Starting in the 2007 testing season, pre-med students taking the MCAT will meet a new testing format: The formerly paper medical school exam has been reformatted into a completely digitized test.

Wisconsin students may take the test in any three Thomson Prometric Testing Centers, in Milwaukee, Madison and Appleton. The test will be offered twice in January, and up to two times every month between April and September. The test will be offered 22 times between the start of the calendar year and September. The Association of American Medical Colleges will adminster the test.

Pre-Health Professions Adviser Laurie Goll said the increased number of testing sessions during the year "will help students who decided a little later to get into med school" by allowing them to take the test later in the year.

"It really provides a tremendous amount of choice, but students must be more active and on the ball (to secure) their desired test dates," said Matt Fidler, GRE program manager.

Marquette students will take their test on 19435 W. Capitol Drive, Suite L104, in Brookfield. The center seats 32 students per test. Previously, students took the paper exam simultaneously, without fear of overbooking.

"There is a concern about availability of seats," Goll said. "They are working it out with the centers, but Prometric does not foresee a problem. They are looking into expanding."

Until expansion, Fidler said some students may not have access to the test.

"With 70,000 MCAT annual test takers, it is not difficult to fathom some students getting locked out of their desired test," he said.

Starting Nov. 15, medical students may begin registering for the January testing sessions. Inquiries conducted by Kaplan have indicated most students prefer taking the test later in the year.

"It's funny," Fidler said. "While most advisers recommended taking the test in January, most students prefer dates in June or July."

Goll said January is a good time for students planning to take the test in June to register, especially if they plan on taking it two or more times. Registration must be completed online at www.aamc.org/mcat/c bt.htm.

Fidler said Kaplan decided to digitize the test because the format "really removes a lot of variation."

"There is no diversion in process," Fidler said. "Everyone has the same amount of time and testing environment."

Fidler said it was a "more representative testing environment."

The DHE and OHE dental and optometry tests have both already been digitized, respectively.

"That's the way the world is moving," Fidler said.

In addition to a computerized procedure, the test has undergone significant content and administrative changes. Goll described the test as "about half as long than the paper and pencil, primarily from a lack of paperwork oversight." The allowed testing time to complete the MCAT has been proportionately reduced by one-half.

Kaplan has also released a sample version of the new MCAT for student use, which is three hours shorter than paper incarnations.

"Kaplan research shows 80 percent of students have not taken a test of this magnitude or length on a computer," Fidler said. "It's like running a marathon. You can't start running by doing a marathon. That's what the online test is about, is that scores can be sent quicker."

"I think it's a good change … a positive change," said Maritza Gonzalez, a senior in the College of Health Sciences. "It takes less stress for students (and) makes the study process more manageable, now that the test is four hours instead of eight."

Gonzalez also said with a wider study window, she now plans to take the test only once, in April.

Initially, students will have to wait one month to receive their scores.

The sample test is available at Kaplan's Web site, www.kaptest.com/mcat.