What does the UCAT Exam entail?
What is UCAT?
UCAT stands for The University Clinical Aptitude Test. It forms part of the admissions process for prospective UK healthcare professionals. This is a computerised assessment that evaluates several abilities which represent a person's-skill set. These skill-sets are required by medical professionals. The UCAT consists of 5 main sections.
The UCAT’s 5 Sections include:
Verbal Reasoning
Abstract Reasoning
Decision Making
Quantitative Reasoning
Situational Judgement
This blog will explain what each of the five sections involve.
Verbal Reasoning
The verbal reasoning section of the UCAT is a cognition exam that evaluates your capability to read information, analyse and draw conclusions from the text. This is considered the most time-sensitive of all the UCAT segments. It is timed at 21 minutes; within which you are expected to read 11 paragraphs of 200-300 words and answer four questions from each of them. If you do the maths, it means you have to read the texts and answer 44 questions in 21 minutes. You probably only have about 30 seconds to 2 minutes per question.
Abstract Reasoning
This section of the UCAT tests your ability to recognise patterns amidst shapes, while overlooking insignificant or distracting subject matter that’s intended to deceive you. To make the grade, you need to be capable of coming up with theories and question judgements as you go, be malleable enough to change your approach, and critically examine your thinking at each phase.
Decision Making
The decision making section of the UCAT examines your ability to apply logic to reach an appropriate resolution. You are expected to use logic and reasoning to solve textual and visual data-related questions. You’ll have access to a basic on-screen calculator for this part of the UCAT. It consists of 29 questions timed at 31 minutes.
Quantitative Reasoning
This is often the best-scoring part of the UCAT. You only need GCSE-level math and the ability to solve problems with your numerical skills. This section puts more emphasis on problem-solving skills rather than mathematical skill sets.
Situational Judgement
Situational judgement is the final section of the UCAT exam. It assesses a number of interpersonal skills such as flexibility, honesty, point of view and resilience. It’s structured to evaluate the extent to which you comprehend real-life situations, note the important aspects and respond effectively when handling them. This test does not examine your academic performance but highlights your adaptability in behavioural situations. In this section, you will have to answer 66 questions in 26 minutes. These questions are linked to a sequence of storylines.
Where to get support?
Our Online Mastery Course will give you more insights on what exactly to expect in your UCAT exam and how to score highly. Register UCAT e-lessons today where we will work through each section, ensuring you will master every question using a range of proven strategies and techniques. Our expert tutor will guide you through in-depth tutorials covering working examples of each question type, you will learn through experience and have opportunities to ask questions to ensure you feel confident by the end!
We also have a pool of free resources for anyone interested in pursuing dentistry as a career here.
