UKCAT

UKCAT

The UK Clinical Aptitude Test is an admission test used as a selection process and is meant for the medical and dental degree programs. It is also known as University Clinical Aptitude Test. It is used by a consortium of Universities in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. However, it runs on a collaborative working process of UKCAT Consortium with Pearson VUE. Though UKCAT was introduced in 2006, yet it was kept for test for some years.

This test gives the idea about the candidate’s attitudes, mental abilities and possible professional behaviour. The test centres are located worldwide including EU. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and New Delhi (Yusuf Sarai) are the centres for UKCAT in India. This test helps the universities to be more particular between the medical and dental applicants. UKCAT is compulsory for UK, EU and majority of international applicants.

You are allowed to sit for one time in an year (in one cycle) for the exam. However, in case, if you are unsuccessful in getting admission in the medical school, you have to apply for the UKCAT again for the following year. However, if you fail to appear for the exam within the stipulated time and apply for any program, where this test needed, you will be certainly rejected for that application. Only when you are exempted from the UKCAT, then only there are chances to get allowed for the said application .

This exemption is based on geographical terms. Like, if you live in a country where there is no test centres in your country, then you are exempted from this examination. However, before asking for your exemption, make sure that there is no test centres for UKCAT in your country. To apply for exemption, you have to fill the form given in the official portal relevant to exemption. After considering the application, an exemption number is given to the applicants via email for their easy admission in medical schools without appearing in the UKCAT. However, you have to meet all the criteria before applying for the exemption.

The UKCAT authorities will inform you about list of medical schools where you can apply. You don’t need to put efforts to search for any medical or dental schools. It is earnestly notified that you are exempted by UKCAT based on the expectations of your ability to perform well in the test. No any other irrelevant grounds will be entertained. Thus, if you feel yourself eligible for exemption, contact the UKCAT authorities directly.

Test Format

This test assesses various important mental abilities as directed by the Medical and Dental Schools. Each subtests are based upon multiple choice questions and occurs differently in separate time frame. This test explores your inner skills and therefore, there is no any definite syllabus pattern for this test.

There are different subject matters in UKCAT. These consist of:

• Verbal Reasoning- It tests your logical thinking and reasoning about a given piece of written information.
• Decision Analysis- It focuses on assessing the ability of the candidates to deal with complex, ambiguous situations, various forms of information, infer relationships, and produce the appropriate and informed judgments and decisions.
• Abstract Reasoning- It explores the convergent and divergent thinking abilities and skills of the candidates to conclude the relationships from information.
• Quantitative Reasoning- It tests the ability to solve numerical or mathematical problems.
• Situational judgement test- This section emphasizes on the candidate’s ability to assess the judgments regarding the situation arising in the workplace.

There are two versions of UKCAT, namely;

1) The standard UKCAT, and

2) The UKCATSEN ( Special Educational Needs).

The standard UKCAT is generally for all the general candidates appearing for the test allotted with standard test time too.

The UKCATSEN is a lengthier version of UKCAT where candidates are given time extension due to their physical disability or any sort of problems in their documents. The timing details are given below:

Section	Items	Standard Test Time	Extended Test Time
Verbal Reasoning	44 items	22 minutes	28 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning	36 items	23 minutes	29 minutes
Abstract Reasoning	65 items	16 minutes	20 minutes
Decision Analysis	26 items	32 minutes	40 minutes
Situational Judgment Test	60 items*	27 minutes	33 minutes