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MCAT Syllabus
Medical College Admission Test. The complete MCAT outline — 8 subjects, 57 chapters and 211 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
MCAT subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
7 chapters · 39 topics · 111 sub-topics
General Chemistry9 chapters · 40 topics · 94 sub-topics
Organic Chemistry3 chapters · 11 topics · 28 sub-topics
Biochemistry13 chapters · 48 topics · 57 sub-topics
Physics6 chapters · 22 topics · 74 sub-topics
Psychology8 chapters · 17 topics · 55 sub-topics
Sociology7 chapters · 18 topics · 49 sub-topics
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills4 chapters · 16 topics
MCAT flashcard decks
406 question-and-answer cards across 8 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
How to work through the MCAT syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Biochemistry carries 48 topics while Organic Chemistry carries 11. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for MCAT.
The ~250 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
MCAT syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the MCAT syllabus?
MCAT covers 8 subjects: Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, Psychology, Sociology and Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills. Together they contain 57 chapters and 211 named topics.
How big is the MCAT syllabus?
The full MCAT outline breaks down into 57 chapters, 211 topics and 468 sub-topics. Biochemistry is the largest single subject with 48 topics across 13 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole MCAT syllabus?
Roughly 250 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 12 weeks.
Are there MCAT flashcards?
Yes — 406 question-and-answer flashcards across 8 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this MCAT syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the MCAT syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too. No account is needed to start.
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