PMC MDCAT Entry Test 2022 | The Complete Guide to the MDCAT exam

What is the MDCAT? What does MDCAT stand for? 

The MDCAT stands for National Medical and Dental College Admission Test, or otherwise known as the MDCAT or National MDCAT. This is the official test medical student aspirants have to take to qualify for a medical school, and to help the admissions offices assess if you are a good fit for them. The initial testing body was the University of Health Science (UHS), but in 2020, the testing body changed and the test was conducted by the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC). The PMC conducts tests for the whole of Pakistan whereas UHS used to conduct tests only for the Punjab region in Pakistan.

PMC MDCAT Examination Age Limit: 

Applicants above the age of 16 years can sit for the MDCAT examination. 

PMC MDCAT Eligibility: 

Those awaiting their results for the Fsc and A-levels are eligible to appear for the MDCAT. 

PMC MDCAT Examination Accepted Nationality: 

You do not need to be a Pakistani National to give the MDCAT. Foriegn nationalities can also give the MDCAT. 

PMC MDCAT Examination Educational Qualifications:

Those awaiting their results for the Fsc and A-levels are eligible to appear for the MDCAT. For Fs, you are required to have taken pre-medical subjects, while for A-levels, you need to have taken Biology as a subject. 

PMC MDCAT Examination Structure in Pakistan:

There are five subjects for the MDCAT examination. This is the revised criteria for 2021.There used to be negative marking before the 2020 revision but that is not the case anymore, along with the total marks, before 1050 marks and now 210 marks.  Below is the PMC MDCAT examination structure with the subject and marks breakdown:


Subjects

Marks

Total Marks

Biology

68


Physics

56


Chemistry

56


English

20


Logical Reasoning

10

210

PMC MDCAT Syllabus 2021:

The PMC has made a clear range of subjects for the MDCAT Syllabus 2021. There are five subjects to study for the MDCAT i.e Biology, Physics, Chemistry, English and the newly introduced section on Logical Reasoning. The full range of topics for these subjects vary. The topics may range  from 5-16 different topics per subject. These are comprehensive and updated according to the PMC 2021 Syllabus guideline. For a complete breakdown about the subject matter and specific topics associated with those, you may continue reading the table below: 

Subjects

Syllabus

Biology

1. Bio-diversity (acellular life/variety of life)

2. Bio-energetic

3. Biological molecules

4. Cell structure and function

5. Coordination and control/nervous & chemical coordination

6. Diversity among animals

7. Enzymes

8. Evolution

9. Life process in animals and plants (nutrition/gaseous exchange/

transport)

10. Prokaryotes

11. Reproduction

12. Support and movement

13. Variation and genetics/inheritance

Physics

1. Force and motion

2. Work and energy

3. Rotational and circular motion

4. Waves

5. Thermodynamics

6. Electrostatics

7. Current electricity

8. Electromagnetism

9. Electromagnetic induction

10. Electronics

11. Dawn of modern physics

12. Atomic spectra

13. Nuclear physics

Chemistry

1. Introduction to fundamental concepts of chemistry

2. Atomic structure

3. Gases

4. Liquids

5. Solids

6. Chemical equilibrium

7. Reaction kinetics

8. Thermo-chemistry and energetics of chemical reactions

9. Electrochemistry

10. Chemical bonding

11. S and p block elements

12. Transition elements

13. Fundamental principles of organic chemistry

14. Chemistry of hydrocarbons

15. Alkyl halides

16. Alcohols and phenols

17. Adehydes and ketones

18. Carboxylic acids

19. Macromolecules

English

1. Comprehend key vocabulary

2. Demonstrate control of tenses and sentence structure 

3. Demonstrate ability to differentiate between correct and incorrect structure of sentences & Use of writing conventions of spelling, capitalization and Punctuation

4. Demonstrate correct use of subject-verb agreement & of articles and prepositions

5. Demonstrate ability to identify mistakes in sentences or short written texts. These errors could be of inappropriate word order, vocabulary etc. 

6 Demonstrate ability to comprehend short written text and select the most appropriate responses

Logical Reasoning

1. Critical thinking

2. Letter and symbol series

3. Logical deduction

4. Logical problems

5. Course of action

6. Cause & effect

PMC MDCAT Syllabus 2022:

Nothing has been announced for the PMC MDCAT Syllabus for 2022. We are awaiting news from the PMC official sources.

PMC MDCAT Examination Preparation:

The MDCAT Punjab Textbook is a key way to prepare for the MDCAT for the Fsc. For A levels, Federal books are ideal. 

A great way to revise for the MDCAT exam is past papers. After conceptually understanding the subject at hand with revision and an educational platform like Nearpeer’s MDCAT test preparation (Click here to access it!), you can figure out your your strengths and weaknesses, solve past papers and practice through (where applied)

For past paper access, you can sign up for an MDCAT course with Nearpeer and receive access to quizzes, pop up questions and past paper question solving. 

PMC MDCAT Paper Pattern 2022:

 The Paper pattern for the MDCAT is simple. The PMC officiated MDCAT paper pattern entails 210 total marks in the form of 210 total MCQs. There is an MCQ for each mark. For Biology, there are 68 MCQs. For Physics and Chemistry, there are 56 MCQs each. For English, there are 20 MCQs. Finally, for the newly introduced PMC section for the MDCAT 2021 onwards, Logical Reasoning, there are 10 MCQs. The duration of the PMC MDCAT is 3.5 hours, and the format is computer based MCQs. For the PMC MDCAT 2021 onwards, there is no negative marking. 

PMC MDCAT Date 2021:

The PMC announced 30th August to 30th September as the official dates for testing the MDCAT across centers across Pakistan. Last year (2020), the official date for the MDCAT exam was 15th November. 

PMC MDCAT Date 2022:

Nothing has been announced for the PMC MDCAT Syllabus for 2022. We are awaiting news from the PMC official sources. It is likely they will be around the same time next year (August- September). 

PMC MDCAT Registration Fee 2022: 

For 2021, the registration fee was 6,000 PKR. It is a big jump from last year's registration fee of around 1500 PKR. Nothing has been announced for the PMC MDCAT registration fee for 2022. We are awaiting news from the PMC official sources. 

PMC MDCAT Result (Passing Ratio) 2022: 

The result for the PMC MDCAT for 2021 was out of 194,133 students, 68,680 students passed. This resulted in a pass percentage of 35.4%. Since the MDCAT 2022 exam has not yet been conducted, we do not have any sources for the passing ratio or the result of the MDCAT. 

PMC MDCAT Passing Percentage 2021:

The PMC MDCAT passing percentage is 65%. 

PMC Merit List 2022: 

Nothing has been announced for the PMC Merit List 2021 or 2022. We are awaiting news from the PMC official sources.

PMC MDCAT Merit Calculation Formula 2022:

The Breakdown is as follows: 

10% of Matriculation/Equivalent Marks Merit

40% of Intermediate/Equivalent Marks

50% of National MDCAT Marks

But we do not know for sure, unfortunately, for this year. Please stay tuned for that. 

How Do I Apply for the PMC MDCAT 2022 Examination? 

Below you will find a step by step of applying for the PMC MDCAT 2022 Examination. There may be some changes since updates about the PMC MDCAT 2022 exam have not yet been shared by offical PMC sources, but it is likely to follow the below format. Please keep reading below: 

  1. Visit the PMC official website (Click here) for your registration for the MDCAT Exam. 

  2. Create an account for the website, using an appropriate username and password. The email you use will be the one on which you will receive your PMC MDCAT 2022 result.

  3. After you create your account on the website, you will receive an email to confirm your account. Make sure to verify your account 

  4. You will then be required to fill out a form with the details required, including your CNIC and Passport information. Ensure that this information is accurate to prevent any future hassle. 

  5. After you have completed the form, you will find a screen requiring you to pay the fees through an online payment (credit card or debit card) or using a bank service. After you submit the registration fee, the PMC will automatically receive the payment. 

  6. Finally, you will receive your PMC official roll number with access to the date of the exam and your respective test centre. 

PMC MDCAT Medical Colleges Admission Policy:

You need to have a 65% equivalent to qualify for medical schools in Pakistan with the MDCAT, while school-specific admission procedures may differ. 

PMC MDCAT Test Centers:

For the 2021 PMC MDCAT examination, there were 25 centres in Pakistan and six international centres. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is it necessary to pass MDCAT for NUMS?

Yes. You are supposed to clear it or else are not eligible for NUMs for 65%. 

Who got the highest marks in MDCAT 2021?

Since the merit list for students is not our yet, we are not aware of this development. 

How to do NMDCAT preparation? Any tips? What kind of strategy should I adopt?

Studying for the MDCAT is not an easy process, but as long as you have the right mindset and are willing to put in the effort, it can be done and you can graduate with a high score. Nearpeer has all required MDCAT subjects, test preparation and more. This is very helpful in having quality resources, which is half of what you need to get a good score in your 2022 MDCAT. 

How to avoid procrastination? I want to know how to enjoy yourself while studying? 

There are many ways you can avoid procrastination. Firstly, make sure your phone or other dristrations are away and out of sight. You can also ask your friends and family to not disturb you for any reason. Secondly, make sure you identify your weakness. Then, set goals and priorities for the topics that need to be worked on more so. Also, set deadlines. At the end of the day, don't overwork yourself too much and make sure to give yourself rewards for following through with the deadlines and goals. 

How to keep yourself motivated?

It is important to stay motivated by remembering your dream at the end of the day. Maybe you want to be a doctor to save lives, or go into research work. Also, you can reward yourself breaks or candy (or whatever you like) as rewards for following through with the deadlines. 

Make notes for your MDCAT subjects and keep narrowing them down until weeks before the exam. Aim to make one page notes until a week or two before the exam. This one pager can be your quick revision guide. This can help you remember topics on the tip of your tongue, and can be a fast way to test your memory, understanding and knowledge.  

Is MDCAT necessary for DPT?

No. The MDCAT is not necessary for DPT (Doctor of Physiotherapist). Each institute may have their own testing body though so that is something that needs to be looked into further by you. 

What is the PMC contact number?

There are multiple ways you can contact the PMC. ​The contact number for the PMC for MDCAT 2021 or other queries is 033-11-00-6191​. You can also  email them: admissions2021@pmc.gov.pk​. The PMC supposedly also has a live chat option. You may try to access it on the website. 

Is MDCAT necessary for D pharmacy?

No.The MDCAT is not necessary for DPT (Doctor of Physiotherapist). Each institute may have their own testing body though so that is something that needs to be looked into further by you. 

What is the Passing Percentage of MDCAT?

The passing percentage for the MDCAT is 65% as per the formula for the equivalency. 

Is there negative marking  in the MDCAT 2021?

There is no negative marking in the 2021 MDCAT. 

What is the time allowed for the MDCAT 2021?
You have three hours and a half for the exam (3.5 hours).
What is the MDCAT 2021 difficulty level?

This depends on the student or the MDCAT 2021 aspirant. If you have a good mindset, are disciplined, dedicated and have access to good study resources (as Nearpeer can offer for MDCAT) then it should not be very difficult.

Conclusion: 

The MDCAT is an exam that has been subject to a lot of changes recently, but we hope you benefited from this complete guide to the PMC MDCAT exam for 2022. Since some of the information has not been released by the PMC but expect updates whenever announcements are made from official PMC sources. Good luck and happy learning!