAT, but also be aware that it is only one factor in the evaluation of an applicant. Hopefully, this will serve as an impetus and motivation for taking the exam and performing your best.
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Why the MCAT Matters Beyond Medical School Admissions originally appeared on usnews.com
