What is your view on the UKCAT ?

Hey I kinda wanted to gather a consensus of current and past med school applicants. I have taken the test three times and this year got a score of 738 with an 890 in abstract. I feel however it was no use what so ever in proving that I could or couldn't do medicine. What are your opinions ?

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Reply 1

Dr. Django

I did well in it, but I don't really see how it can show how good a doctor you be. However, it is fantastic as a method for differentiating between applicants who are very close together.

Reply 2

jam-jam

Hey - this is just my opinion but although I agree that to us it seems like the UKCAT doesn't show well whether or not we are suited to medicine, the medical schools have to choose something.

I'm saying this with a 780 average (range 690 - 900, SJT - band 1) which I am very pleased with but when I originally started, I went on a course and was told I would definitely fail it so for a lot of time I resented it but then just worked solidly for two weeks.

The reason I'm saying this is that medical schools need some way to "weed out" people without investing the time in the applications - I know that sounds harsh but I am fully expecting it to happen to me also. That's the "price" (so to speak) we have to pay for wanting a career in arguably the most competitive field.

I do accept that other tests may be better but the GAMSAT costs over £200 and the BMAT takes a lot of preparation and as I am still at uni, I'm unsure if I would have had the time to prepare.

Anyway - as I said, this is just my opinion but I do see all sides of the argument and like everyone else, I do think that it seems slightly unfair to just assess us on a psychometric test.

ps - I hope I haven't offended anyone with my opinion, I just wanted to offer it!

And good luck to everyone applying, I hope we all get in somewhere :smile:

Reply 3

skotch

Original post by EBG92

Given that medicine applicants provide pretty much the same grades and similar extra-curriculars, admissions departments need other factors to distinguish participants from each other. The UKCAT can offer that to some extent.

I think other tests are better, like the GAMSAT and BMAT, which is probably why there is talk from a number of universities about moving to the BMAT over the UKCAT.

Reply 4

EBG92

Original post by skotch

I'll be honest I preferred the GAMSAT as it allowed me to write in section 2 and draw on science knowledge

Reply 5

Brachioradialis

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24229380

This study of 12 medical schools suggests it has a small but still valid benefit. Annoyingly.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 6

harlotan

See, I find the BMAT to be extremely lacking, particularly as it tests applicants on subjects that are not required for entry- I, for example, don't have physics GCSE, let alone physics A-level, but I am expected to somehow learn this for section 2. I find this quite unfair, as at least the UKCAT doesn't require much prior knowledge bar basic maths, logic and literacy to complete it.

I find the UKCAT frustrating for the reasons that everyone else has stated- this year I was ill and as I live in a rural area couldn't reschedule my test due to lack of slots, resulting in a lower score than last year, despite being a better and more experienced applicant I was last year. I'm sure there are plenty of people with similar extenuating circumstances, or people who simply don't do well in such tests, and none of it is taken into account. I don't know what could really be used to replace it, but it seems an odd way to weed out applicants given the fluctuations in scores.

Reply 7

jam-jam

Original post by MJK91

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24229380

It's actually a good predictor of performance at medical school. Annoyingly.

Thanks for the link, it made a good read and if (on the off chance) we're asked our opinion at an interview (particularly if we've applied to places that are considering changing their entrance exam) then we have something to base it on!!!

Reply 8

Tee Logan x

Personally i think it's more manageable than the BMAT :tongue:

, BUT because everyone sits a completely different UKCAT to each another, it could be biased.

Reply 9

Brachioradialis

Original post by jam-jam

I do like, however, the one lonesome green dots on the far left with a bad UKCAT score and an above average overall medical school mark :smile:

Proof it's not always valid.

Reply 10

EBG92

Original post by jam-jam

great answer :biggrin:

Reply 11

EBG92

Original post by Tee Logan x

Personally i think it's more manageable than the BMAT :tongue:

, BUT because everyone sits a completely different UKCAT to each another, it could be biased.

Is the test not the same for everyone ?

Reply 12

jam-jam

Original post by EBG92

great answer :biggrin:

Thanks

Reply 13

Kvothe the Arcane

I think the BMAT is probably better.

Reply 14

EBG92

So an interesting proposal then if you could create a unbiased fair test what would you include ?
I understand the multiple choice Q's saves time on marking but why not keep that element and make the questions more specific than A has more triangles than B. Also let them more time on a question that way if people rush and get it wrong it's there own fault and not the fact they read slow or don't feel 100% on the day.

Combining the UKCAT and GAMSAT together to have a medium length exam and you get the score straight away. Plus it would be cheaper than the GAMSAT.

Who ever develops and new method to distinguish med applications will be rich.

Reply 15

Tee Logan x

Original post by EBG92

Is the test not the same for everyone ?

Nope, every single person who sits the test has a different set of qs. That's why you have the choice of picking the date of the exam :smile:

Reply 16

EBG92

Original post by Tee Logan x

Nope, every single person who sits the test has a different set of qs. That's why you have the choice of picking the date of the exam :smile:

So you actually could get 8 sets of patterns and could see the rule and get them right and then a person who could also have got those 8 correct gets a completely different 8 and ends up getting a lower score because of it ??

Reply 17

Tee Logan x

Original post by EBG92

Yupp, that could be possible. We'll never know whether the test was actually harder or the candidate just revised less :tongue:

Reply 18

EBG92

So I asked a guy in the grad forum to find me this link he said showed the UKCAT had little predictive value.

Thanks Kimmys88

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/10/55

Reply 19

Ama2007

12 Medical schools? Thats a rubbish sample size, so doesnt make it in my books!

I personally think is useless whether I got 800 or 500 its still doesnt feel like a test which should differentiate between students. I do understand they have to use a tool in order to "sieve" out the "not so good" applicants, but still the UKCAT is a total shamble. Not only does it have so many variables and different questions it has an element of bias, element of luck? I mean is that reasonable?

I did both the UKCAT and the GAMSAT and I believe the GAMSAT (although very intense) to be a better indicator. It tests your ability to cope under pressure, extract, extrapolate, interpret etc. The UKCAT you dont even think it through, especially VR. Some people get really easy questions while others get hard questions. Is that fair? I have experienced this personally when I sat it last year and this year in a specific section.

There should be another tool, chosen carefully and piloted before. Otherwise we are removing some really "good" applicants using this tool and disregarding everything they have, I understand different unis use it differently but most have now moved to having the UKCAT as the deal.

Ok, enough writing!