MDCAT

Introduction

The MDCAT, or Medical and Dental College Admission Test, is a crucial standardized test in Pakistan. It's a prerequisite for students seeking admission to undergraduate medical (MBBS) and dental (BDS) programs in both public and private colleges across Pakistan. Additionally, the MDCAT may also be used for admissions in DPT, Pharm-D, DVM, and Allied Health Sciences programs across various institutes. It's a paper-based, multiple-choice question (MCQ) test. It assesses students' knowledge in subjects like Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, and Logical Reasoning. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) plays a key role in the administration of the MDCAT. It's a highly competitive exam that plays a significant role in determining a student's eligibility for medical and dental education. In essence, the MDCAT is the gateway for aspiring doctors and dentists in Pakistan.

Test Format

Number of Questions: The test consists of 200 MCQs.
Test Duration: The duration of the test is 3.5 hours.
Total Marks: Each correct answer earns 1 mark so total marks are 200.
Negative Marking: There is no negative marking for incorrect answers.
Level of Questions: 20% of the questions asked are of an easy level, 60% moderate while 20% are hard.
Distribution of Questions: Biology typically carries the highest weightage with 68 MCQs (34%). Chemistry is another core subject with 54 MCQs (27%). Like Chemistry, Physics also holds a significant portion of the test with 54 MCQs (27%). The English section assesses your language proficiency and contains 18 MCQs (9%). Logical Reasoning evaluates your analytical and problem-solving skills with 6 MCQs (3%).

NUMS

Introduction

NUMS stands for National University of Medical Sciences, a prestigious medical university in Pakistan. It was established in 2015 and located in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

NUMS MDCAT

A key aspect of NUMS is its annual entrance exam, known as the NUMS MDCAT. This test is separate from the national MDCAT conducted by the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC), although for admission to MBBS and BDS programs, candidates may need to appear in both. The NUMS MDCAT typically assesses knowledge in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and English. Additionally, a psychological aptitude test is conducted as part of the admission process for medical and dental programs to evaluate candidates’ mental readiness for rigorous medical training.

Test Details

The test consists of 150 subject-based multiple-choice questions (MCQs) designed to assess the academic proficiency of candidates in the core sciences. These questions are distributed as follows: 55 MCQs from Biology, 40 from Chemistry, 40 from Physics, and 10 from English. Each section is carefully structured to evaluate a candidate’s grasp of concepts covered during intermediate (FSc pre-medical)/ A Levels studies. In addition to this academic test, NUMS also conducts a Psychological Aptitude Test comprising 100 MCQs. The psychological test carries 5% weightage in the NUMS entry test result. It is a mandatory requirement for MBBS and BDS applicants and helps assess the mental preparedness and behavioral tendencies of candidates entering the rigorous field of medicine.
The subject-based test is 150 minutes, and the psychological test is 30 minutes. There is no negative marking.