USAT-M is the USAT for Pre-Medical students. It has 75 MCQs in 100 minutes: English 20, maths reasoning 25, Physics 8, Chemistry 8 and Biology 14, then 2 essays. Biology has the most marks of the science part, but here is the thing most students miss: English and maths are 60% of the MCQs.
USAT-M paper pattern
| Section | MCQs | Share of Part I |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal reasoning (English) | 20 | 27% |
| Quantitative reasoning (maths) | 25 | 33% |
| Biology | 14 | 19% |
| Physics | 8 | 11% |
| Chemistry | 8 | 11% |
Part II is 2 essays in 40 minutes (15 + 10 marks). See our USAT essay guide.
What to revise in each subject
Biology (14 MCQs)
FSc level cells, the human body and genetics. Diagrams come a lot, like the cell and the heart. Learn the labelled diagrams, not just the definitions.
Chemistry (8 MCQs)
Atoms, the periodic table, bonds and basic reactions. Learn common element symbols, the pH scale and the gases in air. These come again and again as quick questions.
Physics (8 MCQs)
Motion and force, electricity, waves and basic modern physics. Know the SI units of force, power and energy by heart, because many questions only ask you to recognize them.
What our question bank shows
We have about 190 questions each for Biology, Physics and Chemistry. Only 3% of Biology and 6% of Physics questions are marked hard. Chemistry is the trickiest at 17% hard, because of reactions and calculations. We also have questions from a real USAT Pre-Medical paper (Fall 2023) inside our mock papers, so you can see the real style.
My advice for Pre-Medical students
Many Pre-Medical students spend all their time on Biology, because that is what they did for MDCAT. But Biology is only 14 of 75 MCQs. If you are weak in maths, 25 maths reasoning questions can pull your score down more than Biology can pull it up. So split your time like this:
- 40% on English and maths reasoning
- 30% on Biology
- 30% on Physics and Chemistry
Not sure if you need USAT or MDCAT? Read USAT vs MDCAT vs ECAT.
Common questions
What is the USAT-M paper pattern?
75 MCQs in 100 minutes: English 20, maths reasoning 25, Physics 8, Chemistry 8 and Biology 14. Then 2 essays in 40 minutes.
Is USAT-M the same as MDCAT?
No. MDCAT is the test for MBBS and BDS. USAT-M is the HEC test for other undergraduate programs that Pre-Medical students apply to, like BS programs.
Which subject has the most marks in USAT-M?
Biology, with 14 MCQs. But English and maths reasoning together have 45 MCQs, which is more than all the science MCQs.
Are USAT-M Biology questions hard?
Mostly not. In our bank of 186 biology questions, only 3% are marked hard. They are mostly about remembering FSc facts and diagrams.