UCAT Tutoring by UK Doctors – Achieve Top Scores with Expert Guidance
1-1 Free Demo Class
Register your details for a free 30-minute demo class.
HERE IS HOW OUR UCAT PROGRAM WORKS
Flexible One-on-One UCAT Coaching
- Choose between online, offline, and hybrid mode
- 32 hours of one-on-one instruction
- Special instructors for each subtest
- Constant mentor support throughout learning phase
Comprehensive UCAT Practice
- 2 concept and practice books
- 5 full-length UCAT mock tests
- 10 hours of one-on-one doubt solving
- 10 hours of dedicated mock test analysis
Personalised UCAT Preparation Plan
- Diagnostic test with detailed review session
- Personalised study plans based on diagnostic test results
- UCAT introductory session
- Post-UCAT admission consulting guidance
Why Join this Program ?
Individual Attention
Customised Learning Programs
Our personalised learning plans ensure each lesson is tailored to your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to maximise your scoring potential.
Exhaustive Study Material
With lectures, books, PPTs, practice modules, and sectional and full-length tests, our study material will ensure you’ve gained mastery over every UCAT topic.
UCAT Training: Overview
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is an important component in your career if you are looking to pursue highly competitive Medical and Dental courses across the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Let’s analyse the UCAT test from different viewpoints now.
Format: 2–hour, computer based test with Multiple Choice Questionnaires (MCQs)
Administration: UCAT is conducted by Pearson VUE – Global leaders in computer based testing across various fields such as Healthcare, Finance, IT, and Education.
Globally recognised: Top universities from the UK, Australia, and NZ recognise UCAT for their admissions.
Beyond standard academic scores: UCAT scores are totally unrelated to your high school scores. UCAT focuses on skill based evaluation, which mainly includes aptitude and cognitive skills.
Once a year: Aspiring students need to note that UCAT can be only attempted once in a year.
Score Validity: Similar to the number of attempts, UCAT scores are only valid for one academic year, from the date of release of the results.
UCAT Significance: Not all universities use these scores in the same way, it varies according to different medical and dental schools. Few universities consider UCAT scores as a key selection criteria, whereas, a few other universities integrate other factors along with a good UCAT score.
UCAT is known for its highly complex structure and as it is considered very difficult, specific preparation and practise materials are recommended. Using guided coaching, timed mock tests and interviews, and updated practice materials can help you boost your UCAT scores.
Your UCAT Pre-test Checklist
Online registration: UCAT test booking happens online, with options to book either morning or evening available sessions. Note that these sessions are subject to availability, and since the slots get filled up quickly, it is advised to book your test early rather than waiting until the last minute.
Strict ID check and Security: After arriving at the test centre, every test taker will undergo a thorough ID verification, after which they’ll be provided with a locker to store their personal belongings.
Stationeries: Test takers will be provided with a laminated note, pen and ear plugs at the test centre if required. Note that you’ll be taking your test on the computer using a mouse and keyboard only.
No breaks: UCAT is a continuous examination with no scheduled breaks in between. However, in exceptional cases, you can notify the investigator.
Time management: Students should anticipate a time-pressured environment as it comprises 184 questions within a short 120 minute time frame. Make sure to practise well with mock tests before you attempt the actual test.
Access arrangements: Please be informed that there are special arrangements made by the UCAT test centres for eligible students with disabilities, difficulties, or medical conditions to sit for an extended time duration. Candidates can also request and pause the clock to take breaks if required. However, this needs to be intimated to the test centre 5 days in advance.
UCAT Test Format
UCAT evaluates students in four different domains, which is identified by different universities and schools that the aspiring students must possess. Let’s touch base on these four sections.
Verbal Reasoning: Ability to understand and analyze written information, and draw logical conclusions from passages only with no outside knowledge needed. This is essential for understanding complex medical terminologies, communicating clearly to patients, interpreting research data, and critically evaluating findings.
Decision Making: Ability to use logic to make decisions, evaluate arguments, and analyze data with no prior knowledge of specific math or logic terms required. Decision making is an important skill for doctors and dentists as it plays a major role in problem-solving during complex situations, assessing risks, and managing uncertainty in clinical practice.
Quantitative Reasoning: Concepts crucial to solve numerical problems and interpret data, which mainly focuses on problem-solving, not just calculations. These concepts are considered necessary for tasks like drug calculations and for understanding statistical data from clinical research.
Situational Judgement Test (SJT): Understanding real-world scenarios and identifying appropriate behaviours, focusing on integrity, empathy, teamwork, and adaptability. This is purely based on who we are and doesn’t require any medical knowledge. SJT evaluates key professional attributes essential for effective and ethical practice, also used in postgraduate training selection.
Understanding the UCAT scoring
Key Things to Know About UCAT Scoring:
- No negative marking: Make sure to attempt every question.
- Complicated Statistical Analysis: Your scores are not just based on the number of questions you answer correctly known as the raw score, but it also involves various factors such as difficulty level of the question, Point Biserial Correlation Coefficient (PBCC), Item Response Theory (IRT), and relative scores with the other students.
- From Raw to Scaled scores: The raw scores are converted to scaled scores, which range from 300-900 for each subtest, i.e., Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, and Quantitative Reasoning. The individual scaled scores are added up to provide a consolidated score, ranging from 900 to 2700.
- Situational Judgement (SJ) Scoring: It’s important to note that the Situational Judgement Test is scored separately and does not contribute to your total scaled score for the cognitive subtests. SJT scoring involves assessing how your responses align with those of a panel of experts. You will receive a separate score and often a band ranking for this section.
You’ll be graded with one out of the four bands by the panel of healthcare experts.
Band 1: Excellent Performance
Your responses were consistently in line with the panel of experienced healthcare professionals and are considered to be the most appropriate actions in the given scenarios.
Band 2: Good Performance
Many of your responses aligned well with the model answers, indicating a strong situational judgement and professional behaviour in healthcare scenarios.
Band 3: Modest Performance
Your responses showed notable deviations from the model answers, indicating areas where your understanding of appropriate professional behaviour may need further development.
Band 4: Low Performance
This band indicates a low level of performance in situational judgement.
Note: It is important to score within the top three bands in your SJ test as many universities do not consider and reject applications with a band score of 4.
Band 1: Excellent Performance
Your responses were consistently in line with the panel of experienced healthcare professionals and are considered to be the most appropriate actions in the given scenarios.
Band 2: Good Performance
Many of your responses aligned well with the model answers, indicating a strong situational judgement and professional behaviour in healthcare scenarios.
Band 3: Modest Performance
Your responses showed notable deviations from the model answers, indicating areas where your understanding of appropriate professional behaviour may need further development.
Band 4: Low Performance
This band indicates a low level of performance in situational judgement.
Note: It is important to score within the top three bands in your SJ test as many universities do not consider and reject applications with a band score of 4.
More about the scoring models used by Pearson VUE:
1. Point Biserial Correlation Coefficient (PBCC):
- A low PBCC for a question can indicate a problem with that question. For instance, if high-achieving test takers in a subtest consistently get a question wrong, or vice versa, then the PBCC for that question will be likely low.
- The UCAT always uses questions with a high PBCC (typically ≥ 0.3), which shows a strong link between overall performance in the subtest and success on that specific question.
2. Differential Item Functioning (DIF)
- This ensures that questions perform similarly across different subgroups of test-takers, promoting fairness.
- DIF occurs when students of similar age or same skill set have different probabilities of answering the same question correctly. UCAT tries to keep the DIF to the lowest level in order to conduct a fair and unbiased test.
3. IRT - Rasch Modelling:
- The UCAT marking specifically uses Rasch modelling, which is a concept under IRT. Rasch models mainly focus on questions of equal discrimination. The probability of a correct response in this model depends only on the test-taker’s ability and the item’s difficulty.
Prepare for UCAT
At RaakMedics, we believe that preparing for UCAT is a step wise process, which aims at getting the students ready at all possible angles.
- Stage 1: Learn the Concepts
- Stage 2: Practice, Practice, Practice
- Stage 3: Timed Mock Exams
- Stage 4: Ace the Difficult Parts
- Stage 5: On the Exam Day
STAGE 1: LEARN THE CONCEPTS
Always remember – Basics first and the rest will eventually work out based on the efforts.
- Plan your study accordingly as this stage will take up to 4 weeks for an above average performing student.
- 1st stage – Conceptual learning will require more inputs from your side, more than what we teach during the initial phases.
- You have nothing to worry if you are used to performing well academically and if you are an everyday learner.
- Make sure to utilise different types of available resources, such as study guides, articles and research papers from the internet, etc.
- Rest assured, we’ll cover everything that you need to know in the first stage of UCAT preparation. Also, please note that you will have to spend more time with us if your preparation is entirely dependent on us.
STAGE 2: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
There’s a common saying – Practice makes a man perfect. It works out here too!
- Similar to the above step, Stage 2 also requires your complete focus for 3 weeks.
- Dedicate 2–3 days to each of the four cognitive sections to avoid burnouts, as this allows for focused improvement in each area before switching. Don’t neglect your strengths or weaknesses. Every section contributes to your overall score.
- Understanding your weakness can be your saviour here, as you can allocate more time to practice your area of weakness.
- Try and aim to prepare for 2 hours without any hard breaks, as this will help in mental conditioning during your test. This can also help you to reach 70–80% accuracy during the initial phases.
- Ensure you are getting adequate and consistent sleep during this period. A well-rested mind learns and retains information more effectively. Try to align your practice schedule with the time of day you anticipate taking the actual UCAT to optimize your performance according to your natural circadian rhythm.
- Thorough review of your answers can help you build confidence and learn from your mistakes. Such practices can also help you to identify your mistake patterns so as to avoid them during your test.
- By following these steps of continuous practice, reviewing, and identifying mistakes, you can experience a systemic improvement in your study methods and enhance your UCAT preparations.
STAGE 3: TIMED MOCK EXAMS
You are entering the simulation time now!
- During the 2 weeks of the 3rd stage, you will be only focusing on attending the UCAT timed mock tests. Plan to save at least two of these for the very last week of your preparation to provide the most accurate assessment of your readiness.
- Make sure to attend your first mock test with full concentration as this can assess your current level. Do not hesitate to revisit Stage 2 and prepare more, if you are not confident or satisfied enough after the 1st mock test results.
- Try to stimulate the test conditions by using a computer and mouse to attend the mock tests. Also, use on-screen calculators and whiteboard only as this will help you a lot during the actual test day.
- As you get closer to your test date, increase the frequency of your mock exams. This will help you build confidence. Atleast, aim to complete a total of 10 to 15 full-length mock exams.
STAGE 4: ACE THE DIFFICULT PART
Sometimes, the things we think are harder are actually the easiest!
- As we are approaching the test date, these final two weeks can be utilised to debug the difficult concepts and questions. Review and focus on your weakness and memorize the most important formulas.
- While tracking progress is useful, try not to overthink on the scores of every practice test in these final weeks. Focus on the process of improvement and strengthening your strategies.
- Try to attempt mock tests during the same time slot as your UCAT exam as this can mentally prepare you on the exam day.
- Prioritize eating good, nutritious food and staying well-hydrated. Your physical well-being directly impacts your cognitive function and ability to perform under pressure.
- Be aware that the practice questions available on the official UCAT website are generally considered to be more challenging compared to those offered by some paid preparation websites
- The crucial benefit of using the official UCAT website for practice is that the testing experience (interface, tools, navigation) is exactly the same as the actual exam.
STAGE 5: ON THE EXAM DAY
Finally, your hardwork is going to pay off! Your day to shine!
- Ensure you’ve had a good meal and are well-hydrated before you leave for the test center. This will help you maintain focus and energy during the exam.
- Double-check the location of your exam venue and plan your journey in advance to avoid any last-minute stress. Bring the required identification (as specified by the UCAT consortium) and have it readily accessible.
- Familiarize yourself with the keyboard shortcuts for navigating the test. This can save you valuable time during the exam. Also, plan on making effective use of the whiteboard and marker provided.
- Keep a close eye on the timer displayed in the top-right corner of the screen throughout each subtest. Pace yourself according to the time allocated for each section and don’t get bogged down on any single question for too long.
FAQ's
Why Should I Choose RAAKMEDICS for UCAT Preparation?
At RAAKMEDICS, we are a dedicated team of highly experienced clinicians and educators currently working within the NHS. We bring firsthand medical knowledge and insight to your UCAT preparation, ensuring that our guidance is both relevant and practical.
Our approach includes:
Individualised Training: Tailored support that addresses your unique strengths and areas for improvement.
Flexible Scheduling: We understand the demands on your time and offer sessions that fit around your commitments.
What is the fee for 1-1 UCAT tutoring at RAAKMEDICS?
What is the duration of the UCAT course/training at RAAKMEDICS?
How frequently will the training sessions be scheduled?
Will I continue to receive support from RAAKMEDICS after I complete the course?
Yes, students will continue to receive support up until their UCAT exam date. Each student will be added to a dedicated WhatsApp group for ongoing guidance, doubt clarification, and encouragement throughout their preparation journey.
When should I ideally start my UCAT preparation?
You can start the UCAT course as early as June 2025, allowing ample time for training sessions and practice before the exam.
As I am already confident in certain UCAT domains, is it possible to receive targeted training focused solely on the areas where I need improvement?
Yes, absolutely. Our course is fully flexible and tailored to target the specific UCAT domains where you need support, ensuring efficient and effective preparation.
