The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is a computer-based aptitude test for those who are

interested in pursuing a career in medicine in the UK. The test was developed to help admissions

officers determine whether you, the candidate, have what it takes to succeed in the field of

medicine. Over a period of one and a half hours, your reasoning abilities will be put to the test in

four key areas – verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, abstract reasoning, and decision analysis.

Each section of the test is scored on a scale from 300 to 900 points. Here is a quick breakdown of the

test:

Verbal Reasoning

What is it: This section assesses your ability to comprehend written text and draw conclusions from

it. You will be given passages to read and four multiple choice questions to answer for each passage.

Why does it matter: During your career, you will often be required to use your verbal reasoning

skills to process information and arrive at the correct conclusions in a number of situations, such as

during your consultations with patients.

Quantitative Reasoning

What is it: It shows the admissions officers how good you are with numbers. You will be presented

with numerical information in the form of tables, charts, graphs, etc. and problems that will test

your ability to interpret and compute that information.

Why does it matter: The field of medicine is scientific in nature. Any professional in the field of

science will tell you that without a strong foundation in mathematics, you won’t go far in the

sciences.

Abstract Reasoning

What is it: It’s all about convergent and divergent thinking. This section tests your ability to come up

with possible solutions to a problem and converge on a solution that works.

Why does it matter: At times, you may have to perform a “differential diagnosis” (If you have ever

watched the show ‘House’, you will know exactly what I’m talking about) – given a set of symptoms,

you will need to come up with possible diagnoses and test each one for the best fit before treating

the patient.

Decision Analysis

What is it: It tests your ability to make decisions in situations when not all the information is given or

when the information is not of the highest quality.

Why does it matter: As a doctor, you may be presented with incomplete medical histories of

patients, or information written in unfamiliar formats, and you will have to do your best to make

decisions based on that information.

At this point, you may be wondering how one prepares for such a test. The best way to do well is to

approach the test strategically. Because it is so time-intensive, you need to find ways to save time.

Develop a time-management strategy that works for you. This will come with practice. Focus on your

weaknesses and familiarize yourself with the question types that give you the most trouble. Doing so

will allow you to spot recurring patterns among those questions, so that you can develop ways to

tackle them efficiently and find short-cuts to answers, saving you a lot of time. If you make time-

management a priority in your preparation, you’ll be well on your way to getting at least an average

of 650 out of 900 points, which is enough to please the admissions officers at most universities.

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