PA-CAT Register and Schedule
Exam Master explains PA-CAT registration, scheduling, fees, and the special accommodations request pathway.
PA-CAT Accommodations for Students with Psychological Disabilities
If you are applying to physician assistant programs that consider the PA-CAT, your score should reflect your science knowledge and readiness for PA school, not disability-related barriers. The PA-CAT is a long, content-heavy exam that covers anatomy, physiology, general biology, chemistry, microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, behavioral sciences, and statistics. If ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia, autism, depression, or another condition makes it harder to focus, read efficiently, manage pacing, or sustain stamina, you may qualify for PA-CAT accommodations. Get a psychological evaluation written to support your PA-CAT accommodations request.
$1,200 total (60%+ below typical $3,000-$5,000 rates)
Typical private-market rates for comprehensive evaluations often fall in the $3,000-$5,000 range.Looking for ADHD accommodations? Or other exam support?
Why PA-CAT Accommodations Matter
The PA-CAT is designed to measure science knowledge that PA programs care about, but standard timing can still distort performance when a disability affects processing speed, reading efficiency, working memory, attention, or regulation. Accommodations help reduce that mismatch so programs can better evaluate your true readiness for a rigorous physician assistant curriculum.
240
single-best-answer multiple-choice items across the full exam.
9 subjects
including anatomy, physiology, general biology, chemistry, microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, behavioral sciences, and statistics.
4.5 hrs
total exam window per the current PA-CAT site, with a four-hour standardized assessment at its core.
How Accommodations Can Help on the PA-CAT
Accommodations do not make the PA-CAT easier. They reduce the extent to which disability-related barriers interfere with demonstrating your mastery of prerequisite science subjects under time pressure.
Heavy Science Coverage
The PA-CAT mixes anatomy, physiology, biology, microbiology, genetics, chemistry, and biochemistry into one exam. Extra time can help if slower processing speed or re-reading needs make it harder to move accurately across many subjects.
Statistics and Behavioral Sciences
These sections can be harder when working memory, attention regulation, or test anxiety interferes with applying concepts under time pressure.
Stamina Across a Long Exam
A long testing window can amplify fatigue, distractibility, and anxiety. Better pacing and approved break-related adjustments can help keep performance more consistent from beginning to end.
Functional Access, Not Advantage
The strongest accommodations requests connect your diagnosis to specific testing barriers. That is why documentation explaining current functional limitations and the rationale for each requested accommodation matters.
Common PA-CAT Accommodations
Extended Time
The official PA-CAT accommodations page specifically notes that 1.5x and 2x time are the most common accommodations.
Approved Break Adjustments
Additional break-related support can help when you need time to regulate attention, reduce anxiety, manage fatigue, or address medical needs.
Individualized Testing Changes
Exam Master describes a prior-approval process for accommodations tied to documented disabilities or medical conditions and the specific barriers they create.
Supporting Documentation Review
A licensed professional must explain the diagnosis, functional limitations, and rationale for each requested accommodation so the request can be evaluated appropriately.
Conditions That May Qualify
ADHD
Difficulty sustaining attention, regulating effort, and managing pacing across a long, multi-subject science exam.
Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia and related learning disabilities that affect reading rate, processing speed, comprehension, or quantitative performance.
Anxiety Disorders
Test anxiety, panic symptoms, or generalized anxiety that interfere with concentration, speed, and accurate reasoning.
Depression
Mental fatigue, slowed processing, and concentration problems that become more severe over a long admission exam. Learn how depression can affect exams.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Processing differences, sensory sensitivities, and executive-functioning challenges that can affect access under standard PA-CAT conditions.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Changes in attention, memory, processing speed, or stamina after concussion or other brain injury.
How It Works
1
Schedule Your Evaluation
Meet with a licensed psychologist who understands accommodations documentation. We review your history, symptoms, and how they affect your PA-CAT performance under standard conditions.
2
Complete the Assessment from Home
You complete evidence-based testing remotely via telehealth. The evaluation can examine attention, executive functioning, processing speed, learning, and psychological symptoms that affect long-form standardized testing.
3
Get Your PA-CAT-Ready Report
Receive a comprehensive report that explains your diagnosis, current functional limitations, and why specific PA-CAT accommodations are appropriate. You can then submit it through the PA-CAT special accommodations process together with the required forms.
$1,200 total (60%+ below typical $3,000-$5,000 rates)
Typical comprehensive psychological evaluations cost $3,000-$5,000. Our $1,200 total is 60%+ below those rates, and the same evaluation can often support both a PA-CAT accommodations request and later disability-services requests in college or graduate health programs.
Typical private-market rates for comprehensive evaluations often fall in the $3,000-$5,000 range.
Payment plans available - Telehealth in 45 states and D.C.
Last reviewed: June 30, 2026
Sources and policy references
Official policies can change, so confirm deadlines, documentation recency, and approval steps with the testing organization before submitting a request.
PA-CAT Candidate Support
Exam Master provides PA-CAT candidate support resources, including candidate guide and accommodation request links.
PA-CAT Accommodations FAQ
What PA-CAT accommodations can I request?
Exam Master provides special accommodations on a prior-approval basis for eligible candidates with documented disabilities or medical conditions. The most common accommodations involve additional test time, with 1.5x and 2x normal testing time specifically noted on the official special accommodations page.
How do I request PA-CAT accommodations?
You must request accommodations before scheduling your exam. Exam Master says you need to register for the PA-CAT, purchase eligibility, complete the Special Accommodations Request Form, and upload the required documentation through the special accommodations process. Do not schedule with Pearson VUE until Exam Master has officially approved your request.
What documentation does PA-CAT want for accommodations?
The current special accommodations page says your package must include a completed Accommodation Request and HIPAA Consent Form plus a Licensed Professional Assessment Form completed by an appropriately licensed professional. The evaluation must identify the diagnosis and impairment, describe the functional limitations as they apply to standardized testing, and explain the rationale for each requested accommodation. The official assessment may not be older than 2 years at the time of submission.
How long does PA-CAT accommodations review take?
Exam Master currently states that a completed accommodations application and supporting documentation will be reviewed within 10 business days of completed registration. If more information is needed, your Special Accommodations Advocate will contact you.
What conditions may qualify for PA-CAT accommodations?
Conditions that may qualify include ADHD, dyslexia and other learning disabilities, anxiety disorders, depression, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other documented disabilities or medical conditions that substantially affect testing under standard conditions.
Will my documentation stay private?
The official PA-CAT special accommodations page states that documentation submitted in support of your request is confidential and will not be released to any third party unless compelled by legal process.
If I retake the PA-CAT, do I need a new accommodations request?
Yes. The official special accommodations page states that if you decide to retake the PA-CAT, a new special accommodations request must be submitted.
Still have questions?
Let us know!
Do Not Let a Disability Distort Your PA-CAT Result
You deserve testing conditions that let PA programs see your scientific readiness, not just your ability to push through disability-related barriers under time pressure. Get the documentation you need to request PA-CAT accommodations with confidence.