If you are ready to do what it takes to enter a medical or dental college, you are ready to prepare for MDCAT. This guide will lead the way to help you understand what is MDCAT and how you can study hard and smart for the best outcome.
MDCAT is the standardized admission test conducted by Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC). It determines students’ performance in a uniform test that authorizes admission in all medical and dental institutions in Pakistan.
Ready to find out how to prepare for MDCAT 2022? MDCAT is decidedly one of the most challenging exams in Pakistan. Achieving a high aggregate requires a thorough learning profile and unflinching determination right from the start of the F.Sc. till the intermediate final exams.
Each year MDCAT is held 3-4 months after F.Sc. final exams. In 2022, the exam will be held from 7th September to 30th September. MDCAT will be conducted at 21 different locations nationally and in 9 locations internationally. The exam will be held online at designated centers.
Preparation for MDCAT – the pre-exam stage
Well, the entire F.Sc. was your pre-exam stage. When you opted to study pre-medical subjects, you must have kept a few margins for not making it to a medical school; however, most pre-medical students aspire to make it through. Let’s talk about your preparation for MDCAT.
Think of joining a medical college during your F.Sc. days
It is a great thing if you aspire during your F.Sc. days – it will turn into motivation for MDCAT preparation and will also improve your overall aggregate. (Read below to find out more about MDCAT aggregate calculation)
Now, if you have already appeared for F.Sc. final exams, you have three to four months to prepare for MDCAT. If you have registered for the entrance exam and have received your roll number slip, read ahead to find out how to prepare for MDCAT 2022.
MDCAT registration closed on 29th July 2022. If you had planned to register but could not do so on time or you wish to appear next year to improve your score, you may mark a tentative date in your calendar for 2023. MDCAT is held only once a year, so let’s not miss the next opportunity of MDCAT registration.
Stay informed of the competitiveness of MDCAT
There are around 15,800 MBBS seats and 1,030 seats for BDS in public and private medical colleges. About 200,000 students from all over Pakistan appear in this test, and roughly 68,680 students can score above the minimum. So, the pass percentage is 35.4% (these stats are a close estimate; each year, the numbers may vary).
Therefore, MDCAT is a competitive exam. So let’s not dive into something without knowing how strong the current is! The good news is that it is entirely achievable and rewarding.
Understand the paper pattern, weightage, and aggregate
Make sure you have the latest copy of the syllabus with you. We encourage you to keep your preparation instead of the paper pattern below.
- Biology 68 Questions. Weightage 32%
- Chemistry 56 Questions. Weightage 26.6%
- Physics 56 Questions. Weightage 26.5%
- English 20 Questions. Weightage 10%
- Logical reasoning 10 Questions. Weightage 5%
- MDCAT total marks: 210.
- Total multiple-choice questions: 210.
- Total time allotted for the paper: 3.5 hours.
- No negative marking
MDCAT aggregate = 50% of F.Sc percentage + 50% of MDCAT exam percentage
How not to burn out, how to make timetables, and seek guidance
As mentioned above, you have 3-4 months after your F.Sc. exams to prepare for MDCAT. This time should be invested smartly so that you can balance life and studies. The most common issue students face is the burn-out problem: the students are very energetic in the immediate weeks following F.Sc. exams and later don’t even feel like opening books.
The solution is to accept that F.Sc. exams tire you out, so take a week after exams to measure the next challenge and be ready for it.
When charting your timetable, ensure you are realistic about what can be achieved in a given time. Be flexible. Be comfortable with yourself. You have come a long way and are closer to your goals than ever.
Seeking guidance is better than wishfully thinking that somehow you will get through. So how to prepare mdcat at home?
It is always best to find a way to get the best online teacher to help you sail through. With the right guidance, there won’t be any regrets afterward and no looking back – because that’s not the direction you are going in.
Get help from experienced teachers at Noon Academy
Noon offers you to learn from its teachers with years of experience teaching MDCAT subjects. Sir Saad Salam is currently teaching MDCAT Physics, Dr. Akbar Shamsi is teaching MDCAT Biology, and Sir Rizwan teaches English.
The students review each Noon teacher to get a real-time rating. Thousands of students rated most of the Noon teachers an average of 4.5.
How to prepare MDCAT at home?
With Noon Academy’s premium learning experience that you can enjoy at home or any place, you will get:
- Complete MDCAT tutoring
- Live lecture and recording sessions
- Real-time classroom chat
- Past papers (guidance and solution practices)
- Message boards for asking questions and sharing responses
- Countdown to classes and reminders
You can download the Noon app now from the Apple Store or the Google Play Store.
What to expect at the MDCAT show-time?
MDCAT exam day 2022
- Like all exams, the applicant must visit the test center as per the time and date mentioned on his/her roll no slip. So don’t be late.
- Make sure to take your original CNIC/passport/POR/B form/NICOP.
- Remember to take a hard copy of your COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
- If COVID-19 SOPs are in place by the local authorities on exam day, make sure you follow them.
- You won’t be allowed to take anything else to the exam premises except the abovementioned documents.
- All gadgets, phones, food, drinks, papers, pencils, etc., are disallowed on the exam premises.
Don’t rush in the first hour of the exam.
The first 100 or so MCQs of MDCAT contain fairly straightforward questions, and most of the students can get the answers right by carefully choosing the answers. The biggest mistake made at the beginning of the exam is the unnecessary rush. Confusion may ensue if you didn’t attempt practice questions online before the show time.
So imagine this: You just attempted your F.Sc. exams, which required long answers, nice presentation, and explanation skills. Now you are confronted with an entirely new thing: MCQs with no chance to explain your point and no rough notes to work with. If you are notebook-type, online MCQs may throw you off balance for some time.
You can nod now in agreement if you think that exams are stressful, no matter what kind of exams. At MDCAT, you get to appear once a year and need to get on to your professional life soon. All of these factors combined give zero margins for error, and many students simply don’t relax till 1 hour of the exam is already gone.
Solution: Practice techniques to settle down quickly and not randomly select answers.
Stay steady in the middle of the exam.
The first hour is over. If you didn’t rush, you are already feeling good about your progress, which will undoubtedly have an encouraging effect. But you still need to keep your composure and continue at a steady pace.
Remember that you can move between questions. You can leave a problematic question unanswered or flag it for later review. You may not want to linger on any questions because you may lose precious time.
I still performed in the final hour of the exam.
Three and a half hours are coming to a close, and the students who keep a margin to check through the questions will bid a friendly farewell to the exam. Remember that it will be over soon but don’t make it over too soon!
Wise timing is half the battle. If you have done enough practice exams and timed yourself every time you did an exam, you are in.
A digital community of learners will help you find new friends and resources
Noon Academy is a digital community of learners, encouraging students to interact with their teachers and friends. When you connect with a learners’ community, you will likely come across newer resources of MDCAT, including notes and guides. You are also likely to find some old friends already there, or you may want to invite them to Noon.
MDCAT preparation can get taxing, mainly because there is little time to prepare. We recommend starting early – find your inspiration even as early as your intermediate days. Following the tips mentioned in the guide will give you a promising chance at excelling in MDCAT.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best online academy for MDCAT preparation?
There are many platforms that can be considered the best online academy for MDCAT preparation, but if you ask us the title easily goes to Noon Academy. That’s because our network of teachers are among the best in the country and have been tested for producing top notch results. Furthermore, the Noon Academy app makes it easy to prep while on the go, by ensuring that all your relevant MDCAT resources are just a tap away on your smartphone. What truly makes Noon the best online academy for MDCAT preparation however, is it’s ability to connect learners to a network of like minded individuals who are eager to help one another to meet targets, exchange tips and boost study morale!
When are MDCAT results announced?
MDCAT results are usually announced about four to six weeks after the examination has been completed. If you’re awaiting your MDCAT results, keep an eye out on the official PMC website and social media pages.
What are the MDCAT passing marks?
The MDCAT passing marks may be subject to change so it’s always best to check with the official PMC website. In 2022, the MDCAT passing marks were 55% for medical college (110/200) and 45% for Dental college (90/200).
How hard is MDCAT Pakistan?
MDCAT Pakistan is not an easy test to pass. Given how medicine is a tough career path to pursue, you won’t be able to pass the MDCAT without some serious prep. If you’re a good student who performed well in secondary school pre medical, you should have a fair chance at scoring high marks in MDCAT Pakistan with enough effort and a positive attitude.