Whether you are studying for the MCAT®, preparing for a licensing exam, trying to survive organic chemistry, or looking for free resources to supplement your coursework, this section has you covered. We have organized 44 pages of academic content into five categories: exam preparation, study guides by subject, study skills, free resource directories, and application tools. Every recommendation follows our free-first rule: we point you to the best no-cost option before we ever mention a paid alternative.
Exam Preparation Guides
Standardized exams are gatekeepers in healthcare education. Each of our exam prep pages covers the test format, registration process, scoring system, recommended study timeline, and approved preparation resources. We always recommend official materials first, and we never link to affiliate content. Every guide follows the same structure so you can quickly find what you need regardless of which exam you are preparing for.
Our exam prep guides cover the MCAT® for medical school applicants, the DAT® for dental school, the OAT® for optometry, the GRE® for graduate and some health professions programs, the PCAT® for pharmacy, the USMLE® Step 1 and USMLE® Step 2 for MD students, COMLEX-USA® for DO students, NCLEX-RN® for nursing graduates, PANCE® for physician assistant graduates, NPTE® for physical therapy graduates, and NBDE/INBDE® for dental students.
If you are unsure which exam you need, the answer depends on which profession you are pursuing. Medical school (MD/DO) requires the MCAT®. Dental school requires the DAT®. Optometry school requires the OAT®. Pharmacy programs may require the PCAT®, though many have dropped this requirement. PA, public health, and some graduate programs accept or require the GRE®. Licensing exams like the USMLE®, COMLEX-USA®, NCLEX®, and PANCE® come after you are already enrolled in or have graduated from your professional program. Visit the career profiles section if you need help deciding which profession is right for you.
Study Guides by Subject
Pre-health coursework is demanding. Our subject-specific study guides break down the key topics you need to master, explain how each subject connects to your exams and future clinical work, and direct you to the best free study materials. Guides are available for biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, statistics, psychology, sociology, genetics, cell biology, and pharmacology.
Each study guide identifies the highest-yield topics for both your coursework and your standardized exam, links to free video lectures and practice problems, and suggests how to integrate the material into your broader study plan. If you are taking organic chemistry and studying for the MCAT® at the same time, for example, the organic chemistry guide will show you which topics overlap and how to maximize your efficiency across both.
Study Skills
Knowing the material is only part of the equation. How you study matters just as much as what you study. Many students spend hours reviewing notes passively, rereading textbooks, or highlighting without truly encoding the information. Our study skills pages cover active learning techniques, spaced repetition, time management, test-taking strategies, reading scientific literature, and making the most of office hours. These strategies apply regardless of which course or exam you are preparing for, and they are grounded in cognitive science research on how memory and learning actually work.
Free Resources
You should not have to spend hundreds of dollars on textbooks and courses before you even apply to a health professions program. We maintain curated directories of free textbooks (including OpenStax), a Khan Academy® usage guide, recommended YouTube channels, pre-med podcasts, AAMC® free resources, and anatomy study resources. Everything listed has been reviewed and verified by our team.
OpenStax alone provides free, peer-reviewed college textbooks in biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, physics, psychology, sociology, and statistics. Khan Academy® offers thousands of free video lessons, practice exercises, and test-prep materials. Together, these two platforms cover the vast majority of content you need for both your courses and your standardized exams, and they cost nothing. Start with these before considering any paid resource.
Application Tools
When you are ready to apply, these tools walk you through the process step by step so you do not miss anything critical. Our school list builder guide helps you create a balanced list of target, match, and reach schools based on your GPA, test scores, and other factors. The interview question bank covers the most commonly asked questions at medical, dental, PA, and other health professions interviews, with tips on how to structure your answers. You can also explore our personal statement prompts, secondary essay database, activity description guide, and GPA calculator guide.
Application Guides by Program Type
If you are applying to a specific type of program, we have step-by-step guides for each centralized application system. The AMCAS® guide covers MD programs. The AACOMAS® guide covers DO programs. Additional guides cover CASPA® for physician assistant programs, PTCAS for physical therapy, AADSAS® for dental schools, OptomCAS® for optometry, and PharmCAS® for pharmacy.
How to Use This Section
If you know which exam you need to take, start with the relevant exam prep page. If you are struggling with a specific course, go to the subject study guide for that discipline. If you want to improve your overall study habits, read the study skills pages in order, starting with active learning. If you are just looking for free materials to supplement your coursework, start with the free textbooks page and the Khan Academy® guide. And if you are not sure where to begin at all, visit our How to Use This Site page for a full walkthrough of everything available on Pathway to Medicine.
References
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). “MCAT Essentials.” AAMC, 2025. https://students-residents.aamc.org/mcat-exam. Accessed March 2026.
Khan Academy. “MCAT Collection.” Khan Academy, 2025. https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat. Accessed March 2026.
OpenStax. “Free Textbooks.” Rice University, 2025. https://openstax.org/. Accessed March 2026.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Outlook Handbook: Healthcare Occupations.” U.S. Department of Labor, 2025. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/. Accessed March 2026.