Mid-section unscheduled breaks - Can I take medication?

[pithy84]

tl;dr - Can I take medication and/or drink water from my own water bottle during an unscheduled mid-section break?

The MCAT Essentials handbook clearly states that I can take medication (and eat and drink) during the 10-minute scheduled breaks, which occur between sections.

In the middle of a section, I know examinees are allowed to use the bathroom, although the MCAT Essentials book does not mention this. The clock keeps ticking during an unscheduled mid-section break.

During an unscheduled break in the middle of a section, am I permitted to take medication? The medication would be in my locker.

I really should have applied for a personal medical item to cover pills and a water bottle. I have had panic attacks in the past, so I will bring a bottle of 2 mg Valium tablets to the MCAT. If I start to panic toward the beginning of a section, I might be sunk.

Merely knowing that I have access to the Valium will significantly lower my anxiety. Conversely, knowing that I must choose between Valium and torture will exacerbate my anxiety.

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[pithy84]

Answer: No medication during unscheduled breaks.

I just took the MCAT (December 6th test date). During an unscheduled break (i.e. not one of the two 10-minute breaks between sections), you are not allowed access to your locker and your stuff. You are only allowed access to the bathroom, Kleenex (which is not allowed in the test area), and other communal facilities.

However, the proctors at my testing site were nice. One of the proctors held the Valium so that I could access it without accessing my locker. When she went off duty, she gave the Valium to her replacement.

I actually did use a 2 mg Valium toward the beginning of the final section. I am glad it was available. I wish I had realized that I needed it during the scheduled break, but anxiety is a fickle beast. I probably lost at most 2 minutes by asking for the pill.