Undergraduate exams for medicine
UCAT
The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) is a standardised computer-based assessment designed to assess students’ ability to interpret numerical and written information presented in various formats
Our solutionsMed School (UKMLA)
The UK Medical Licensing Assessment (UKMLA) is a brand new exam that will test the knowledge, abilities and behaviours required to work as a doctor in the UK.
Our solutionsAbout the undergraduate exams
The UCAT exam
The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) is a standardised computer-based assessment designed to assess students’ ability to interpret numerical and written information presented in various formats. All UCAT sections are related to important qualities for medical professionals. The test is used to compare and rank applicants across the UK, as well as international applicants. Although the UCAT might sound scary, it's actually a lot less stressful than you might think, as long as you approach it in the right way.
1. Learn about the different styles and formats of the questions, as well as strategies for solving them
2. Practise with plenty of questions to become faster at answering correctly
3. Simulate with mock exams to gauge your readiness for the time pressure
4. Review your performance and focus on weaker areas Try the meticulously crafted question bank created by The Medic Life, powered by Pastest to give yourself a better understanding of the exam.
The UKMLA exam
The UK Medical Licensing Assessment (UKMLA) is a brand new exam that will test the knowledge, abilities and behaviours required to work as a doctor in the UK. The exam will be split into two forms depending on your place of graduation – the MLA for International Medical Graduates, which will be made and delivered by the GMC, and the UKMLA which will be run by the Medical Schools Councils and delivered via local medical schools. Both exams, although very similar will be derived from separate question banks and will run in parallel with each other. All UK medical students will be required to sit the exam before they graduate. The UKMLA will enable the General Medical Council (GMC) to maintain high standards in medical education and will contribute to patient safety by ensuring that doctors have the information and skills necessary to practice safely.
The UKMLA will be delivered in two parts - the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) and the Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment (CPSA) - both of which assess a range of knowledge and competencies, outlined in the MLA learning outcomes. Questions will focus on being able to make a diagnosis, formulate a management plan, and understand the underpinning science – almost all questions will have a clinical scenario, the language will be clear, not using more words than necessary, and no negative phrasings. Questions may have a history, examination findings, and investigation results. The AKT will be composed of 150 to 200 single-best-answer (SBA) questions drawn from a central bank controlled by the GMC, and will be similar in content and difficulty level to Medical Finals exams. The CPSA is a practical exam that assesses clinical skills and professionalism, similar in format and marking to the UK medical school Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).
We have built the only medical school resource that incorporates everything you will need from your first day to graduation. Pastest Med Students provides all the revision material needed as well as introduces you to the format of the exam, exam timings, and question vignettes. You can read more about how to best study for your medical school exams on our blog.
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