MBBS from Agha Khan Medical College is the dream of every student. It is very easy to pursue this dream, provided that you prepare yourself in the proper lines for its entry test. The entry examination is primarily designed to evaluate a candidate’s conceptual understanding and analytical abilities. Success requires curiosity, dedication, and a strong grasp of fundamental concepts. This article provides comprehensive guidelines and strategies to help students effectively prepare for the Aga Khan Medical College entry test.

These three subjects constitute the major part of the entry test. Therefore, they should receive more attention from students while preparing for the test.

The textbooks of Intermediate (FSc) are generally sufficient for preparing for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. However, since the test is designed to assess in-depth understanding, it is also beneficial to study some relevant foreign books, such as SAT and MCAT. These books are specially designed by subject experts to include MCQs that focus on conceptual understanding. Since these MCQs are created by experts with a higher understanding of the subject, they differ from the typical MCQs that a student might make from their own textbooks. This is because these MCQs are designed to assess how deeply and conceptually you have learned the topics in your books. There are several such foreign books available, which provide ready-made high-level MCQs that students can study and prepare from easily.

Another approach to in-depth learning is to study relevant books from higher-level classes (e.g., Bachelor’s programs). Biology, Chemistry, and Physics are also taught at the Bachelor’s level in universities. Since the academic level of Bachelor programs is higher than that of Intermediate programs, these books provide more detailed learning of topics compared to Intermediate textbooks. Many ambitious students read higher-level books alongside their own textbooks to gain a better understanding. Sometimes, students feel after taking the entry test that some questions were beyond the scope of their textbooks. In reality, these questions are always within the scope of Intermediate books; the difference is that students may not have gained an in-depth and conceptual understanding of the topics. This is where studying higher-level books can help. Reading such books may give you a more detailed understanding, which can be viewed as in-depth and conceptual learning in the context of Intermediate-level study.

Now, regarding Intermediate textbooks: as noted earlier, the course books at the Intermediate level are sufficient for preparation. This is because the entry test is designed for students with an Intermediate-level qualification. This means that by preparing only your textbooks, you can easily qualify for the entry test, and many students have done so successfully.

If this is the case, why do some students feel the need to study other books as well? The answer is that most students approach their course books incorrectly. Many simply read the topics and memorize them like stories to rewrite them in the exam. The term ‘story’ is intentional because some students even memorize the steps of answers in mathematics without understanding them, just to reproduce them in the exam.

Most students do not attempt to understand the topics conceptually. They accept what is written as it is and do not ask questions. When you try to understand a topic, your mind begins to generate questions—these are the same kinds of questions generally asked in assessment tests, including the entry test. This is the correct approach to learning.

Let me explain this with examples:

Example 1: A brilliant student is studying ‘the structure of the atom’ in his chemistry book. He reads the sentence, “Protons exist in the nucleus of an atom.” This makes him wonder how protons can exist together in the same place (nucleus), since protons have similar positive charges and like charges repel each other. He starts thinking to find the answer: How can protons exist together in the same place, and why don’t they repel each other? This is the approach of a student who wants to understand things conceptually.

Example 2: While studying a biology book, a student learns that muscles in the arm ache after being used for some time due to lactic acid formation. This may prompt a question: If muscles get tired when used, why don’t heart muscles get tired, since they beat continuously 24 hours a day for years? The student starts thinking about why cardiac muscles do not fatigue like skeletal muscles.

Obviously, these conceptual questions have answers. The point here is that every student should develop this approach to studying if they want to easily qualify for the entry test. This method helps generate conceptual questions and prepares students for the kinds of questions typically asked in assessment tests.

If you have one or two months to prepare for the test, start reading your textbooks with full concentration. Take a pencil and underline every sentence containing important information. Each topic contains potential MCQs. When preparation time is short, this technique is useful for extracting MCQs directly from your books. Practicing this way helps develop the skill of identifying MCQs from the text—a method that has helped many students, especially when time is limited.

Some suggested books are as follows:

• Course books (FSc, A-level)
• SAT-I (for English & Maths)
• SAT-II (for Biology, Physics & Chemistry)
• MCAT (foreign edition, not local versions)

The mathematics part consists of simple but tricky questions. These questions are based on the mathematics of classes eight, nine, and ten, and mainly revolve around the following areas:

1. Addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication
2. Percentages
3. Ratios & proportions
4. Simple geometry and algebra

The questions are based on simple arithmetic but involve some thinking tricks. You should learn these tactics to solve the questions. Some questions can be solved using short formulas to save time, as discussed below:

Question 1 – Sum of Natural Numbers:
Question: What is the sum of natural numbers from one to one hundred?
Solution: If you start adding all the numbers from one to one hundred, it will take a lot of time. But there is a short formula that allows you to solve it in seconds.
Sum of digits equals number of digits multiplied by first number plus last number divided by two.
Sum of digits equals one hundred multiplied by one plus one hundred divided by two, which equals five thousand fifty.

More examples

Example 1 – Algebra:
Question: If three fourths of a number is seven more than one sixth of the number, what is the number?
Solution: Let the number be x.
Three fourths of x equals one sixth of x plus seven.
Nine x minus two x divided by twelve equals seven.
Therefore, x equals twelve.
Options: A. 12 B. 15 C. 18 D. 20

Example 2 – Calendar Problem:
Question: If it is now June, what will be the month after one hundred months from now?
Solution: Divide one hundred by twelve (months in a year).
The quotient is eight and the remainder is four.
Count four months from June, which gives October.
Options: A. January B. April C. June D. October

Example 3 – Percentage:
Question: A shirt costs Rs. five hundred. It is sold at twenty percent discount, and then again at ten percent discount. What is the final price?
Solution:
First discount: five hundred multiplied by 0.8 equals four hundred.
Second discount: four hundred multiplied by 0.9 equals three hundred sixty.
Answer: Rs. 360

Example 4 – Ratio and Proportion:
Question: The ratio of boys to girls in a class is three to four. If there are twenty-one boys, how many girls are there?
Solution: Let the number of girls be x.
Three divided by four equals twenty-one divided by x.
Therefore, x equals twenty-eight.

Example 5 – Arithmetic Shortcut:
Question: Find the sum of all even numbers from two to one hundred.
Solution: There are fifty even numbers. Use the formula:
Sum equals number of terms divided by two multiplied by first term plus last term.
Sum equals fifty divided by two multiplied by two plus one hundred, which equals twenty-five multiplied by one hundred two, which equals two thousand five hundred fifty.

Example 6 – Simple Geometry:
Question: A triangle has angles in the ratio two to three to four. Find all angles.
Solution: Sum of angles equals one hundred eighty.
Two x plus three x plus four x equals one hundred eighty.
Nine x equals one hundred eighty.
Therefore, x equals twenty.
Angles equal forty degrees, sixty degrees, eighty degrees.

Example 7 – Speed, Distance, Time:
Question: A car travels one hundred twenty kilometers in two hours. What is its speed in meters per second?
Solution:
Speed equals one hundred twenty multiplied by one thousand divided by two multiplied by three thousand six hundred.
Speed equals sixteen point six seven meters per second.

Test-taking strategies are important for MCQ tests. Despite sound preparation, many students fail the test because they do not know effective test-taking strategies. These strategies enhance the chance to answer correctly as well as to complete the test on time, as discussed below:

1. The time for an MCQ test is generally short. You may have only a minute or half a minute for each MCQ.
2. Divide the total time among all MCQs to get an idea of the time you should spend on each one.
3. Wear a wristwatch while attempting the test and keep an eye on it to manage your time effectively.
4. Attempt those MCQs first which you are sure of answering correctly. Leave the difficult ones for the end. Sticking too long on one MCQ will waste time and leave less time for other questions. Encircle the numbers of unattempted MCQs so you can return to them easily at the end.
5. Read each MCQ carefully. Think about the answer before reading the given options.
6. If you have no idea about an MCQ, look at the given options. First, skip the options which you think cannot be the answer. Then select one from the remaining options. This maximizes your chance of answering correctly.
7. For answers, you are given a computer-sensitive ‘answer sheet’ with small blocks or circles. Darken each block or circle properly, because the sheet is read by a computer to mark it. Do not just put a tick or cross mark; you must darken it properly.
8. Solve as many practice tests as possible while preparing for the test to become familiar with test-taking. It helps a lot.

Here is a practice test for students appearing in the entry test of Medical College. This practice test gives an idea about the nature of the test and helps in preparation. Best of luck!