... If you want to LEARN new concepts, you should do that prior to registering for the PCAT. Memorizing how to name compounds or products of reactions is not the same as learning them.
I think there is another tack I'd take here, in addition to what you've said chemguy.
There is a difference between self-teaching and practicing proficiency, although both are forms of study.
For things like nomenclature or most biology concepts, you can do some self-teaching relatively successfully in a short amount of time, because it is mostly memorizing & regurgitating details. For something like working chemistry problems, I feel that self-teaching takes more time & would probably be hit-or-miss. Of course, if you're taking the next logical step to something you've already been exposed to, it can be much easier.
Practicing proficiency is really what I mean to suggest to the OP - In my personal case, I had taken Gen Chem I 4 or 5 years prior to taking the PCAT and Calculus at the same time. I found some gaps in my knowledge I was able to fill (where I never really understood it the first time around), so I guess that was self-teaching, but it was really just polishing things I had already learned at one time. Working the chem & math problems quickly & efficiently is a skill that you've got to practice before the PCAT - you don't have time for your skills to be rusty.
For most people I've talked to & what I've read here, it seems like the most points can be picked up in the shortest amount of time by "practicing proficiency" for technical things like working chem problems. If you have time, self-teaching some O Chem stuff might be useful, but I feel it's less efficient time use because you could be learning things that won't even be on the test.
I feel at least exposure to O Chem nomenclature (as has been mentioned a few times) could be a good use of time because it's a topic that can both be read quickly and even if you don't master it, exposure can help you make an educated guess. Different concepts that rely on earlier course knowledge to apply, even if it is on the test, probably isn't worth your time to study for the length of time necessary to master versus the number of points you're likely to pick up for the concept. There are other examples I can think of that would be good to self-teach if you haven't already learned them (acid-base stuff, oxidation) just because I feel they can be done in a short amount of time.
I guess the question we're quibbling over is this: what is the best time (within two weeks) versus point increase return? Some of us feel that self-teaching is not the most efficient use of time within the limited timeframe; others feel that it would be a good use of time. The answer is individualized - 1) how well do you self-teach? 2) how well do you grasp the material you already have / how beneficial would practicing proficiency be?
I'ma plug for the Pearson practice tests again here just to gauge your current level & help determine course of action.
