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MCAT · Lessons

MCAT lessons

13 sections · 227 skills · work through the full outline skill by skill — read the long-form lesson or flip through the slide-style version.
Long-form lessonsSlide-style lessons

MCAT

Practice 227 skills across this outline.

Recommended next
Nucleic Acid Structure and Base Pairing (1B)
MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 1: Biomolecules and Metabolism · foundational-concept-1b-gene-to-protein
Long-form lesson
Weighting distribution
36 categories
MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: Reasoning Beyond the Text
8%
MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: Foundations of Comprehension
8%
MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: Reasoning Within the Text
8%
MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 10: Social Inequality and Health
8%
MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 3: Organ Systems and Homeostasis · foundational-concept-3b-organ-systems
5%
MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 6: Perception, Cognition, Emotion · Sensing the Environment
4%

Skills

The comprehensive taxonomy of mcat — drill into a card to work its skills.

MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 1: Biomolecules and Metabolism · foundational-concept-1b-gene-to-protein

8 core skills2% total weight
0/8 completed
8 skills to mastery
1
Nucleic Acid Structure and Base Pairing (1B)Recommended
Long-form
2
Regulation of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes (1B)Available
Long-form
3
Recombinant DNA and Biotechnology (1B)Available
Long-form
4
DNA Replication and Repair (1B)Available
Long-form
5
Genetic Code and Codon Translation (1B)Available
Long-form
6
Regulation of Gene Expression in Prokaryotes (1B)Available
Long-form
7
Transcription and RNA Processing (1B)Available
Long-form
8
Translation and Post-Translational Modification (1B)Available
Long-form

MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 1: Biomolecules and Metabolism · foundational-concept-1a-proteins-amino-acids

7 core skills2% total weight
0/7 completed
7 skills to mastery
1
Protein Folding, Stability, and Denaturation (1A)Available
Long-form
2
Peptide Bonds and Protein Primary Structure (1A)Available
Long-form
3
Amino Acid Structure and Classification (1A)Available
Long-form
4
Enzyme Kinetics and Regulation (1A)Available
Long-form
5
Enzyme Structure and Catalytic Mechanisms (1A)Available
Long-form
6
Nonenzymatic Protein Functions (1A)Available
Long-form
7
Protein Secondary, Tertiary, Quaternary Structure (1A)Available
Long-form

MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 1: Biomolecules and Metabolism · foundational-concept-1d-bioenergetics-metabolism

6 core skills2% total weight
0/6 completed
6 skills to mastery
1
Carbohydrate Structure and Metabolism (1D)Available
Long-form
2
Citric Acid Cycle and Oxidative Phosphorylation (1D)Available
Long-form
3
Fatty Acid and Protein Metabolism (1D)Available
Long-form
4
Glycolysis, Gluconeogenesis, and PPP (1D)Available
Long-form
5
Metabolic Regulation and Hormonal Integration (1D)Available
Long-form
6
Principles of Bioenergetics and Thermodynamics (1D)Available
Long-form

MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 1: Biomolecules and Metabolism · foundational-concept-1c-heredity-genetic-diversity

6 core skills2% total weight
0/6 completed
6 skills to mastery
1
Meiosis and Sources of Genetic Variation (1C)Available
Long-form
2
Population Genetics and Hardy–Weinberg (1C)Available
Long-form
3
Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance (1C)Available
Long-form
4
Evolutionary Mechanisms and Natural Selection (1C)Available
Long-form
5
Mendelian Genetics and Inheritance Patterns (1C)Available
Long-form
6
Mutations and Inborn Errors of Metabolism (1C)Available
Long-form

MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 3: Organ Systems and Homeostasis · foundational-concept-3a-nervous-endocrine

7 core skills3% total weight
0/7 completed
7 skills to mastery
1
Action Potentials and Synaptic Transmission (3A)Available
Long-form
2
Feedback Loops and Homeostatic Regulation (3A)Available
Long-form
3
Endocrine Glands and Hormone Classes (3A)Available
Long-form
4
Hormone Transport, Receptors, Signal Transduction (3A)Available
Long-form
5
Integration of Nervous and Endocrine Signaling (3A)Available
Long-form
6
Nervous System Organization and Function (3A)Available
Long-form
7
Neuron Structure and Signal Propagation (3A)Available
Long-form

MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 3: Organ Systems and Homeostasis · foundational-concept-3b-organ-systems

11 core skills5% total weight
0/11 completed
11 skills to mastery
1
Skeletal System Structure, Mineral Homeostasis (3B)Available
Long-form
2
Renal System and Osmoregulation (3B)Available
Long-form
3
Organ System Integration and Homeostasis (3B)Available
Long-form
4
Blood Composition, Gas Transport, Immune Function (3B)Available
Long-form
5
Circulatory System Structure and Blood Flow Dynamics (3B)Available
Long-form
6
Digestive System Structure, Absorption, Regulation (3B)Available
Long-form
7
Integumentary System and Thermoregulation (3B)Available
Long-form
8
Lymphatic and Immune Systems (3B)Available
Long-form
9
Muscular System Structure and Contraction (3B)Available
Long-form
10
Reproductive System and Hormonal Control (3B)Available
Long-form
11
Respiratory System Structure and Gas Exchange (3B)Available
Long-form

MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 2: Cells and Cellular Organization · foundational-concept-2b-prokaryotes-viruses

8 core skills2% total weight
0/8 completed
8 skills to mastery
1
Viral Life Cycles, Replication Strategies (2B)Available
Long-form
2
Antibiotic Resistance and Genetic Plasticity (2B)Available
Long-form
3
Prokaryotic Growth, Metabolism, and Adaptation (2B)Available
Long-form
4
Cell Theory and Prokaryotic Cell Structure (2B)Available
Long-form
5
Genetics of Prokaryotes (2B)Available
Long-form
6
Subviral Particles: Prions and Viroids (2B)Available
Long-form
7
Viral Genetics, Transduction, and Retroviruses (2B)Available
Long-form
8
Virus Structure and Classification (2B)Available
Long-form

MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 2: Cells and Cellular Organization · foundational-concept-2c-cell-division-development

8 core skills3% total weight
0/8 completed
8 skills to mastery
1
Mechanisms of Cell Differentiation, Development (2C)Available
Long-form
2
Mitosis and Chromosome Dynamics (2C)Available
Long-form
3
Cancer Biology and Loss of Cell Cycle Control (2C)Available
Long-form
4
Cell Cycle Phases and Regulation (2C)Available
Long-form
5
Embryogenesis and Germ Layer Formation (2C)Available
Long-form
6
Meiosis and Gametogenesis (2C)Available
Long-form
7
Programmed Cell Death, Regeneration, Aging (2C)Available
Long-form
8
Stem Cells and Pluripotency (2C)Available
Long-form

MCAT Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems: Foundational Concept 2: Cells and Cellular Organization · foundational-concept-2a-cellular-assemblies

8 core skills3% total weight
0/8 completed
8 skills to mastery
1
Plasma Membrane Structure, Fluid Mosaic Model (2A)Available
Long-form
2
Cell–Cell Junctions and Extracellular Matrix (2A)Available
Long-form
3
Cytoskeleton Structure and Cell Motility (2A)Available
Long-form
4
Endocytosis, Exocytosis, and Vesicular Trafficking (2A)Available
Long-form
5
Membrane-Bound Organelles and Compartmentalization (2A)Available
Long-form
6
Membrane Potential and Electrochemical Gradients (2A)Available
Long-form
7
Membrane Transport and Osmoregulation (2A)Available
Long-form
8
Tissues Derived From Eukaryotic Cells (2A)Available
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Foundational Concepts · Foundational Concept 4A: Motion, Forces, and Energy

6 core skills1% total weight
0/6 completed
6 skills to mastery
1
Kinematics and Motion Variables (4A)Available
Long-form
2
Conservation of Energy and Mechanical Advantage (4A)Available
Long-form
3
Equilibrium, Torque, and Rotational Stability (4A)Available
Long-form
4
Newton’s Laws and Free-Body Diagrams (4A)Available
Long-form
5
Periodic Motion and Mechanical Waves (4A)Available
Long-form
6
Work, Energy, and Power (4A)Available
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Foundational Concepts · Foundational Concept 5E: Principles of Chemical Thermodynamics and Kinetics

5 core skills1% total weight
0/5 completed
5 skills to mastery
1
Bioenergetics and Biological Oxidation–Reduction (5E)Available
Long-form
2
Thermodynamics and Energy Changes (5E)Available
Long-form
3
Chemical Kinetics and Rate Laws (5E)Available
Long-form
4
Enzyme Inhibition and Regulation (5E)Available
Long-form
5
Enzyme Structure and Catalysis (5E)Available
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Foundational Concepts · Foundational Concept 4D: How Light and Sound Interact With Matter

6 core skills1% total weight
0/6 completed
6 skills to mastery
1
Geometrical Optics and Image Formation (4D)Available
Long-form
2
Interference, Diffraction, and Polarization (4D)Available
Long-form
3
Spectroscopy and Molecular Absorption (4D)Available
Long-form
4
Sound Waves and the Doppler Effect (4D)Available
Long-form
5
Light as Electromagnetic Radiation (4D)Available
Long-form
6
Wave Properties and Propagation (4D)Available
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Foundational Concepts · Foundational Concept 5A: Unique Nature of Water and Its Solutions

4 core skills1% total weight
0/4 completed
4 skills to mastery
1
Solubility and Solubility Product (5A)Available
Long-form
2
Titration and Buffers (5A)Available
Long-form
3
Acid–Base Equilibria (5A)Available
Long-form
4
Ions in Solutions (5A)Available
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Foundational Concepts · General Skills

11 core skills1% total weight
0/11 completed
11 skills to mastery
1
Molecular Geometry and Orbital Hybridization (5B)Available
Long-form
2
Alcohols, Carboxylic Acids, and Acid Derivatives (5D)Available
Long-form
3
Amino Acids, Peptides, and Protein Structure (5D)Available
Long-form
4
Aromatic and Heterocyclic Compounds (5D)Available
Long-form
5
Carbohydrates and Glycoconjugates (5D)Available
Long-form
6
Carbonyl Chemistry and Reactivity (5D)Available
Long-form
7
Covalent Bonding and Lewis Structures (5B)Available
Long-form
8
Intermolecular Forces and Physical Properties (5B)Available
Long-form
9
Lipids and Biological Membranes (5D)Available
Long-form
10
Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids (5D)Available
Long-form
11
Stereochemistry and Isomerism (5B)Available
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Foundational Concepts · Foundational Concept 4E: Atoms and Nuclear Decay

6 core skills1% total weight
0/6 completed
6 skills to mastery
1
Atomic Structure and Isotopes (4E)Available
Long-form
2
Electronic Structure and Quantum Models (4E)Available
Long-form
3
Mass Spectrometry and Atomic Identification (4E)Available
Long-form
4
Nuclear Decay and Radioactivity (4E)Available
Long-form
6
Photoelectric Effect and Line Spectra (4E)Available
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Foundational Concepts · Foundational Concept 4B: Fluids and Gas Exchange

5 core skills1% total weight
0/5 completed
5 skills to mastery
1
Buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle (4B)Available
Long-form
2
Fluid Flow, Continuity, and Bernoulli’s Equation (4B)Available
Long-form
3
Fluid Properties and Hydrostatics (4B)Available
Long-form
4
Gas Laws and Kinetic Molecular Theory (4B)Available
Long-form
5
Viscosity and Poiseuille Flow (4B)Available
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Foundational Concepts · Foundational Concept 5C: Separation and Purification Methods

4 core skills1% total weight
0/4 completed
4 skills to mastery
1
Chiral Separation and Enantiomer Resolution (5C)Available
Long-form
2
Chromatography Techniques (5C)Available
Long-form
3
Electrophoresis and Protein Separation (5C)Available
Long-form
4
Extraction and Distillation (5C)Available
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Foundational Concepts · Foundational Concept 4C: Electrochemistry and Circuits

7 core skills1% total weight
0/7 completed
7 skills to mastery
1
Circuit Elements and Ohm’s Law (4C)Available
Long-form
2
Electrical Signaling in Neurons (4C)Available
Long-form
3
Electrochemical Cells and Redox Reactions (4C)Available
Long-form
4
Electric Potential, Voltage, and Capacitance (4C)Available
Long-form
5
Electrostatics and Electric Fields (4C)Available
Long-form
6
Magnetism and Motion of Charged Particles (4C)Available
Long-form
7
Resistors and Capacitors in Series and Parallel (4C)Available
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skills · Reasoning About the Design and Execution of Research

2 core skills2% total weight
0/2 completed
2 skills to mastery
1
Reason About Ethical Issues in ResearchAvailable
Long-form
2
Demonstrate Understanding of Important Components of Scientific ResearchAvailable
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skills · Knowledge of Scientific Concepts and Principles

2 core skills2% total weight
0/2 completed
2 skills to mastery
2
Demonstrate Understanding of Scientific Concepts and PrinciplesAvailable
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skills · Data-Based and Statistical Reasoning

2 core skills2% total weight
0/2 completed
2 skills to mastery
1
Reason About Data and Draw Conclusions From ThemAvailable
Long-form
2
Interpret Patterns in Data Presented in Tables, Figures, and GraphsAvailable
Long-form

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skills · Scientific Reasoning and Problem-Solving

2 core skills2% total weight
0/2 completed
2 skills to mastery
1
Analyze and Evaluate Scientific Explanations and PredictionsAvailable
Long-form
2
Reason About Scientific Principles, Theories, and ModelsAvailable
Long-form

MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: Reasoning Beyond the Text

6 core skills8% total weight
0/6 completed
6 skills to mastery
1
Analogical ApplicationAvailable
Long-form
2
Apply Principles to New ContextsAvailable
Long-form
3
Assess ImplicationsAvailable
Long-form
4
Incorporate New InformationAvailable
Long-form
5
Evaluate Hypothetical ScenariosAvailable
Long-form
6
Evaluate Least or Most Impactful ChangeAvailable
Long-form

MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: Foundations of Comprehension

6 core skills8% total weight
0/6 completed
6 skills to mastery
1
Author PurposeAvailable
Long-form
2
Main Idea and Central ThesisAvailable
Long-form
3
Meaning in Context: IdeasAvailable
Long-form
4
Meaning in Context: VocabularyAvailable
Long-form
5
Scope and Boundary RecognitionAvailable
Long-form
6
Tone and AttitudeAvailable
Long-form

MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: Reasoning Within the Text

8 core skills8% total weight
0/8 completed
8 skills to mastery
1
Cause and Effect RelationshipsAvailable
Long-form
2
Comparisons and ContrastsAvailable
Long-form
3
Evaluate Evidence AdequacyAvailable
Long-form
4
Evaluate Internal ConsistencyAvailable
Long-form
5
Identify Claims and EvidenceAvailable
Long-form
6
Identify CounterargumentsAvailable
Long-form
7
Identify Logical RelationshipsAvailable
Long-form
8
Interpret Examples and AnalogiesAvailable
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 7: Behavior and Behavior Change · Attitude and Behavior Change

6 core skills3% total weight
0/6 completed
6 skills to mastery
1
Operant Conditioning and Reinforcement Schedules (7C)Available
Long-form
2
Cognitive Processes in Learning and Behavior Change (7C)Available
Long-form
3
Theories of Attitude and Behavior Change (7C)Available
Long-form
4
Observational Learning and Modeling (7C)Available
Long-form
5
Classical Conditioning and Associative Learning (7C)Available
Long-form
6
Habituation and Dishabituation (7C)Available
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 7: Behavior and Behavior Change · Social Processes and Behavior

5 core skills2% total weight
0/5 completed
5 skills to mastery
1
Social Facilitation, Social Loafing, and Deindividuation (7B)Available
Long-form
2
Conformity, Obedience, and Peer Influence (7B)Available
Long-form
3
Group Decision-Making and Group Dynamics (7B)Available
Long-form
4
Socialization and Agents of Socialization (7B)Available
Long-form
5
Social Norms, Deviance, and Sanctions (7B)Available
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 7: Behavior and Behavior Change · Individual Influences on Behavior

9 core skills3% total weight
0/9 completed
9 skills to mastery
1
Brain Structure, Neurotransmitters, and Behavior (7A)Available
Long-form
2
Attitudes, Attitude Formation, and Cognitive Dissonance (7A)Available
Long-form
3
Behavioral Genetics and Gene–Environment Interaction (7A)Available
Long-form
4
Biological Bases of Psychological Disorders (7A)Available
Long-form
5
Biological Bases of Behavior: Nervous and Endocrine Systems (7A)Available
Long-form
6
Human Development Across the Lifespan (7A)Available
Long-form
7
Motivation Theories and Biological Drives (7A)Available
Long-form
8
Personality Theories and Trait Perspectives (7A)Available
Long-form
9
Psychological Disorders and Classification (7A)Available
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 6: Perception, Cognition, Emotion · Sensing the Environment

7 core skills4% total weight
0/7 completed
7 skills to mastery
1
Perceptual Organization and Gestalt Principles (6A)Available
Long-form
2
Auditory System Structure and Processing (6A)Available
Long-form
3
Kinesthetic and Vestibular Senses (6A)Available
Long-form
4
Sensation, Thresholds, and Psychophysics (6A)Available
Long-form
5
Sensory Receptors and Neural Pathways (6A)Available
Long-form
6
Somatosensation, Taste, and Smell (6A)Available
Long-form
7
Visual System Structure and Processing (6A)Available
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 6: Perception, Cognition, Emotion · Making Sense of the Environment

8 core skills4% total weight
0/8 completed
8 skills to mastery
1
Forgetting, Memory Disorders, and Neural Plasticity (6B)Available
Long-form
2
Language Development and Language–Thought Relationships (6B)Available
Long-form
3
Attention and Information Processing (6B)Available
Long-form
4
Cognitive Development Across the Lifespan (6B)Available
Long-form
5
Consciousness, Sleep, and Circadian Rhythms (6B)Available
Long-form
6
Memory Encoding, Storage, and Retrieval (6B)Available
Long-form
7
Problem Solving, Decision-Making, and Biases (6B)Available
Long-form
8
Theories of Intelligence and Intellectual Variation (6B)Available
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 9: Social Structure and Demographics · Social Structure

8 core skills3% total weight
0/8 completed
8 skills to mastery
1
Cultural Processes: Assimilation, Multiculturalism, and Diffusion (9A)Available
Long-form
2
Culture: Elements and Variations (9A)Available
Long-form
3
Government, Economy, and Power Structures (9A)Available
Long-form
4
Health, Medicine, and Social Epidemiology (9A)Available
Long-form
6
Religion and Social Change (9A)Available
Long-form
7
Social Institutions: Education and Family (9A)Available
Long-form
8
Sociological Theoretical Perspectives (9A)Available
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 9: Social Structure and Demographics · Demographic Processes

8 core skills4% total weight
0/8 completed
8 skills to mastery
1
Race, Ethnicity, and Racialization (9B)Available
Long-form
2
Urbanization, Industrialization, and Social Change (9B)Available
Long-form
3
Demographic Structure: Age, Gender, and Life Course (9B)Available
Long-form
4
Demographic Transition and Population Pyramids (9B)Available
Long-form
5
Fertility, Mortality, and Population Growth (9B)Available
Long-form
6
Globalization and Transnational Processes (9B)Available
Long-form
7
Immigration, Migration, and Population Movement (9B)Available
Long-form
8
Social Movements and Collective Action (9B)Available
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 8: Self and Social Interaction · Social Interactions

7 core skills3% total weight
0/7 completed
7 skills to mastery
1
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication (8C)Available
Long-form
2
Biological Bases of Social Behavior (8C)Available
Long-form
3
Discrimination: Individual and Institutional (8C)Available
Long-form
4
Group Structure and Group Membership (8C)Available
Long-form
5
Self-Presentation and Impression Management (8C)Available
Long-form
6
Social Behavior: Attraction, Aggression, and Altruism (8C)Available
Long-form
7
Status, Roles, and Role Conflict (8C)Available
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 8: Self and Social Interaction · Self-Identity

5 core skills2% total weight
0/5 completed
5 skills to mastery
1
Self-Concept, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy (8A)Available
Long-form
2
Cultural and Social Influences on Identity (8A)Available
Long-form
3
Identity Formation and Developmental Theories (8A)Available
Long-form
4
Locus of Control and Agency (8A)Available
Long-form
5
Social Identity and Group Membership (8A)Available
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 8: Self and Social Interaction · Social Thinking

5 core skills2% total weight
0/5 completed
5 skills to mastery
1
Prejudice, Stereotypes, and Bias (8B)Available
Long-form
2
Attitudes, Beliefs, and Attitude Formation (8B)Available
Long-form
3
Attribution Processes and Attribution Errors (8B)Available
Long-form
4
Stereotype Threat and Self-Fulfilling Prophecy (8B)Available
Long-form
5
Stigma, Ethnocentrism, and Cultural Relativism (8B)Available
Long-form

MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations: Foundational Concept 10: Social Inequality and Health

8 core skills8% total weight
0/8 completed
8 skills to mastery
1
Cultural Capital, Social Capital, and Meritocracy (10A)Available
Long-form
2
Environmental Justice and Health Risk Exposure (10A)Available
Long-form
3
Intersectionality and Health Disparities (10A)Available
Long-form
4
Power, Privilege, Prestige, and Social Reproduction (10A)Available
Long-form
5
Social Class, Socioeconomic Status, and Stratification (10A)Available
Long-form
6
Social Mobility: Intergenerational and Intragenerational (10A)Available
Long-form
7
Socioeconomic Gradient in Health and Global Inequality (10A)Available
Long-form
8
Spatial Inequality and Residential Segregation (10A)Available
Long-form