worried

[Amz]

How can this really help in finding people who would be good doctors? All it does is make you worry about the test and with the very short time given , people are bound to just guess most of it in order to get it done. I'm really worried about it and if this is taken into consideration and I get a very low result, then there seems no hope in even getting to the interview stage
I reeeeeeeeeeeallly wanna do Medicine but it just seems so out of reach.

Anyone else feeling the same way?

[thinkerbelle]

yep! I am relying on this a fair bit as I will only have started access course in sept to use as indication of results :/

[kiya]

How can this really help in finding people who would be good doctors?

My boss (who's a GP) says it's testing some of the skills you need for medicine. To be honest, I don't think an A grade A-level in Biology or Chemistry really shows whether a person will be a good doctor either. It shows you're academically good at science, but dealing with patients is completely different. You need a combination of skills and I just don't know what kind of a test would show all that...

[sdnet]

The test tests your innate skills like your "brain speed" and ability to adapt.
Some of these skills kick in say if you work in A & E

[sabs_5]

@ Amz:
Im totally with you on this one...ive been worried ever since I took the test...anyway, lets c what happens.

good luck to all !

[kate999]

I’m really annoyed with the whole UKCAT thing! You pay £60 for something that is basically an IQ test in disguise; you buy the book, and spend your time on the website- worrying about the questions (particularly the maths,) you then learn that by the time you get your results, you will have already applied- even though you sat it early!
What annoys me even more is that none of the universities really know what to do with it- so the whole thing is pointless!!!
Already taken mine- not as bad as people keep making out- but not exactly how I would choose to spend my spare time!
Good luck!!!

[electrophilic_addition]

What annoys me even more is that none of the universities really know what to do with it- so the whole thing is pointless!!!

Not necessarily.

The more annoying thing might be that they actually take it into consideration (i.e. king's college, which they said ont heir open day).

[Wannabe-Doc]

I’m really annoyed with the whole UKCAT thing! You pay £60 for something that is basically an IQ test in disguise; you buy the book....

Nobody said you had to buy the unofficial book, which is debatable in it's actual helpfulness - most people who have used it said that it made them more 'confident' - I didn't buy the book, mainly due to the fact that I used the practice on the website and other practice found on the Internet and felt fairly confident.

If you want to rant about the UKCAT feel free, but don't rant about things (like a £17 book) which nobody said you had to buy.


And also, the universities don't know how they will use the information because it's the first year it has been used - do none of you get this?! It was exactly the same when they introduced the BMAT, as well as AEAs and AS levels - it's more or less guaranteed that a new test that is being brought in, or another requirement for admissions will have some teething problems, that will be fixed soon, and that admissions tutors will be very well aware of.

I'm getting fairly sick of people complaining about the UKCAT - can't anyone just accept that as it gets more and more competitive to get into medical schools, new measures need to be brought in by universities to help them? And doubting the usefulness of the new test isn't really helpful - do you really think that all these universities would be wasting limited time and money for a pointless test?!

Just accept it and move on, if you really didn't want to do the UKCAT apply to the universities that don't ask for it!


end of rant.

[sdnet]

In a few more years, I would guess that different tests will come in besides UKCAT so consider yourselves lucky.

If you were to apply in a few years time when the unis have figured out HOW to use the test results, that test you screwed up will be taken into consideration and your chances of getting into med school diminishes. Logical? So instead of complaining, thank god that that £60 worth of luck is worth more than it could bring in say 2 years time.

[Marwa]

Nobody said you had to buy the unofficial book, which is debatable in it's actual helpfulness - most people who have used it said that it made them more 'confident' - I didn't buy the book, mainly due to the fact that I used the practice on the website and other practice found on the Internet and felt fairly confident.

If you want to rant about the UKCAT feel free, but don't rant about things (like a £17 book) which nobody said you had to buy.


And also, the universities don't know how they will use the information because it's the first year it has been used - do none of you get this?! It was exactly the same when they introduced the BMAT, as well as AEAs and AS levels - it's more or less guaranteed that a new test that is being brought in, or another requirement for admissions will have some teething problems, that will be fixed soon, and that admissions tutors will be very well aware of.

I'm getting fairly sick of people complaining about the UKCAT - can't anyone just accept that as it gets more and more competitive to get into medical schools, new measures need to be brought in by universities to help them? And doubting the usefulness of the new test isn't really helpful - do you really think that all these universities would be wasting limited time and money for a pointless test?!

Just accept it and move on, if you really didn't want to do the UKCAT apply to the universities that don't ask for it!


end of rant.

LOL, I completely agree.

Anyways theres no need to worry because most of the universities i have emailed said they wont have a target score, and they wont put a lot of weight on it this year as it is new. So consider yourselves lucky