Medical School Entrance Exams

As well as A-Levels, medical schools may require you to sit an entrance examination to test your suitability for medicine. It is absolutely crucial you find out details well in advance as some medical schools require you to register and complete the examination by a certain date. This is also important if funding is an issue. This is an area undergoing extensive change; a previous testing regime, MSAT or Medical Schools Admissions Test is now no longer a requirement for entry into certain Universities, where it has been replaced by a much more expensive examination, the UKCAT which is now applicable for entry to most medical schools.

The reasoning behind these tests is that they don’t test facts, they test mental processes. The University is trying to find out the way you think and where your strengths and weaknesses are. However, don’t make the mistake of believing that you cannot revise for them as this is untrue - by completing practice papers for the UKCAT, BMAT and GAMSAT tests you will ensure that you know exactly what is coming. Being unprepared is the single biggest reason why candidates for medical school fail. You can get hold of guides which explain the thinking behind the tests and include sample questions for you to try, so it’s well worth your while preparing yourself as much as possible with these.

Some medical schools use the BMAT or BioMedical Admissions Test, which is arranged as three multiple choice sessions testing aptitude, skills and scientific knowledge, followed by a short essay question. The process last around 2 hours and is held annually costing just over £20 for UK applicants. Additional information on the BMAT, including information about where to take the test and when to register can be obtained from www.bmat.org.uk.

Of the entrance exams used, the UKCAT or UK Clinical Aptitude Test is a test new to medical schools and the one you are most likely to have to sit (approximately 23 medical schools currently use UKCAT as an entry requirement although this number is expected to increase). It is a computer-based test with a built-in tutorial to help those less familiar with this type of examination. It is not a test of knowledge and is meant to test problem-solving, logical reasoning, critical thinking and information management. It helps medical schools decide who, out of all the suitable applicants, will be the best suited to the mental abilities and professional behaviour required of a successful doctor. The cost to sit this examination is £60 for candidates in the European Union and £95 elsewhere. An early entry discount is available. There are bursaries for those suffering real hardship so that you are not disadvantaged by this application process. There are 150 UK test centres and you should be no more than 40 miles away from one. For more information on dates of registration, test centres and a list of medical schools requiring this test please visit the website at www.ukcat.ac.uk.

An additional examination to assist with the selection criteria, mostly for able graduates seeking admission to graduate entry programmes, is the GAMSAT or Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test. This test has been adopted by certain UK medical schools and is mainly a series of multiple choice questions which identifies a range of skills and aptitudes. Using multiple-choice questions and time constraints, it tests a general knowledge base gained through prior experience and education. This includes concepts in basic science and a broad spectrum of skills and aptitudes in problem solving and analytical skills, in addition to a written communication section which enables you to organise your thoughts in a logical and constructive way. One drawback is that success in GAMSAT is unlikely without some knowledge of biology and the physical sciences. Another is the cost £188 (including VAT). Further information can be obtained from www.gamsatuk.org.

For more information on how we can help you to prepare for your UKCAT, BMAT or GAMSAT entrance exam please click here.