Organic chemistry is a challenging subject for many pre-med students and one of the most anxiety-inducing topics to study in preparation for the MCAT. We’ve broken down exactly how much organic chemistry is on the MCAT and just how important this topic is for a good score:
Organic Chemistry on the MCAT: A Breakdown
Organic chemistry is one of the more challenging pre-med courses. It’s also one of the most common reasons students choose to leave the pre-med track. Despite this, organic chemistry content is only a small fraction of the topics tested on the MCAT. And an even smaller fraction of the topics covered in future medical school courses. Read more about the rest of the pre-med track here.
| Chemistry and Physics Section Breakdown |
| 25% Biochemistry |
| 05% General Biology |
| 30% General Chemistry |
| 15% Organic Chemistry |
| 25% General Physics |
| biology and biochemistry Section breakdown |
| 25% Biochemistry |
| 65% General Biology |
| 05% Organic Chemistry |
| 05% General Chemistry |
The chemistry and physics section comprises 25% of the MCAT, and organic chemistry comprises only 15% of this section. The biology and biochemistry section comprises another 25% of the MCAT, and organic chemistry comprises only 5% of this section. The other 2 sections, psychology/sociology and CARS (critical analysis and reasoning) do not have any organic chemistry content.
This means organic chemistry questions account for approximately 5% of the total content of the MCAT. But demonstrating an understanding of organic chemistry is still important to medical schools.
Organic Chemistry Topics to Know
The 2 semesters of undergraduate organic chemistry that pre-med students are required to take cover a lot of topics, but not all of these topics will actually be tested on the MCAT. The topics pre-med students are expected to know for the MCAT and future medical school courses include:
| MCAT organic chemistry topics | |
| Alcohols and ethers | |
| Aldehydes and ketones | |
| Bonding | |
| Carboxylic acids and derivatives | |
| Isomers | |
| Laboratory techniques and separations | |
| Nitrogen-containing compounds | |
| Nomenclature | |
| Nucleophiles and electrophiles | |
| Phosphorus-containing compounds | |
| Oxidation-Reduction reactions | |
| Spectroscopy |
Pre-med students preparing for the MCAT should focus their attention on these topics and make sure they have a solid foundational understanding of these concepts. MCAT test prep companies and free MCAT resources for organic chemistry focus on these topics only and can be an excellent resource as opposed to simply reviewing old organic chemistry notes from undergraduate lectures (as many of the topics covered in these lectures will not be tested on the MCAT).
Most students choose to take the MCAT the spring of their junior year. This is usually within 1 year of having completed their organic chemistry courses. Students may find it helpful to have taken the courses relatively recently, so the material is still somewhat fresh in their memories. But it is possible to take the MCAT at any time. Many students are able to adequately review the organic chemistry material they need for the MCAT even years after they have taken their college organic chemistry courses. It is not uncommon for pre-meds to take a gap year before taking the MCAT or applying to medical school.
How Important is Organic Chemistry To Medical Schools
Again, organic chemistry accounts for about 5% of the MCAT. And relatively little organic chemistry comes up in future medical school courses (biochemistry is more relevant for future medical school courses than organic chemistry). So a less than perfect organic chemistry score on the MCAT does not necessarily indicate that a student would not succeed in medical school.
But good grades in organic chemistry courses and good performance on MCAT organic chemistry questions demonstrates a students ability to persevere through and understand complex scientific topics. And this is ultimately more important to medical schools than the organic chemistry itself. Because organic chemistry is so challenging, and so many students change their minds about medical school due to this course alone, completing the course with a passing grade and continuing forward on the pre-med track is a huge accomplishment in itself.
Persevering through organic chemistry and performing well on organic chemistry content on the MCAT is one of many different ways students can demonstrate this kind of commitment to academics and ability to comprehend complex topics.
Final Thoughts
A foundational understanding of high-yield organic chemistry topics is certainly an asset for pre-med students taking the MCAT. But organic chemistry is not the only topic students need to know (or the most important). So a less than perfect score in organic chemistry sections does not mean students will not be accepted to a medical school program.
Medical schools are most interested in whether students can demonstrate they are able to commit to understanding difficult concepts, overcome challenges, and succeed in an academically rigorous program. Doing well in organic chemistry in undergraduate courses or on the MCAT is one way to demonstrate these characteristics to medical schools, but it is not the only way.
