The Complete Guide to MCAT Flashcards
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), is a 7.5-hour exam that tests your knowledge across four sections. With scores ranging from 472-528 and competitive medical schools expecting 510+, strategic flashcard use can make the difference between a good score and a great one.
Understanding the MCAT Structure
The AAMC designs the MCAT to assess not just content knowledge but critical thinking and scientific reasoning. Each section scores 118-132, with 125 being the midpoint:
- Chem/Phys (59 questions, 95 min): General chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry in biological contexts
- CARS (53 questions, 90 min): Critical reading and analysis of humanities and social science passages
- Bio/Biochem (59 questions, 95 min): Biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry with emphasis on living systems
- Psych/Soc (59 questions, 95 min): Psychology, sociology, biology as they relate to behavior
Creating High-Yield MCAT Flashcards
The most effective MCAT flashcards go beyond simple definitions. They should promote active recall and connect concepts across disciplines:
Basic card: "What is Km?" → "Michaelis constant; substrate concentration at half-maximal velocity"
Better card: "How does Km relate to enzyme-substrate affinity, and how do competitive inhibitors affect it?" → "Low Km = high affinity. Competitive inhibitors increase apparent Km (require more substrate to reach Vmax/2) but don't change Vmax."
Application card: "A drug increases the Km of an enzyme without changing Vmax. What type of inhibitor is it?" → "Competitive inhibitor. Clinical example: statins competitively inhibit HMG-CoA reductase."
Organizing Your MCAT Flashcard Deck
- Biology/Biochemistry: Amino acids, enzymes, metabolism, molecular biology, organ systems (300-500 cards)
- General Chemistry: Stoichiometry, thermodynamics, kinetics, equilibrium, acids/bases (150-250 cards)
- Organic Chemistry: Functional groups, reactions, mechanisms, spectroscopy (100-150 cards)
- Physics: Mechanics, fluids, electricity, magnetism, optics, waves (200-300 cards)
- Psychology/Sociology: Learning theories, cognition, social psychology, demographics (200-350 cards)
- CARS: Vocabulary, rhetorical strategies, question types (100-200 cards)
MCAT Study Strategies with Flashcards
Research supports combining flashcards with other MCAT prep methods. Use spaced repetition software (like Anki) to optimize review timing. Study in the order of the actual test to build stamina. Create cards from practice test mistakes—these target your specific weak areas.
LectureScribe creates flashcards from your MCAT prep lectures, capturing the specific explanations and examples your instructors emphasize—essential for understanding complex concepts beyond simple memorization.