BMAT Breakdown

[Rippy]

Man, I don't know what to say but I think the essay shouldn't be in the BMAT. I mean, why do we have to prove our writing skills? That should be tested on applicants who apply for literature courses or foreign languages.
I know the purpose of this essay is to express and argue your opinion but you also do it while interviewed. And the questions asked by a specific university interviewer are thus more relevant in the admission process.
Maybe that's why they prefer a score of 5,5,9 over a 4,3,12

Doctors must be able to argue their points of view effectively, and communicate well on paper (not just verbally).

Your argument about memorising paragraphs doesn't really hold water. Someone could equally just memorise points for an interview, so an interview would present the same problems.

" I mean, why do we have to prove our writing skills? That should be tested on applicants who apply for literature courses or foreign languages." That's just rather incorrect IMO lol, conveying your thoughts clearly is of utmost importance for a doctor.

[Rippy]

Rippy, doctors do not communicate to patients through the computer.

Nor do they ever sit down and do Section 1 BMAT calculations.

The BMAT is about testing SKILLS, not things that doctors do on a day to day basis.

Do you not think that being able to think logically about various issues, addressing both sides of the argument and coming to a reasoned conclusion is a fairly useful skill? I would say so.

[Future_Canadian_Medic]

The writing section really ticked me off because of one thing: the fact that I think I could've gotten at least a 10.5 if I had more room. They give you this tiny piece of paper to write on, and I have big relatively messy writing. If I apply myself to write neatly and small I write really slowly and consequently mess up in the time constraints. So I basically had to cut my essay off even though I had quite a few points I could've expressed more clearly if I had more room...come december, a semi-unexpected 7.5. I mean, don't they give *any* consideration to people with bigger writing? (this applies to any other space constrainted essay tests such as the SAT)

[Singh.Simran]

Well.. most paperwork medically is space constrained, and lack of neatness means someone reads it wrong..

I doubt that's how they set it, but everything is relevant, and no matter how the test is set someone will have some bugbear with it.

[Future_Canadian_Medic]

I get what you mean, but at least they could've lengthened the space or put more spaces between lines, etc...anyways, whatever, I just would prefer admissions tests to have unlimited space given.

[Rippy]

I get what you mean, but at least they could've lengthened the space or put more spaces between lines, etc...anyways, whatever, I just would prefer admissions tests to have unlimited space given.

I'm sure you would... and I'd prefer them to supply me a copy of the markscheme... Fitting it into the space is part of the challenge.

[Future_Canadian_Medic]

I get the "Be concise and don't rant" philosophy, but I dunno...I guess it's kind of hard to satisfy everyone (and btw I would totally agree with you on having the markscheme available) even if you have big writing and get totally disadvantaged because of that.