PA-CAT Overview – Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center

Overview

The Physician Assistant College Admission Test (PA-CAT) is a specialized test that is designed to measure applicant knowledge and application in key prerequisite science subjects typically required for PA school. The PA-CAT measures general academic ability and scientific knowledge necessary for success in the demanding Physician Assistant curriculum. The PA-CAT has been developed specifically for use by PA-educators and admissions experts as part of a holistic admission process.

General Information Scoring Sections Success Tips Official PA-CAT Resources Prep Resources

General Information

Computer-based test
Registration Fee: $257
- Fee Assistance Program
Test Dates: Administered year-around
Register: recommended at least 4-6 weeks prior to intended exam date

Scoring

9 subjects presented sequentially
240 multiple-choice test times
~4.5 hours
Electronically administered by Prometric
Accommodations available
Scores are available 8 weeks after the examination
Scores are valid for 2 years
Can take every 6 weeks and 3 times in 12 months

Composite: total exam score
Sub-scores: 3 largest components of the exam (Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, and Chemistry)
Range: 200-800
Scoring is scaled
- Allows accurate reporting of results across different versions of the exam and over time.
- Account for the variability of question difficulty and more accurately measure candidate performance compared to raw scores.
Scoring grouped among other students
- Range: low 5th quintile (low 20%) and high 1st quintile (top 20%)
PA-CAT Score Interpretation Information

Sections

Anatomy
- Preparatory Courses: PHYL 141/L + PHYL 142/L or PHYL 301/L + PHYL 302/L
Behavioral Sciences
Biochemistry
General Biology
- Preparatory Courses: BIOL 171/L, BIOL 172/L, BIOL 275/L, MICR 130 + 140L or MICR 351/L
General/Organic Chemistry
- Preparatory Courses: CHEM 161/L + CHEM 162/L, CHEM 272/L + CHEM 273/L, BIOC 441 or BIOL 402
Genetics
Microbiology
Physiology
Statistics

Cognitive Domains

Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Synthesis
Evaluation

The PA-CAT items are mapped to a variety of cognitive domains for deeper assessment.

Success Tips

✓ Start preparing for the exams well in advance

A year is none too soon - but pace yourself!
Find a balance between preparing thoroughly, but not burning yourself out by studying too much.

✓ Do your best the first time

Can retake the exam up to 3 times in any 1 year.
Breaking the rule leads to score invalidation and banning from taking any future examination.

✓ Take time just before the exam to relax

Get a good night's sleep.
Eat a good nutritious breakfast.
Scope out the exam location before your test day.

Official PA-CAT Resources

Prep Resources

*Note PAC does not endorse any particular test preparation resource and this is not an exhaustive list.

Exam Master Preparation Materials for free
- 120-item online practice exam which includes explanations and references
- Study guide, sample items, and blueprint
- 8 online subject practice exams including references
- Online pre-matriculation course covering Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Critical Thinking, and Time Management