UCAT Decision Making Tips & Practices

Medical professionals are often confronted with complex situational tasks that require quick and accurate decisions. They must apply logic to reach a decision, evaluate arguments, and analyse statistical information — sound familiar? That is because these themes form the basis for the Decision Making section of the UCAT. The questions presented in this section are either multiple choice or yes/no (typically for a series of statements). I have done the awkward part for you and asked the Institute of Medical Education UCAT experts for their recommended approaches in succeeding in this section.

• Venn Diagram questions. Only need to choose a correct answer from four options. You must either organise the data and select the relevant Venn diagram or select the best conclusion from a set by interpreting the diagram (practice makes perfect)
• Logical Deduction questions. Interpret a situation and then use logic to deduce the correct answer. Often candidates find trouble in the amount of information provided, which is why we recommend drawing diagrams to assist in organising the information to simplify your selection
• Probability questions. Present several possible outcomes in which you must select the most likely. We recommend revision of probability mathematics concerning numerical descriptions of how likely an event is to occur, or how likely it is that a proposition is true
• Analytical questions. Involve interpretation of graphs, charts, and passages of text. Practice with a range of charts and graphs (ideally with a study partner) and start a collection of those you find difficult for review.