100+ Free PA-CAT Practice Questions

Pass your Physician Assistant College Admission Test exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately

100+ Questions

100% Free

1 / 100

Question 1

Score: 0/0

Which bones form the pectoral (shoulder) girdle?

Clavicle and scapula

Humerus and scapula

Ilium and ischium

Sternum and ribs

to track

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: PA-CAT Exam

The PA-CAT is a 240-question, multiple-choice physician-assistant school admission test from Exam Master covering nine prerequisite science subjects, with subject and overall scores submitted to PA programs via CASPA.

Sample PA-CAT Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your PA-CAT exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A child presents with increasing back pain, an uneven gait, and a lateral curvature of the thoracic spine. Which spinal deformity best explains these findings?

A.Kyphosis

B.Lordosis

C.Scoliosis

D.Spina bifida

Explanation: Scoliosis is an abnormal lateral (sideways) curvature of the vertebral column, most often in the thoracic region, which produces an uneven gait and asymmetric posture. The lateral bend, rather than a front-to-back curve, is the defining feature.

2A posterior-wall gastric ulcer perforates and erodes into the organ lying directly behind the stomach, releasing amylase and lipase. Into which structure did the ulcer most likely erode?

A.Left gastric artery

B.Pancreas

C.Peritoneal cavity

D.Pleural cavity

Explanation: The pancreas lies directly posterior to the stomach in the retroperitoneum. A posterior-wall ulcer can erode into it, releasing pancreatic enzymes such as amylase and lipase, and causing focal back pain rather than generalized peritonitis.

3How many pairs of spinal nerves arise from the human spinal cord?

A.12 pairs

B.24 pairs

C.31 pairs

D.33 pairs

Explanation: There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal. Each pair exits through an intervertebral foramen and carries both sensory and motor fibers.

4Which cranial nerve provides motor innervation to most muscles of the tongue?

A.Trigeminal nerve (CN V)

B.Facial nerve (CN VII)

C.Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)

D.Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)

Explanation: The hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) supplies motor innervation to all intrinsic and most extrinsic tongue muscles (except palatoglossus). Damage causes the protruded tongue to deviate toward the injured side.

5Which heart valve lies between the left atrium and the left ventricle?

A.Aortic valve

B.Mitral (bicuspid) valve

C.Pulmonary valve

D.Tricuspid valve

Explanation: The mitral (bicuspid) valve sits between the left atrium and left ventricle, preventing backflow during ventricular systole. It has two cusps, distinguishing it from the three-cusped tricuspid valve on the right side.

6The rotator cuff stabilizes the shoulder. Which of the following is NOT one of its four muscles?

A.Supraspinatus

B.Infraspinatus

C.Teres major

D.Subscapularis

Explanation: The four rotator cuff muscles are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis (the SITS muscles). Teres major is not part of the cuff; it is a larger muscle that adducts and medially rotates the arm.

7Which bones form the pectoral (shoulder) girdle?

A.Clavicle and scapula

B.Humerus and scapula

C.Sternum and ribs

D.Ilium and ischium

Explanation: The pectoral girdle consists of the clavicle and scapula, which connect the upper limb to the axial skeleton. The clavicle articulates with the sternum, providing the only bony link between the upper limb and the trunk.

8Which structure connects the stomach to the first portion of the small intestine?

A.Pyloric sphincter

B.Ileocecal valve

C.Cardiac sphincter

D.Sphincter of Oddi

Explanation: The pyloric sphincter is a ring of smooth muscle at the gastric outlet that controls passage of chyme from the stomach into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. It regulates the rate of gastric emptying.

9Through which vessel does oxygen-poor blood leave the right ventricle to reach the lungs?

A.Aorta

B.Pulmonary artery

C.Pulmonary vein

D.Superior vena cava

Explanation: The pulmonary artery (pulmonary trunk) carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs for gas exchange. It is the only artery in the body that normally carries oxygen-poor blood.

10The diaphragm is the primary muscle of inspiration. Which nerve innervates it?

A.Vagus nerve

B.Phrenic nerve

C.Intercostal nerves

D.Recurrent laryngeal nerve

Explanation: The phrenic nerve, arising from cervical roots C3, C4, and C5, provides the sole motor supply to the diaphragm. The mnemonic 'C3, 4, 5 keep the diaphragm alive' reflects this innervation.

About the PA-CAT Exam

The PA-CAT (Physician Assistant College Admission Test) is a standardized, computer-based admission test from Exam Master used by a growing number of physician assistant programs to assess applicants' mastery of the prerequisite sciences. It contains 240 multiple-choice questions delivered within a four-and-a-half-hour window and covers nine prerequisite science subjects: Anatomy, Physiology, General Biology, Biochemistry, General and Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Behavioral Sciences, Genetics, and Statistics. Scores are reported by individual subject as well as overall, allowing programs to see strengths and gaps across the prerequisite sciences, and results are submitted to PA programs through the CASPA application service. The test can be taken at over 5,000 test centers or through remote proctoring. Because it spans the full breadth of PA prerequisites, candidates are advised to review the subjects they completed least recently.

Questions

240 scored questions

Time Limit

Completed within a 4-hour-30-minute testing window, computer-based at a test center or via remote online proctoring.

Passing Score

No fixed cutoff; subject and overall scaled/percentile scores are reported and submitted to PA programs through CASPA, with each program setting its own expectations.

Exam Fee

Approximately $257 (2026), paid to Exam Master at registration. (Exam Master Corporation)

PA-CAT Exam Content Outline

16%

Anatomy

Gross and systemic human anatomy across the major body systems, regions, and anatomical terminology.

14%

Physiology

Function of body systems: transport, action potentials, cardiac, respiratory, renal, and endocrine regulation, and homeostasis.

14%

General and Organic Chemistry

Atomic structure, bonding, stoichiometry, acids and bases, equilibrium, functional groups, and basic organic reactions.

11%

General Biology

Cell structure and cycle, metabolism, membrane biology, evolution, and ecology.

11%

Microbiology

Microbial structure and growth, genetics, control methods, immunology basics, and common pathogens.

11%

Genetics

Mendelian and population genetics, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, DNA replication and expression, and mutation.

Statistics

Descriptive statistics, probability, distributions, hypothesis testing, and interpreting study data.

Biochemistry

Amino acids and proteins, enzyme kinetics, metabolism, glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and nucleic acids.

Behavioral Sciences

Psychology and sociology foundations: learning, development, motivation, and social behavior.

How to Pass the PA-CAT Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: No fixed cutoff; subject and overall scaled/percentile scores are reported and submitted to PA programs through CASPA, with each program setting its own expectations.
Exam length: 240 questions
Time limit: Completed within a 4-hour-30-minute testing window, computer-based at a test center or via remote online proctoring.
Exam fee: Approximately $257 (2026), paid to Exam Master at registration.

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

PA-CAT Study Tips from Top Performers

1Review all nine prerequisite science subjects, prioritizing those you completed least recently since the test rewards broad retention.

2Master anatomy and physiology first, as together they make up the largest share of the questions.

3Drill general and organic chemistry fundamentals: stoichiometry, acids and bases, equilibrium, and functional groups.

4Refresh statistics concepts such as probability, distributions, p-values, and interpreting data, which many applicants find rusty.

5Use subject-level practice to find weak areas, since the PA-CAT reports scores by subject as well as overall.

6Practice timed multiple-choice sets to build the stamina needed for a 240-question, four-and-a-half-hour exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PA-CAT and who takes it?

The PA-CAT (Physician Assistant College Admission Test) is a standardized admission test from Exam Master taken by applicants to physician assistant programs to demonstrate mastery of the prerequisite sciences.

How many questions are on the PA-CAT and how long is it?

The PA-CAT has 240 multiple-choice questions and is completed within a four-and-a-half-hour testing window, either at a test center or through remote online proctoring.

What subjects does the PA-CAT cover?

It covers nine prerequisite science subjects: Anatomy, Physiology, General Biology, Biochemistry, General and Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Behavioral Sciences, Genetics, and Statistics.

How are PA-CAT scores used?

Scores are reported by individual subject and overall and are submitted to PA programs through the CASPA application service. Each program decides how to weigh the results in admissions.

Is there a passing score on the PA-CAT?

There is no fixed passing score. Programs that require or recommend the PA-CAT set their own expectations, and the subject-level breakdown helps them see an applicant's strengths and gaps.

How much does the PA-CAT cost?

The PA-CAT fee is approximately $257 (2026), paid to Exam Master at registration. The test can be taken at over 5,000 test centers or via remote proctoring.