Exams
Pre-Health Professional Program Entrance Exams
Many professional health programs require entrance exams for admission. It is highly recommended that you add an “exam” column to the spreadsheet of programs you’re applying to so that you can track each one’s specific exam requirements. Listed here are exams generally required by professional health programs.
Visit the AAMC’s Aspiring Doc Diaries entry from Raya Iqbal on using mind-body medicine techniques to combat test taking anxiety.
This is a sample listing of health-program entrance exams. It is not exhaustive. If you encounter a required exam that’s not listed here, contact the Health Professions & Natural Science Pathways Manager for support.
The MCAT is typically required for Allopathic, Osteopathic, & Podiatric Medicine. Sign up to receive email updates about the testing year and MCAT preparation: https://cloud.email.aamc.org/MCAT-signup.
Registration for July – September dates for the 2025 MCAT opened on February 19. Read these tips to make your registration process go as smoothly as possible.
- MCAT – Homepage
- MCAT Essentials < Required Reading for anyone taking the MCAT!
- Read more about how you can prepare for registration [click.convertkit-mail2.com] here.
- Resources for Preparing for the MCAT Exam
- What’s On the MCAT?
- How to Prepare for the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Section of the MCAT Exam
- Practice for the MCAT – The official AAMC MCAT practice site
- MCAT FAQs
- MCAT Test Day – 10 Tips!
- Creating a Study Plan – Free guide
- Fee Assistance Program
The DAT is typically required for Dentistry programs. Check with individual programs; not all of them require the DAT.
- DAT – Homepage
- DAT Guide
- DAT FAQs and Practice Tests
The GRE is typically required for Veterinary Medicine, Occupational & Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant/Associate programs, and others. Check with individual programs; not all of them require the GRE.
- The GRE – Graduation Record Exam General Test features question types that closely reflect the kind of thinking you’ll do in today’s demanding graduate-level programs, the GRE General Test lets you show schools you are ready to succeed.
The OAT is typically required for Optometry programs.
- The OAT is a comprehensive exam that enables optometry education programs to assess the knowledge and preparedness of program applicants. OAT test results are accepted by all optometry schools in the U.S. and Canada.
The PCAT is being retired after the 2023-2024 cycle; No pharmacy schools currently require the PCAT for admission.
- Please visit the PCAT and Other Tests page to determine whether a pharmacy school will consider the PCAT in the current admissions process.
Situational Judgment Tests are sometimes required during the Secondary Application process for Medical Schools. Review individual programs’ requirements to determine which Situational Judgment Test is needed, and by what deadline – these will vary by program.
- The AAMC PREview™ professional readiness exam is a new assessment for premeds to demonstrate some of the professional competencies that are important for medical school. To get you started, here are five important things you need to know.
- The Casper Situational Judgment Test is an online, open-response situational judgment test (SJT). It asks what you would do in a tough situation, and more importantly, why. This helps determine behavioral tendencies of applicants pursuing people-centered professions. PrepMatch hosted a presentation on the peer-to-peer platform for Casper prep; you can watch the video online.