One important step to obtaining a medical degree in the United States is undergoing some radical changes.

The Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT, will see in 2015 some of the most significant revisions in a generation, including additional content that will lengthen the exam by two hours.

Dr. Jeff Koetje, director of pre-health programs for Kaplan Test Prep, said this is the fifth time in the history of the MCAT that the exam has been reexamined.

“The reason why it comes under periodic review is to ensure the content is up to date and relevant and continues to serve an effective purpose in the admissions process,” he said.

Koetje said since the last major change to the exam in 1991, medicine has changed significantly in the areas of medical science, medical education and its socio-cultural aspects.

“Given this context of changes in health care, it was sort of seen as the right time to review the MCAT and produce these recommendations for change,” he said.

Russell Schaffer, senior communications manager for Kaplan Test Prep, said in a Kaplan survey of medical school admission officers, more than 70 percent of those polled said the recommended changes will better prepare students for the medical school experience.

Additions to the test include questions in the areas of upper level science, social and behavioral sciences, and critical analysis and reasoning, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges’ website.

“These are not insignificant recommendations because this is going to have direct impact on undergrad curriculum (and) the courses that pre-health students take,” Koetje said.

He added that test changes are very common to Kaplan.

“We are constantly revising our programs and making sure they are relevant to students and the tests they are preparing for,” he said.

Tony Peter, president of Phi Delta Epsilon, a pre-med fraternity, and junior in LAS, said the changes to the MCAT will not currently affect the fraternity or a majority of the members, with the exception of freshmen or sophomores who choose to take a year in between graduation and medical school.

“We start our chapter meetings with sample MCAT questions, and (the questions) are definitely going to have to change within the next two years,” he said.

Leah Schmelkin, junior in LAS, said the changes to the test would not affect her as a pre-medical student.

“If anything, the new MCAT will have a positive influence on those who take it in or after 2015 because the exam will be more applicable to a career in medicine and will have a stronger relevance to students’ end-goal,” she said in an email.

Peter said he was glad the MCAT is adapting to changes in medicine, but the additions add to the difficulty of the exam.

“It’s going to be hard to take all the classes you need before taking this exam,” he said. “I feel it limits our ability to explore different interests in college, especially within your first two years.”