One of the main requirements for students who wish to apply to medical school will have its largest update in more than 20 years. Starting in

The new MCAT will test medical school hopefuls on sociology and psychology skills, in addition to biology and chemistry. Graphic courtesy of BenchPrep.com.

April 2015, the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) will nearly double its already three-and-a half-hour length.

Updated to reflect changing practices and new developments in medicine, the MCAT will now test students on social sciences such as psychology and sociology. Students will also be tested on biochemistry, in addition to biology, organic chemistry, physics and critical thinking skills.

Owen Farcy is the developer of Pre-Med Partnerships at Kaplan Test Prep, which provides preparatory classes for students studying for the MCAT exam. Farcy said that not only the content of the test changed, but so has the format of it.

Its a very different test. The Association of American Medical Colleges [AAMC] discussed while launching these changes that there are a variety of factors contributing to them, Farcy said. The field of medicine has shifted significantly since 20 years ago. Thats where the social sciences come in.

The current MCAT test is composed of 144 questions to be answered over the course of three hours and 20 minutes. On the new test, students will have 230 questions to answer over the course of six hours and 15 minutes. Additional types of questions related to research design and graphical analysis will likely appear on the test as well.

Loyola sophomore Ben Crofoot said he sees the changes as positive, as they will not only examine the science skills of hopeful medical students, but also their social skills.

The changes are expected to include segments that will gauge aspiring doctors skills in interacting with others, said Crofoot, who plans to take the test in the future.

I plan to start studying some time next semester by using review books and practice tests, said the 19-year-old biochemistry major.

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Changes in MCAT reflect new practices