Nicole Li
UCAT
I would recommend starting UCAT practice right after mocks in Year 12 Summer Term.
(n.b.: “practice” as in doing questions. I suggest familiarising yourself with the format of UCAT
before that)
I also personally recommend taking the UCAT before Year 13 (preferably late August).
Use at least 2-3 months to prepare for the UCAT.
UCAT familiarisation
I know what the subsections are
I know the timings of each subsection and how many questions are in it
Rough timeline
As soon as possible + anytime Familiarisation with format
- Reading official website https://www.ucat.ac.uk/
- Watch Youtube and TikTok videos (tips and run
throughs)
Register for an online UCAT practice bank.
Dive right in Sit a full mock (2 hour). Get a sense of what it entails + identify
weaker areas. Expect a trash score.
Whenever you feel comfortable Practice questions untimed (do by section)
(around 2 months before UCAT) - VR = 44 Q/session
- DM = 35 Q/session
- QR = 36 Q/session
Aim for 2-3 study sessions/day.
When you consistently reach Practice questions timed. Persevere through the dips in scores.
80% accuracy in your sessions If you consistently score low in a section, do them untimed.
(untimed questions)
When you feel confident enough Try doing subsection mocks.
(around 1 month before UCAT)
2 weeks before UCAT Do one full mock (2 hours) or two subsection mocks on a
weaker area (22-37 minutes) every day
1 week before UCAT Do one full mock (2 hours) and a subsection mock on a weaker
area (22-37 minutes) every day
Day before UCAT Relax. Review past mistakes. Create a cue card for things to
remind yourself of during the exam.
General tips
- Review wrong questions using built-in features of Medify/Medentry. You most probably
won’t re-read the 100 page document you put together with wrong questions (if you will, go
ahead).
- Make sure you carry on your reflections from the previous mocks into the next mock you are
doing.
, Nicole Li
- On days when you feel burnt out from practising questions: Watch UCAT run throughs and
advice on Youtube. Take the day off.
- Other than your practice bank subscription, I would advise against paying for any “UCAT
Courses”. Typical cash grabs. Practice makes perfect.
- Make sure you have completed the official UCAT bank. However, you don’t need to force
yourself to finish all Medify/Medentry questions. Quality > quantity
- Make a spreadsheet of your scores from the start!
- Date, type of session (untimed, timed, subsection mock, full mock), score (e.g.
36/44), 1 piece of reflection
- For the reflection, don't do question specific reflections. Do technique specific
reflection (e.g. I should have skimmed the question instead of reading word by word)
- For SJT, the official UCAT website is the most accurate. All of the others are relatively
unreliable. Read the General Medical Council guidelines
- https://www.gmc-uk.org/professional-standards/the-professional-standards/good-medi
cal-practice
- For QR, if you can do mental maths or estimating, do it. Using the calculator online wastes so
much time.
- Tips for VR
- Find out if you prefer reading questions first or passage first
- Scan passage with pen
- Look for numbers or capitalised names
- Make no assumptions
- Widening eye span (read 1-2 lines at a time)
- Indenting (read the middle part of the line only)
- Read upper half of the letters
- Mapping (know the brief theme per paragraph)
UCAT Practice Bank recommendations (n.b. The official UCAT is slightly easier than these sources.)
- UCAT Official Website (free) https://www.ucat.ac.uk/prepare/practice-tests/
- Medify (paid) https://medify.co/
- Medentry (paid) https://www.medentry.co.uk/
- UCAT Ninja (free) https://ukcat.ninja/
- Pass Medicine (free) https://www.passmedicine.com/ucat/
Youtube channels (specifically on UCAT advice)
- KharmaMedic https://www.youtube.com/@KharmaMedic
- Emil Eddy https://www.youtube.com/@EmilEddy
- Differently Moi https://www.youtube.com/@DifferentlyMoi
- Future Doc https://www.youtube.com/@FutureDoc/featured
UCAT
I would recommend starting UCAT practice right after mocks in Year 12 Summer Term.
(n.b.: “practice” as in doing questions. I suggest familiarising yourself with the format of UCAT
before that)
I also personally recommend taking the UCAT before Year 13 (preferably late August).
Use at least 2-3 months to prepare for the UCAT.
UCAT familiarisation
I know what the subsections are
I know the timings of each subsection and how many questions are in it
Rough timeline
As soon as possible + anytime Familiarisation with format
- Reading official website https://www.ucat.ac.uk/
- Watch Youtube and TikTok videos (tips and run
throughs)
Register for an online UCAT practice bank.
Dive right in Sit a full mock (2 hour). Get a sense of what it entails + identify
weaker areas. Expect a trash score.
Whenever you feel comfortable Practice questions untimed (do by section)
(around 2 months before UCAT) - VR = 44 Q/session
- DM = 35 Q/session
- QR = 36 Q/session
Aim for 2-3 study sessions/day.
When you consistently reach Practice questions timed. Persevere through the dips in scores.
80% accuracy in your sessions If you consistently score low in a section, do them untimed.
(untimed questions)
When you feel confident enough Try doing subsection mocks.
(around 1 month before UCAT)
2 weeks before UCAT Do one full mock (2 hours) or two subsection mocks on a
weaker area (22-37 minutes) every day
1 week before UCAT Do one full mock (2 hours) and a subsection mock on a weaker
area (22-37 minutes) every day
Day before UCAT Relax. Review past mistakes. Create a cue card for things to
remind yourself of during the exam.
General tips
- Review wrong questions using built-in features of Medify/Medentry. You most probably
won’t re-read the 100 page document you put together with wrong questions (if you will, go
ahead).
- Make sure you carry on your reflections from the previous mocks into the next mock you are
doing.
, Nicole Li
- On days when you feel burnt out from practising questions: Watch UCAT run throughs and
advice on Youtube. Take the day off.
- Other than your practice bank subscription, I would advise against paying for any “UCAT
Courses”. Typical cash grabs. Practice makes perfect.
- Make sure you have completed the official UCAT bank. However, you don’t need to force
yourself to finish all Medify/Medentry questions. Quality > quantity
- Make a spreadsheet of your scores from the start!
- Date, type of session (untimed, timed, subsection mock, full mock), score (e.g.
36/44), 1 piece of reflection
- For the reflection, don't do question specific reflections. Do technique specific
reflection (e.g. I should have skimmed the question instead of reading word by word)
- For SJT, the official UCAT website is the most accurate. All of the others are relatively
unreliable. Read the General Medical Council guidelines
- https://www.gmc-uk.org/professional-standards/the-professional-standards/good-medi
cal-practice
- For QR, if you can do mental maths or estimating, do it. Using the calculator online wastes so
much time.
- Tips for VR
- Find out if you prefer reading questions first or passage first
- Scan passage with pen
- Look for numbers or capitalised names
- Make no assumptions
- Widening eye span (read 1-2 lines at a time)
- Indenting (read the middle part of the line only)
- Read upper half of the letters
- Mapping (know the brief theme per paragraph)
UCAT Practice Bank recommendations (n.b. The official UCAT is slightly easier than these sources.)
- UCAT Official Website (free) https://www.ucat.ac.uk/prepare/practice-tests/
- Medify (paid) https://medify.co/
- Medentry (paid) https://www.medentry.co.uk/
- UCAT Ninja (free) https://ukcat.ninja/
- Pass Medicine (free) https://www.passmedicine.com/ucat/
Youtube channels (specifically on UCAT advice)
- KharmaMedic https://www.youtube.com/@KharmaMedic
- Emil Eddy https://www.youtube.com/@EmilEddy
- Differently Moi https://www.youtube.com/@DifferentlyMoi
- Future Doc https://www.youtube.com/@FutureDoc/featured
