1. UKCAT 2016

2. In this session...  What is the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) and who uses it?  The UKCAT process Key Dates, Registration and Booking Costs and Bursaries What’s in the test Preparation and Candidate Toolkit Taking the Test, Marking and Results  More information

3. What is the UKCAT?  A test used in the selection process by a consortium of UK university medical and dental schools  Introduced in 2006 by a consortium of universities to help assess other ‘skills and attitudes’ needed by future doctors and dentists for successful clinical practice  There is no curriculum content; the test examines innate skills  It helps universities to make more informed choices from amongst the many highly-qualified applicants who apply for their medical and dental degree programmes  It is used in collaboration with other admissions processes such as the UCAS application, academic qualifications, references and interviews

4. What is the UKCAT?  You sit the test in the same year that you apply through UCAS  You can only sit the test once each year  2 hour, multiple-choice, computer based test which you sit at a local Pearson VUE test centre  It assesses a range of mental abilities across 5 separately timed subtests: Verbal Reasoning Decision Making Quantitative Reasoning Abstract Reasoning Situational Judgement

5.  University of Aberdeen  University of Birmingham  University of Bristol  Cardiff University  University of Dundee  Durham University  University of East Anglia  University of Edinburgh  University of Exeter  University of Glasgow  Hull York Medical School  Keele University  King's College London  University of Leicester  University of Liverpool  University of Manchester  University of Newcastle  University of Nottingham  Plymouth University  Queen Mary, University of London  Queen's University Belfast  University of Sheffield  University of Southampton  University of St Andrews  St George's, University of London  University of Warwick UK UKCAT Universities

6. Key Dates 2016  3 May - Registration opens  1 July - Testing begins  21 September (5pm) - Registration deadline  21 September (5pm) - Bursary application deadline  4 October (midday) - Booking/rescheduling deadline  5 October - Last testing date  15 October - UCAS application deadline  21 October - Candidates provide UCAS choices  Early November - Results are delivered to Universities

7. Registration, Booking & Costs  Register and book early to ensure places are available at a local centre.  Create an online account then select a test centre near you and book your test (book early to ensure your preferred location).  Costs: Tests taken in the EU July-August: £65 Tests taken in the EU September-October: £80 Tests taken outside the EU: £100

8. Bursaries  Bursaries that cover the full test fee are available to EU candidates from low-income households  You may be eligible if you receive: 16-19 Bursary; Free School Meals; Discretionary Learner Support; Educational Maintenance Allowance; Full Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant; Income Support; Job Seeker's Allowance; Employment & Support Allowance; Universal Credit  You may also be eligible if your parent/guardian receives: Child Tax Credit; Income Support; Job Seeker's Allowance; Employment & Support Allowance; Universal Credit  Check the website for more details about the criteria, how to apply and what evidence is required

9. Candidates with Disabilities  The UKCATSEN is an extended version of the test (2 hours 30 mins) which can be booked if you are entitled to additional time for public examinations based upon a medical diagnosis or report from a specialist teacher.  Likely to relate to dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, dysorthographia, attention deficit disorder or working memory deficit but may apply to a range of other medical conditions. See the website for details.

10. What is in the Test?  Verbal reasoning - assesses ability to critically evaluate information that is presented in a written form  Decision making* - assesses ability to apply logic to reach a decision or conclusion, evaluate arguments and analyse statistical information.  Quantitative reasoning - assesses ability to critically evaluate information presented in a numerical form  Abstract reasoning - assesses the use of convergent and divergent thinking to infer relationships from information  Situational judgement - measures capacity to understand real world situations and to identify critical factors and appropriate behaviour in dealing with them * New subtest piloting in 2016, replaces Decision analysis subtest

11. Test Format SubtestItemsUKCAT (includes 1 minute per subtest for instruction) UKCATSEN (includes 2 minutes per subtest for instruction) Verbal Reasoning4422 minutes28 minutes Decision Making2932 minutes39 minutes Quantitative Reasoning3625 minutes31.5 minutes Abstract Reasoning5514 minutes17.5 minutes Situational Judgement6927 minutes34 minutes Total time 120 minutes150 minutes

12. Verbal Reasoning  The test assesses your ability to read and think carefully about information presented in passages and to determine whether specific conclusions can be drawn from information presented. You are not expected to use prior knowledge to answer the questions  21 minutes to answer 44 items, associated with 11 passages  Some items assess critical reasoning skills, requiring candidates to make inferences and draw conclusions from information  For other items you decide whether the statement provided follows logically from the information in the passage

13. Verbal Reasoning

14. Answer: C Rationale: This is supported by the information presented in the whole passage. Since rodents are a food source for foxes, it is common sense that when there are more rodents, there will be more foxes as their reproduction is dependent on food availability.

15. Decision Making  This is a new subtest being piloted in 2016 which replaces the previous Decision Analysis subtest  It assesses the ability to apply logic to reach a decision or conclusion, evaluate arguments and analyse statistical information  There are a number of different item types in this test  Candidates will not receive a score for this subtest. Their results for this section will not be communicated to their chosen medical/dental schools and will not be taken into consideration by universities during their admission processes.

16. Decision Making

17. Answer: A) No - there could be some red but not must be B) Yes -There are some white flowers C) No - there are yellow begonias D) Yes - There are no red begonias E) No - there could be black dahlias, for example

18. Quantitative Reasoning  The test assesses your ability to use numerical skills to solve problems.  24 minutes to answer 36 items associated with tables, charts, and/or graphs.  It assumes familiarity with numbers to the standard of a good pass at GCSE but focuses on problem solving.  A basic calculator is available for use in this section.

19. Quantitative Reasoning

20. Answer: B Rationale: Deposit for Type D motorboat on Sundays = 95 + 5 × 95/100 = 95 + 4.75 = £99.75. Total cost of renting a Type D motorboat for 6 hours on a Sunday = Deposit + Cost per hour × number of hours = £99.75 + £100 × 6 = £99.75 + £600 = £699.75.

21. Abstract Reasoning  The test assesses your ability to identify patterns amongst abstract shapes where irrelevant and distracting material may lead to incorrect conclusions  The test therefore measures your ability to change track, critically evaluate and generate hypotheses and requires you to query judgements as you go along  There are 4 different item types in this test  13 minutes to answer 55 items associated with sets of shapes

22. Abstract Reasoning

23. Answer: A – Set A Rationale: 3 black and 3 white but only 3 shaded so cannot satisfy rules for set B. 3 shaded and 3 black (= 6 shapes) which is more than the total number of white shapes so must be A. Set A Rule: Regardless of the nature of the shapes themselves there must be an equal number of black and shaded shapes but the combined total is always at least one more than the total number of white shapes Set B Rule: Regardless of the nature of the shapes themselves there must be an equal number of black and white shapes but the combined total is always at least one fewer than the total number of shaded shapes.

24. Situational Judgement  The test measures your capacity to understand real world situations and to identify critical factors and appropriate behaviour in dealing with them  It assesses the key traits of integrity, perspective taking and team involvement  SJTs are used widely in medical selection, including selection of Foundation Doctors, GPs and other medical specialties  26 minutes to answer 69 items associated with 20 scenarios (consisting of between 2 and 5 response items)

25. Situational Judgement

26. Answer: B - Appropriate, but not ideal Rationale: The General Medical Council requires students to work “…within the limits of their competence, training and status as medical students.” A medical student is not qualified to discuss the possible outcomes of the patient’s blood test nor what the future may hold for the patient. However, it is correct for a student to explain his role to the patient, so that the patient understands the student’s position. In this situation, where a patient is concerned or worried about their health, the medical student should acknowledge the patient’s concerns and advise the patient to address their concerns with a more appropriate member of staff.

27. Candidate Preparation Toolkit  Available FREE from the UKCAT website, over 1000 practice items  Includes 3 fully timed Practice Tests and an additional questions from each subtest  Includes a Question Tutorial which offers strategies on how to approach and answer questions within each subtest  UKCAT Official Guide containing over 100 practice items  Free UKCAT Practice App for iPhone / Android  Lots more hints, tips and advice  There are many companies offering UKCAT preparation material; be careful as they may not necessarily be of a high standard and may not be up to date enough to mirror the actual test.

28. Preparation for the UKCAT  Familiarise yourself with the requirements and question styles in each subtest  It’s vital to understand the time limitations in each section and to develop strategies to approach each subtest with this in mind  Your main source of information should be the UKCAT website www.ukcat.ac.uk  Use the FREE preparation material on the website, including the fully timed practice tests  Go to www.thestudentroom.co.uk where there is advice available from current/past candidates. This includes links to free practice resources which can be found on the internet  Spend around 21-30 hours in preparation for the UKCAT

29. Hints and Tips  If you have not studied maths beyond GCSE level (or recently), revisit and practice these skills as this will impact on the Quantitative Reasoning section in particular  Try to answer all the questions. Practise the test timings and remember that no points are deducted for wrong answers so if you’re stuck use your best guess  If you are not well, reschedule your test to a later date – even if you lose your test fee. In presenting yourself for testing, you are declaring yourself fit. UKCAT do not consider health issues as extenuating circumstances

30. Taking the Test  Arrive at the Test Centre at least 15 minutes before you are due to start. If you are late you may not be allowed to test and will have to pay again  Very important! Make sure you take the right ID or you will not be allowed to sit the test.  Make sure they give you a booklet and pen  Other people will be testing in the same room as you so you can ask for ear plugs or headphones to limit disturbance – this is not like a school exam!  If you experience any issues during your test you must notify the invigilator immediately.

31. Marking  As this is a pilot year for the new Decision Making test candidates will not receive a score for this subtest.  For each of the other cognitive subtests (Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning) you get a score of between 300-900.  A total scale score is generated by summing the individual scale scores of VR, QR and AR.  In 2016 a total scale score will range from 900 to 2700 (not 1200-3600 as in previous years).  In 2015 a total mean average score for these 3 subtests would have been 1902.  For the Situational Judgement test you are given one of 4 bands (band 1 the highest).

32. Results  You get a copy of your score when you finish the test  Before you submit your UCAS application check how universities use the test or you might be wasting an application  Once you have submitted your UCAS application you need to tell us your UCAS PID and course choices by 21 October. We will use this information to deliver your results to your chosen Universities.  UKCAT passes your results to your university choices directly in early November and they will use it alongside a number of factors which could include academic performance, UCAS personal statement, references etc.

33. More information  Follow UKCAT on Twitter or Facebook to see reminders of deadlines, example questions, revision tips, and get average scores as soon as they are released. @UKCATest /UKClinicalAptitudeTest