UCAT curriculum is quite different from a conventional medical entrance exam as it tests not only the cognitive skills but the non-cognitive skills of the applicant as well. The two-hour-long computerized test may seem daunting if you do not have clarity about the detailed curriculum and scoring scale. UCAT Test dates 2021 have already been announced and the registration is open from 2nd June 2021 to 22nd September 2021. You can take the test latest by 29th September 2021. Let us throw some light on the curriculum of UCAT for ready reference.
UCAT is broadly divided into five subtests wherein the candidates’ abilities in various domains are tested. Every subtest is separately timed and has a specific number of questions. Let us look at this one by one:
- Verbal Reasoning – You get 21 minutes to attempt the verbal reasoning test that contains 44 questions. These questions are based on comprehension abilities as text passages are given and the candidate has to read the passage and answer the questions based on it. This helps to evaluate the ability of the candidate to read and comprehend case histories in future.
- Decision making – Medical profession requires a strong decision-making ability, taking the prevailing circumstances into account and coming up with the best solution. This ability of applicants is tested here. The decision-making test is of 31 minutes duration in which the candidate has to attempt 29 questions.
- Quantitative Reasoning – People concerned with the field of medicine are expected to have a sound knowledge of mathematical concepts too. This is essential in the day to day matters related to the patients’ vitals and medicine dose etc.36 questions have to be attempted in 24 minutes of test time. Adequate practice is important to complete this test in the stipulated time frame.
- Abstract Reasoning – This subtest may seem daunting at first as it contains pieces of information assimilated in patterns. This assesses the candidate’s ability to correlate patterns containing unknown values and decode the information given. You are expected to attempt 55 questions in 13 minutes only. The timeline is tight and speed is the key.
- Situational Judgement – This subtest is different from the rest as it tests non-cognitive skills. 26 minutes are given to answer 69 questions. The questions are designed to assess how you respond to real-time situations. You are given different scenarios to test your resilience and integrity. The scoring pattern of this test is also different from the others.
Scoring Pattern of UCAT
UCAT is of 3600 marks divided among the first four subtests. Every test has an individual score ranging between 300 and 900. The scores of all the tests are finally added to get the final score. The Situational Judgement Test score is given according to four bands. Based on their performance in the test, the candidates are put in different bands, wherein Band 1 shows the highest performance and Band 4 shows the least.
UCAT score is an important component of your application and with the UCAT Test dates 2021 already announced, get on board and give it your best shot.
