Study guide
MCAT study guide
Contents
MCAT Architecture, Test-Day Logistics & Scientific Inquiry Skills
Physics: Mechanics, Fluids & Periodic Motion
- 2.1 Translational Kinematics, Projectile Motion & Newton's Laws
- 2.2 Friction, Centripetal Force & Rotational Equilibrium in Biomechanics
- 2.3 Mechanical Work, Pressure-Volume Work & Forms of Energy
- 2.4 The Work-Energy Theorem, Power & Mechanical Advantage
- 2.5 Hydrostatics, Fluid Dynamics & Circulatory Hemodynamics
- 2.6 Periodic Motion, Wave Fundamentals, Superposition & Standing Waves
- 2.7 Sound Intensity, the Decibel Scale & the Doppler Effect
Physics: Electromagnetism, Optics & Atomic Physics
- 3.1 Coulomb's Law, Electric Fields & Electric Potential
- 3.2 Electric Dipoles, Membrane Potentials & the Nernst Equation
- 3.3 Electric Current, Resistance & Resistor Networks
- 3.4 Capacitance, Dielectrics & Axonal Cable Theory
- 3.5 Light, Refraction, Mirrors & Thin Lenses
- 3.6 The Optical System of the Eye & Corrective Lens Prescriptions
- 3.7 Nuclear Architecture, Binding Energy & Radioactive Decay Modes
- 3.8 Decay Kinetics, Half-Life & Medical Radiation Applications
General Chemistry: Atoms, Solutions & Thermodynamics
- 4.1 Quantum Numbers, Electron Configurations & Periodic Trends
- 4.2 Lewis Structures, Formal Charge, VSEPR Geometry & Molecular Polarity
- 4.3 States of Matter, Phase Diagrams, Heating Curves & Solvation
- 4.4 Concentration Units, Henry's Law & Colligative Properties
- 4.5 Thermodynamic Systems, the First Law, Enthalpy & Entropy
- 4.6 Gibbs Free Energy, Equilibrium & Bioenergetic Reaction Coupling
- 4.7 Collision Theory, Transition States & Empirical Rate Laws
- 4.8 Integrated Rate Laws, Half-Life, Arrhenius Behaviour & Catalysis
General Chemistry: Equilibrium, Acids, Bases & Electrochemistry
Organic Chemistry: Structure, Stereochemistry & Mechanisms
- 6.1 IUPAC Nomenclature, Functional Group Priority & Orbital Hybridisation
- 6.2 Resonance, Inductive Effects & Conformational Analysis
- 6.3 The Isomer Hierarchy, Chirality & CIP Priority Rules
- 6.4 Optical Activity, Diastereomers, Meso Compounds & Fischer Projections
- 6.5 Carbonyl Reactivity: Aldehydes, Ketones & Nucleophilic Additions
- 6.6 Carboxylic Acids & Derivatives: Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution
Bio-Organic Reactions, Laboratory Separations & Spectroscopy
- 7.1 Alcohol Physical Properties, Acidity, Leaving Groups & Protecting Groups
- 7.2 Carbon Oxidation States, Laboratory Oxidations & Biological Redox Cofactors
- 7.3 Extraction, Acid-Base Separation & Distillation
- 7.4 Analytical and Biomacromolecular Chromatography
- 7.5 Infrared and UV-Vis Spectroscopy
- 7.6 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR & Integrated Spectral Elucidation
Biochemistry: Amino Acids, Peptides & Enzymes
- 8.1 Amino Acid Stereochemistry & Side-Chain Classification
- 8.2 Zwitterions, Titration Curves, Isoelectric Points & the Peptide Bond
- 8.3 The Hierarchy of Protein Structure
- 8.4 Folding Thermodynamics, Haemoglobin Cooperativity & Denaturation
- 8.5 Catalytic Mechanisms, Enzyme Classification & Michaelis-Menten Kinetics
- 8.6 Enzyme Inhibition Modes & Allosteric Cooperativity
Biochemistry: Cellular Metabolism & Bioenergetics
- 9.1 Glycolysis: The Ten Steps, Regulation & Anaerobic Fermentation
- 9.2 Gluconeogenesis Bypass Enzymes & the Pentose Phosphate Pathway
- 9.3 The Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex & the Citric Acid (Krebs) Cycle
- 9.4 Mitochondrial Architecture & the Respiratory Complexes
- 9.5 Chemiosmotic Coupling, ATP Synthase, NADH Shuttles & Uncouplers
- 9.6 Fatty Acid Beta-Oxidation, Ketogenesis & Glycogen Dynamics
Molecular Biology: Nucleic Acids & Genetic Technologies
- 10.1 Nucleic Acid Chemistry, the Double Helix & Chromatin Organisation
- 10.2 DNA Replication: Replisome Enzymology & Fork Dynamics
- 10.3 DNA Damage & Cellular Repair Pathways
- 10.4 The Central Dogma, Strand Nomenclature & Transcription Machinery
- 10.5 Post-Transcriptional Processing of Eukaryotic Pre-mRNA
- 10.6 Regulation of Gene Expression: Operons, Enhancers & Epigenetics
- 10.7 The Genetic Code, Wobble & Mutation Taxonomy
- 10.8 tRNA Charging & the Stages of Ribosomal Translation
- 10.9 Translation Inhibitors & Post-Translational Processing
- 10.10 Restriction Enzymes, Cloning Vectors, cDNA Libraries & PCR
- 10.11 Blotting, Sequencing, Microarrays & CRISPR-Cas9
Cellular Biology & Microbiology
Genetics, Evolution & Embryology
- 12.1 Mendel's Laws & the Cytology of Meiosis
- 12.2 Genetic Crosses, Non-Mendelian Inheritance, Linkage & Pedigree Analysis
- 12.3 The Hardy-Weinberg Principle, Assumptions & Clinical Calculations
- 12.4 Mechanisms of Evolution, Speciation & Macroevolutionary Patterns
- 12.5 Gametogenesis, Fertilisation, Cleavage & Implantation
- 12.6 Gastrulation, Germ Layer Derivatives, Stem Cell Potency & Neurulation
Human Physiology: Control & Transport Systems
- 13.1 Neuronal Anatomy, the Resting Potential & the Action Potential
- 13.2 Conduction Velocity, Synaptic Transmission & Postsynaptic Summation
- 13.3 Neurotransmitter Systems, CNS/PNS Organisation & Reflex Arcs
- 13.4 Hormone Classification & the Hypothalamus-Pituitary Axis
- 13.5 Negative Feedback Architecture, Endocrine Glands & Calcium Homeostasis
- 13.6 Cardiac Anatomy, Electrophysiology, the Cardiac Cycle & Cardiac Output
- 13.7 Vascular Hemodynamics, Starling Forces, Blood Components & Hemostasis
- 13.8 Respiratory Anatomy, Ventilation Mechanics & Pulmonary Surfactant
- 13.9 Spirometry, Dead Space, Gas Exchange & Haemoglobin Allostery
- 13.10 Carbon Dioxide Transport, the Chloride Shift & Acid-Base Control of Breathing
Human Physiology: Maintenance, Defense & Locomotion
- 14.1 Renal Anatomy, Glomerular Ultrafiltration & Tubular Transport
- 14.2 The Countercurrent Multiplier & Endocrine Regulation of Renal Function
- 14.3 GI Architecture, the Enteric Nervous System & Gastric Secretion
- 14.4 Pancreatic and Biliary Digestion & Intestinal Nutrient Absorption
- 14.5 Hepatic Processing, GI Endocrine Regulators & the Colon
- 14.6 Innate Immunity: Barriers, Complement & Cellular Effectors
- 14.7 Adaptive Humoral Immunity: B Cells & Immunoglobulins
- 14.8 Adaptive Cellular Immunity: T Cells, Thymic Selection & MHC Presentation
- 14.9 Muscle Types, Sarcomere Anatomy & Excitation-Contraction Coupling
- 14.10 Bone Architecture, Remodelling & the Integumentary System
CARS: Passage Analysis & Argument Mapping
CARS: Question Types & Reasoning Strategies
- 16.1 Skill 1 Demands, Question Stems, Detail Retrieval & Paraphrase Recognition
- 16.2 Inferential Meaning, Distractor Taxonomy & a Worked Skill 1 Passage
- 16.3 Skill 2 Architecture, Question Stems, Unstated Assumptions & Evidence Strength
- 16.4 Rhetorical Mechanisms, Logical Fallacies & a Worked Skill 2 Passage
- 16.5 Skill 3 Architecture, Question Stems, Application & Analogy Mapping
- 16.6 Incorporating New Information, Calibrating Evidentiary Impact & a Worked Skill 3 Passage
Sensory Processing, Perception & Cognition
- 17.1 Sensation versus Perception & Sensory Receptor Classification
- 17.2 Psychophysical Thresholds, Weber's Law, Adaptation & Signal Detection Theory
- 17.3 Vision: Ocular Anatomy, Phototransduction & Central Visual Pathways
- 17.4 Audition & the Vestibular System
- 17.5 Somatosensation, Pain & Chemoreception
- 17.6 Models of Attention & Working Memory Architecture
- 17.7 Long-Term Memory Taxonomy, Encoding, Storage & Retrieval
- 17.8 Forgetting, Interference, Memory Distortion & Long-Term Potentiation
- 17.9 Problem Solving, Heuristics, Cognitive Biases & Language
- 17.10 Sleep Architecture, Circadian Neurobiology, Sleep Disorders & Psychoactive Drugs
Emotion, Stress, Motivation & Personality
- 18.1 Components of Emotion & Classical Theories of Emotion
- 18.2 The Limbic Circuit, Stress Appraisal & Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome
- 18.3 Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation, Drive-Reduction, Arousal & Incentive Theories
- 18.4 Cognitive and Humanistic Need Models & the Neuroendocrine Control of Hunger and Sex
- 18.5 The Psychoanalytic Perspective & Neo-Freudian Revisions
- 18.6 Humanistic, Trait & Social-Cognitive Perspectives on Personality
- 18.7 Biopsychosocial Etiology, Schizophrenia, Mood & Anxiety Disorders
- 18.8 Somatic, Dissociative, Personality & Neurodegenerative Disorders
Learning, Social Behavior & Identity
- 19.1 Non-Associative Learning & Classical Conditioning
- 19.2 Operant Conditioning, Reinforcement Schedules & Observational Learning
- 19.3 Self-Concept & Lifespan Developmental Theories
- 19.4 Kohlberg's Moral Development & Sociocultural Frameworks
- 19.5 Social Influence: Conformity, Obedience, Group Dynamics & Prosocial Behavior
- 19.6 Social Cognition, Attribution Theory, Prejudices, Stereotypes & Discrimination
Sociology, Demographics & Healthcare Disparities
- 20.1 Macro versus Micro Paradigms, Structural Functionalism & Conflict Theory
- 20.2 Symbolic Interactionism, Social Constructionism & Modern Paradigms
- 20.3 Major Social Institutions: Structure, Function & Dysfunction
- 20.4 Demographics, Population Pyramids, the Demographic Transition & Globalisation
- 20.5 Systems of Stratification, Socioeconomic Status & Social Mobility
- 20.6 Poverty, Spatial Inequality, the Socioeconomic Gradient & Health Inequities