The process of applying for medical school can seem daunting. The different courses available, the varying entry requirements and the pressure to ensure you choose the right university for you can all make this...
There are a number of different routes into the medical profession but if you’ve previously gained an undergraduate degree it’s likely that you’ll be considering Graduate Entry Medicine.
Understandably, the decision about which medical school to attend is a big one; if you’re beginning to think about your application and where to choose to study, you may want to start by comparing...
All UK medical schools require potential candidates to attend an interview as part of their selection process, with the majority of medical schools now adopting the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format.
Your medicine personal statement is one of the most important elements of your medical school application. It will be key for distinguishing yourself from other applicants and will be used in the...
Top tips on how to effectively practice for the UCAT. Use our guide to score highly and get into medical school.
The University Clinical Aptitude test or UCAT (formerly UKCAT) is the standard test for entry into Medical School in the UK. There are six steps to follow in order to prepare effectively.
A step-by-step guide to help you prepare successfully for the UCAT and get into your favourite medical school.
Our complete guide has everything you need to score highly in the UCAT and get into medical school.
The UCAT Abstract Reasoning subtest aims to assess your ability to identify patterns within abstract shapes. The inclusion of irrelevant and distracting information within this subtest can lead to incorrect conclusions being drawn; therefore, familiarity with the types of questions you’ll be asked will improve your pattern recognition and your ability to identify unnecessary information.
First introduced in 2016 to replace the Decision Analysis subtest, the UCAT Decision Making subtest assesses your ability to analyse information and apply logic to make decisions.This guide will provide you with more information about the Decision Making subtest, including how to prepare, tips to do well and where to access free quality UCAT practice questions.
The third subtest in the UCAT, Quantitative Reasoning, assesses your problem solving skills in relation to numbers. It’s generally a high scoring section of the UCAT; with the right preparation you can also achieve highly and positively impact your final score with the Quantitative Reasoning subtest. This guide will provide you with tips on how to do well and where to access quality Quantitative Reasoning practice questions, as well as information on the subtest and how to prepare for it.
The final section of the UCAT, the Situational Judgement Test, assesses how you respond to real world scenarios. It’s different from the other subtests in the exam, which are grouped together as the ‘cognitive subtests’. These differences primarily lie in how it is scored and how your score is used by medical schools in their selection process.
Verbal Reasoning is the first subset within the UCAT; it aims to assess your ability to understand information and draw conclusions from it. Although it appears relevantly straightforward, it has consistently had the lowest average score of all subtests in the UCAT. This guide will provide you with more information about the Verbal Reasoning subtest, including how to prepare, tips to do well and where to access quality Verbal Reasoning questions.
A free UCAT practice test to help you prepare for the 2023 exam. We've designed the test to mimic the actual exam.
As the most widely used admissions exam for UK medical schools – for Standard Entry Medicine, Medicine with a Gateway Year and Medicine with a Preliminary Year – it’s likely that you’ll need to undertake the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT), and consider how your UCAT score will determine which medical schools you can apply to.
Have you looked at the UCAT scoring or test statistics and wondered: what is the UCAT decile ranking? Is it important? And will it be used by my chosen medical school? This guide will explain simply the UCAT decile ranking, the UCAT scoring system more generally, and what it all means for your medical school application.
UCAT is the most widely used admissions exam for UK medical schools. Therefore, it’s important to know which universities require UCAT and how they each use your score before you apply.
Critical thinking is an essential cognitive skill for every individual but is a crucial component for healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses and dentists. It is a skill that should be developed and trained, not just during your career as a doctor, but before that when you are still a medical student.
Intercalation is the process of taking a year out of medical school to obtain an additional degree and is one of the many privileges afforded to medical students.
If you’re seeking licensure in the United States (US) or applying for a Post Graduate Medical Residency Training programme, you’ll need to undertake the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE); this guide will provide you with all the information you require in relation to the USMLE for foreign medical graduates.
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is required to gain a license to practice medicine within the US. It assesses the essential skills for safe and effective patient care and provides a common standard of assessment for medical licensure. This USMLE complete guide will provide all the information you need for applying and undertaking the USMLE, including eligibility, registration and fees, and the different USMLE steps and materials to prepare.
The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) is one of four sections that make up the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)’s Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Using a range of passages and related questions, the CARS section tests your ability to comprehend what you have read.
The classification and structure of prokaryotic cells in a MCAT topic included in the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the exam. To achieve a good MCAT score, it’s essential that you prepare for all key topics listed in the MCAT syllabus.
Included in the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the MCAT, the growth and physiology of prokaryotic cells is a key topic you need to revise for the exam. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know to help you achieve a good MCAT score.
The principles of metabolic regulation are covered in the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the MCAT. To prepare effectively for the exam, it’s essential that you have a clear understanding of the topic and can answer questions related to it. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of the principles of metabolic regulation as detailed in the MCAT syllabus.
Lipids form part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the MCAT syllabus. Although a relatively small topic within the exam, there are some key features which you need to know. This guide provides a brief overview of the topic and the fundamentals needed for the MCAT exam.
The metabolism of fatty acids and proteins is included in the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the MCAT. The syllabus breaks down the topic further into the following: Description of fatty acids; Digestion, mobilization, and transport of fats; Oxidation of fatty acids; Ketone bodies; Anabolism of fats; Non-template synthesis: biosynthesis of lipids and polysaccharides; and Metabolism of proteins. This guide will provide you with a clear overview of everything you need to know about the metabolism of fatty acids and proteins for the MCAT.
As part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the exam, the MCAT assesses your knowledge of the structure and function of the nervous system, including: The major functions; The organization of vertebrate nervous system; Sensor and effector neurons; Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems: antagonistic control; Reflexes; Integration with endocrine system: feedback control. This guide covers all key features detailed in the MCAT syllabus to help you to prepare for the exam.
The Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the MCAT includes the skeletal system. As part of this, the syllabus identifies the following areas which you need to know for the exam: Functions of the skeletal system; Skeletal structure; Bone structure; Cartilage: structure and function; Ligaments, tendons; and Endocrine control. The following guide will provide an overview of these key topic areas to support you to prepare well for the exam and achieve a good MCAT score.
The skin system is a key topic in the MCAT and forms part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section. The MCAT syllabus breaks down what you need to know about the skin system for the exam.To help you to revise effectively, this guide provides an overview of everything included in the MCAT syllabus.
The digestive system forms part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living System section of the MCAT test. It’s made up of several anatomical structures, each with their own unique physiology. To help you prepare, we’ve produced a thorough overview of this key MCAT topic.
The control of gene expression in eukaryotes is a topic that comes up frequently in the MCAT. It features as part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section and you may be asked both stand alone and passage based questions on it. To help your MCAT prep, we’ve created this overview of how gene expression is controlled in Eukaryotes, including what happens when the controlling mechanisms fail.
Evolution forms part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the MCAT exam. Therefore, it’s essential to revise this, and other topics listed in the syllabus, in order to achieve a good MCAT score. This study guide will take you through everything you need to know about evolution for the MCAT, and provide links to where you can find further guidance.
The excretory system is a key topic in the MCAT and forms part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the exam. To effectively prepare for the MCAT, it’s essential that you have a good understanding of the various parts of the excretory system, and are able to answer questions related to them.
‘Meiosis and other factors affecting Genetic Variability’ is included in the MCAT syllabus and forms part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living System section of the test. To prepare for the MCAT test, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with topics like meiosis and others that are found in the syllabus. Having a good understanding of these topics will help ensure that you achieve a good MCAT score. This overview will explain everything you need to know about meiosis for the MCAT.
If you’re preparing for the MCAT exam, you’ll want to begin by revising the subjects listed in the MCAT syllabus. The immune system is one of the key MCAT topics included in the syllabus and forms part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living System sections of the exam. This comprehensive overview is designed to provide you with everything you need to know about the immune system for the MCAT exam.
A good starting point when preparing for the MCAT is to familiarize yourself with the syllabus and identify topics that you’ll need to study. Nerve cells, which are included in the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the exam, are just one of many MCAT subjects which you’ll need to know well. To keep things simple we’ve created a handy nerve cell study guide for the MCAT. This will put all the information in one place that you need to score highly on the nerve cell questions of the test.
The respiratory system is a key section of the MCAT syllabus and forms part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section of the exam. If you’re applying to medical school in the US, you’ll be aware that you need to achieve a good score on the MCAT exam. We’ve written this overview of the respiratory system to support your MCAT prep.
The majority of U.S. medical schools, as well as many Canadian schools, require you to submit exam scores for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) as part of the application progress; our MCAT Guide will provide you with all the information you need for registering, preparing for and completing the MCAT exam.
The application process for medical school can vary considerably depending on where you’re applying to study, including the type of admission exam you’re required to complete; the following compares two prominent medical school entry exams and the differences between the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). This guide provides you with information regarding who requires the MCAT or UCAT, their level of difficulty and key information about the format of the exams.
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), developed and administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), is a standardized, multiple-choice examination. As it’s used by the majority of U.S. medical schools and many Canadian ones, as part of their admission process, you may be wondering what a good MCAT score is, or have other queries relating to MCAT scoring, before you apply. This guide will provide you with all you need to know about the MCAT scoring system, including the score range, MCAT percentiles and the old scoring system.
Developed and administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice exam, used by the majority of U.S. medical schools and many Canadian schools as part of the admissions process. If you’re planning to undertake the exam, this MCAT Checklist will provide you with all the information you need for registering and preparing for the exam.
What do I need to know about Protein Structures for the MCAT exam?
The citric acid cycle is one of many MCAT subjects that you need to be aware of for the MCAT exam. It forms part of the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems MCAT section and is essential to revise as part of your MCAT preparation. To support you, we’ve prepared a comprehensive overview of the citric acid cycle for the MCAT exam.
Having a good understanding of membrane-bound organelles and being able to define the characteristics of eukaryotic cells is vital for the MCAT exam if you want to achieve a good score. This comprehensive guide will provide you with an overview of the key subject information based on the MCAT syllabus.
The circulatory system is one of the most well-known systems of the human body. It also forms part of the MCAT syllabus – within the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section – and therefore it’s essential that you have a good understanding of the circulatory system for the MCAT exam. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the circulatory system to help you achieve a good MCAT score.
Amino acids form part of the MCAT syllabus, so it is important you revise this area thoroughly when preparing for your MCAT exam.
Seizures are a common symptom of epilepsy, a condition caused by abnormal electrical signals from the brain’s neurons. There are several types of seizures, and most patients experience them differently, but those who have this disorder can often tell when they’re about to have one.
