USMLE vs. MCAT

[gmendese]

OK, now I know that the USMLE is extremely difficult, but how similar to the MCAT is it (if at all)? Are there verbal reasoning passages and hidden phyics/chemistry/bio/orgo questions like in the MCAT, or is it very factual?

I'm assuming that the USMLE is more of a "study" test rather than a "skill" or "test-taking" test like the MCAT.

Any thoughts?

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[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

You are correct that the USMLE is much more factually based than the MCAT. It tests knowledge a lot more. There is no verbal reasoning section, its all medicine.

There are some similarities, however. In recent years, the USMLE has become mostly "clinical vignette" type questions, which means a paragraph worth of information and maybe a graph or chart is given in the question stem and you are asked a question based on these. So there is a certain amount of ability to read critically needed, just as in the MCAT.