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Introducing the Institute of Medical Education

Introducing the Institute of Medical Education

Introducing the Institute of Medical Education. METC Institute is pleased to announce that we have changed our name to the Institute of Medical Education, affectionately known as IME. 

${reading_time(` Introducing the Institute of Medical Education. METC Institute is pleased to announce that we have changed our name to the Institute of Medical Education, affectionately known as IME.  When METC Institute was founded in 2013, our vision was to improve the quality of health care around the world through the provision of comprehensive and affordable education products. After a period of exciting growth and expansion, we have decided to update our brand to better reflect who we are and all that we have to offer. A major catalyst and in this change was our official accreditation with the Australian Medical Council (AMC) to formally conduct PESCIs for International Medical Graduates. In obtaining accreditation, IME will be joining the RACGP (Royal Australian College of General Practitioners) and the ACRRM (Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine) as the third accredited organisation.  IME is proud to be officially accepting applications for PESCI. Today, we launched this new service alongside our brand new website. Rest assured that our expert educators are enthusiastic about our new brand and we expect minimal disruption to current students. You will continue to receive communication and resources over the next few weeks as we transition from METC Institute to the Institute of Medical Education. We hope you enjoy our new look as much as we do.  Regards, Dr Kenneth Loon MBBS, B.Pharm (Hons), FRACS Executive Director Institute of Medical Education (formerly METC Institute)`)} Arror right
UCAT Abstract Reasoning Tips & Practices

UCAT Abstract Reasoning Tips & Practices

The Abstract Reasoning section of the UCAT tests your pattern recognition skills under tough time constraints. Some units in this section will contain Set A and Set B questions that require test...

${reading_time(`The Abstract Reasoning section of the UCAT tests your pattern recognition skills under tough time constraints. Some units in this section will contain Set A and Set B questions that require test shapes to be matched with their correct set. Pattern recognition is a critical analytical skill required of a doctor, who often must decide if a patient’s set of symptoms fit a particular “pattern” of disease from a selection of many similar disorders. These skills are frequently drawn upon and lucky for you, they can be learnt and developed.  Having a plan for this section is essential. You’ll likely spend your time first working out the pattern in Set A and B and this is the approach we recommend you take first. Try not to look at the test shape first, as this will only distract you from solving the pattern. It may seem excruciatingly difficult to decipher the sequence but take your time and with practice you’ll unravel an increasingly greater percentage of these puzzles. Through practice in a UCAT Preparation program, you will slowly develop an eye for the typical patterns that may appear. They may be the type of shapes that appear in each box, the proportion of colours, or the shapes that are coloured. Many variations exist and your task is to become adept at identifying them. Once you do, assigning the test shape to the set is a piece of cake. Contact us today and we can take on the arduous task of preparing for UCAT together!`)} Arror right
Tips For The UCAT ANZ Exam

Tips For The UCAT ANZ Exam

Students often ask for tips in preparing for their examinations. The following is a list of general UCAT tips prepared by members of the Academic Faculty:

${reading_time(`Students often ask for tips in preparing for their examinations. The following is a list of general UCAT tips prepared by members of the Academic Faculty: Commence preparing for UCAT as early as possible. The work you will need to do to become familiar and competitive in the UCAT is not insignificant and should be commenced as soon as possible. This allows students to spread the workload over a more manageable period therefore minimising impingement on secondary school study Understand the rationale for the examination. By possessing insight into the domains and styles of assessment, candidates can align their thinking with that of the assessment and are therefore more likely to answer correctly Spend at least 100 hours preparing. Most successful students will spend a significant amount of time preparing for the UCAT. Though the UCAT consortium suggests studying for 30-40 hours in the weeks prior to the exam, students seeking higher level performance should intensify their efforts to out-develop their competition. Ideally preparation should be completed over many months rather than concentrated over a few weeks Practice regularly and complete all the official UCAT practice materials. The UCAT ANZ is unique in that the consortium provides students with a significant number of practice questions and materials prior to the official exam. It is essential that students complete these materials as well as critically appraising their performance and addressing areas of weakness Focus on your weaknesses. In an exam where candidates are ranked against their cohort, it is of high-yield for candidates to focus on improving their shortcomings. These can be identified via completion of formal practice examinations and assessing performance in each of the sections both relative to each other, and against average UCAT scores Engage formal assistance in your preparation. Preparing for UCAT in liaison with professionals with experience in the field enables students to focus on areas of importance and avoid common pitfalls. Formal preparation courses and programs should ideally teach students how to approach the questions seen in each section of the UCAT. This is the focus of the Institute of Medical Education UCAT Preparation courses and programs (hyperlink) Practical exam tips and common pitfalls to avoid: Leaving their preparation too late. There is a maximum rate at which candidates can develop and attempting to condense study in a short timeframe is likely to exceed this rate. Leaving study late also impacts on the candidate's capacity for perform on the day Managing time effectively. It is very common for students to lose a lot of time attempting to solve difficult questions. To be competitive, students must legitimately attempt all questions and not leave large amounts of exam sections unanswered Answer all questions. This requires effective time management and exam strategy Read questions carefully - Many candidates will passively move through the exam (rather than actively) making elementary mistakes, which given the competitive nature of the UCAT, can cost them entry into their program of choice Relying on previous experience. The aim of the assessment is to determine the candidate's ability to objectively reason. The answers to the questions are therefore provided in the passages and candidates should not defer to prior knowledge to answer questions Complicating questions. Candidates often complicate questions by attempting to consider them in inappropriate depth. To avoid this, it is important to consider what is the most obvious and therefore most likely answer. Candidates should remember that they are being assessed for entry into undergraduate programs`)} Arror right
The Case For A UCAT Tutor

The Case For A UCAT Tutor

The UCAT does not assess a specific curriculum and the capacities measured lie in the general domains of verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative reasoning, abstract reasoning, and situational judgement. The...

${reading_time(`The UCAT does not assess a specific curriculum and the capacities measured lie in the general domains of verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative reasoning, abstract reasoning, and situational judgement. The stimuli used for assessment in each section are non-specific and are selected to mitigate any potential biases. The Institute of Medical Education UCAT programs focus on building specific competencies required for performance in the exam. Fundamentally, this involves developing an understanding of the approach to answering questions in each section of the exam. Students are demonstrated these approaches through on-demand lectures and then utilise these techniques in completing the formal UCAT practice materials. With the Institute of Medical Education, all students receive unlimited support from expert UCAT tutors. Our Academic Faculty is staffed by many expert doctors and medical students with experience in medical admissions exams. The best way to determine your necessity to sit UCAT is to contact us today! We can help review the undergraduate programs you wish to pursue on the relevant university websites. Each program will list the requirements for entry including any UCAT cut-off score where relevant. `)} Arror right
How To Perform In The UCAT

How To Perform In The UCAT

The most important insight to be apprehended is the discriminatory nature of the examination. UCAT is likely to be a foreign form of assessment for students who are used to...

${reading_time(`In 2018, it was decided that the UMAT (UCAT predecessor) was inferior to the UCAT for selecting for undergraduate medicine, and in 2019, the first UCAT exam was administered in Australia. Based on the scope of the examination, one can surmise that the move to the UCAT was in part based on the broader capacity for assessment of characteristics seen as befitting a career in Medicine. These include decision-making and situational judgement which were not previously assessed in the UMAT. The shift to the UCAT is a continuation of the trend toward selecting candidates with innate competencies acquiescent to a career in Medicine which are difficult to teach. Decades ago, these capacities were seen as inessential in the practice of a paternalistic form of Medicine. This practice is however all but departed and been replaced by a collaborative model of practice. In this new model, doctors (ergo medical students) are required to possess a more rounded skill set. Candidates are now required to be proficient both technically and in their interactions with patients and colleagues. Performing in the UCAT The most important insight to be apprehended is the discriminatory nature of the examination. UCAT is likely to be a foreign form of assessment for students who are used to secondary school exams where the aim is simply to fail students who do not meet a pre-defined minimum. In UCAT, students compete against each other for limited positions rather than some arbitrary pass mark. Therefore, to perform in the exam students must work exceptionally hard to make continual improvements.  Practically speaking, this means following the below general process: Commencing with a complete list of the curriculum for all subtests of the examination. It is vital students collate this information as it will form the basis of a comprehensive study program Research and collate study resources for the UCAT including official questions, formal preparation programs, and relevant readings From the curriculum and collated resources, draft a study plan to adequately address all aspects of the examination. This study plan will need to consider the amount of time available before the exam and to factor in practice exams, review of those practice exams, and revision tasks Commence working through the study plan keeping note of progress versus time allocated. It is also vital to commence practice exams early, and to systematically review performance in each of these exams to identify weaknesses. Improvement of weaknesses throughout the study process is the most efficient way to improve performance By following the above general process, students will give themselves the best opportunity to perform in the exam. `)} Arror right
UCAT Exam-Taking Strategy

UCAT Exam-Taking Strategy

This blog should only be three words long: practice, practice, practice! Take as many practice exams as possible that you can get your hands on and complete these under timed...

${reading_time(`This blog should only be three words long: practice, practice, practice! Take as many practice exams as possible that you can get your hands on and complete these under timed conditions. Review practice papers and (in particular) those answers you get incorrect to ensure that you identify where you made your error. The UCAT requires quick solutions for a particular set of questions and there is no better way to prepare for this type of exam than in completing similar questions. When I used to play competitive football, at training we would repeat several individual drills to ensure that each individual part or component was perfected. When combined, these techniques contributed to our overall game performance and success. You need to apply this to your UCAT preparation by breaking down each cognitive section into parts, with each part worked on individually. Just like football, improvement in the UCAT is dependent on how well you manage your ego by identifying your weaknesses. Be honest with yourself and realise that there’s nothing wrong with weakness in an area. You just need to put the time in to improve on these areas. Objectively, you could appraise yourself through tallying your practice test marks, or by asking a study buddy their thoughts on where you need to improve. This is the hardest part — nobody enjoys doing something tiresome; however, it is the only way to achieve success. As you will most likely be stressed, you must plan the day of your exam beforehand to make it as comforting as possible. Eat nutritious meals, arrange transport with plenty of time to allow for transportation issues, and have your bag packed with your required items (including ID) the night before. On the day of the exam, read questions carefully and use a process of elimination when required to decide on the correct answer. Treat each question equally, moving on to more feasible questions if you are stuck on a particular brainteaser. Finally, do not self-appraise your performance in the middle of the exam. The exam can be thought of as a marathon rather than a sprint, and any stumbles throughout the performance won’t have much of an effect if you don’t let them. The Institute of Medical Education UCAT programs focus on building specific competencies required for performance in the exam; so, if you have any further questions or would like to see how we can help you with your preparation, contact us today! Good luck in your exam and we look forward to working with you.`)} Arror right
UCAT Verbal Reasoning Tips & Practices

UCAT Verbal Reasoning Tips & Practices

Armed with a basic understanding of the types of questions that may be asked, it is time for candidates to move away from passive learning and commit to active learning tasks....

${reading_time(`Armed with a basic understanding of the types of questions that may be asked, it is time for candidates to move away from passive learning and commit to active learning tasks. This includes completing practice UCAT exams under examination conditions, review of these exams, and remediation of areas requiring improvement based on review of the exams. The above three steps are important to be completed in a cyclic manner. In this way, candidates take a reactive approach to improving their performance. For instance, after completion of the passive learning (theory) tasks pertaining to Verbal Reasoning section of the exam, a candidate may then complete a practice examination. After completion of this exam, at a minimum the candidate should review the exam and note the questions they were unable to answer including those they answered incorrectly and those they had to guess. Ideally, the candidate will review the entire exam and for each of the questions categorise them according to question type. From here the candidate should keep a running tally of the types of questions they have attempted, and their percentage success rates for each. As time goes on, trends will develop which orient remedial activities. For instance, a candidate may observe their success rates to be lower for questions requiring a broader vocabulary, or specific types of writing such as in poetry or literature. The candidate can then specifically address this weakness by seeking out further resources to assist.   As well as recording the types of questions attempted and success rates, for incorrect responses candidates should record the reason for their inability to answer. This can be for many reasons; however, it is important that this is recorded. Even for simple things like misreading a question, it is important candidates record this mistake. By reviewing this information regularly, candidates are much less likely to make the same mistake again. To implement this continuous improvement process, it is necessary to have access to many practice questions and formal strategies from a professional preparation company like the Institute of Medical Education. Our UCAT programs focus on building specific competencies required for performance in the exam, so contact us today to kickstart your exam preparation.`)} Arror right
UCAT Decision Making Tips & Practices

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 —...

${reading_time(`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.  Remember, preparation is key. You will have a simple on-screen calculator available for this section in the exam, but it’s useful to use the material provided to draw your diagrams and write rough calculations. Our UCAT Preparation programs comprehensively cover how to successfully approach each question type that you will encounter in this section, so contact us today to get your Medicine journey underway.`)} Arror right
UCAT Quantitative Reasoning Tips & Practices

UCAT Quantitative Reasoning Tips & Practices

The Situational Judgement subtest comprises the last section of the UCAT exam. It measures your capacity to understand real world situations and to identify critical factors and appropriate behaviours in dealing with...

${reading_time(`A hypothetical: you are a junior doctor at a local hospital and your senior asks you to administer an urgent drug for a sick patient. To add more complexity to this situation, you must figure out the drug dose in the next 30 seconds. Though, due to your extensive training, you easily work out that you require the weight of the patient and the drug’s initial concentration. You find the patient’s weight in the chart and prescribe as follows:  Patient weight (kg) x Drug (mg/kg) = Drug dose (mg) Intense scenarios like these require the time-pressed quantitative skills — and surprise, surprise — are tested in the UCAT. Your exam might not be as exciting as working in the hospital, but you will need to work through similar calculations to score well. Quick and efficient calculation skills can only be improved with practice. To increase your mathematical accuracy and speed, we suggest you study a range of different multi-step mathematical questions that require addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. In the exam you will be given an on-screen calculator to use; however, some questions may be faster to calculate manually. The questions that require manual calculations will become clear with practice. The type of questions you will face typically fall into a few groups (percentages, ratios, averages, and multiplication/division), each of which will require arithmetic. Since questions will be drawn from data presented, try learning how to skim data to identify the task required of you. Using the material provided in your exam, also try to lay out and organise the important data provided, to help conceptualise your thought process. Shortcuts are vital to success, so brush up on your scientific notation to simplify manual calculations. Learn to recognise numbers that just don’t seem right. Often in the rush of the exam we make scribing errors that we do not notice; understanding ball-park figures will help you identify answers that are clearly outside the correct range. Yes, it does take experience and practice to succeed, but it is achievable with continual repetition. Our UCAT Preparation programs comprehensively cover how to successfully approach each question type that you will encounter in this section, so contact us today for a free consultation.`)} Arror right
UCAT Study Group

UCAT Situational Judgement Tips & Practices

The Situational Judgement subtest comprises the last section of the UCAT exam. It measures your capacity to understand real world situations and to identify critical factors and appropriate behaviours in dealing with...

${reading_time(`The Situational Judgement subtest comprises the last section of the UCAT exam. It measures your capacity to understand real world situations and to identify critical factors and appropriate behaviours in dealing with them. Luckily, the questions in this section do not require medical or procedural knowledge.   The rationale behind this subtest is that medical professionals require high levels of integrity, perspective taking, team involvement, resilience, and adaptability. Therefore, it is important to think about the traits you are being tested on when considering each question: honesty and integrity working well in a team adaptability resilience (working successfully under pressure) safety goal-directed problem solving Where a question asks how you would respond to an ethical dilemma regarding admitting a fault, you need to recognise that this is testing your honesty and integrity. Be aware of your role in each scenario, as this will dictate the extent of your actions. It is important to appreciate your role within a greater scheme of events and to be able to act appropriately. Your role in a clinical scenario will differ if you have been assigned the role of a student compared to the role of a doctor. Thus, learn to identify with your character and use this to guide your approach. Reading about what makes a good doctor and good medical practice (the ethics of practicing medicine) will help you refine your responses.  Focus on the queries asked rather than the overall scenario when responding to questions; and finally… practice! I know we sound like a broken record, but practice really does make perfect. Practice working through scenarios within your study groups and under time constraints with your preparatory materials. With time and effort, you’ll see improvement! Our UCAT programs focus on building specific competencies required for performance in the Situational Judgement subtest, so contact us today to jumpstart your exam preparation.`)} Arror right
Happy Dream (Not Nightmare) Interview: MMI Preparation

Happy Dream (Not Nightmare) Interview: MMI Preparation

The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) is unlike your traditional panel interview. MMIs consist of numerous stations (sometimes up to ten), each focused on a different question or scenario, set up...

${reading_time(`The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) is unlike your traditional panel interview. MMIs consist of numerous stations (sometimes up to ten), each focused on a different question or scenario, set up in a separate room with a new interviewer. Many candidates make the mistake of preparing for MMIs as they would for a regular job interview, by getting straight to the point and answering questions directly. Recall that the role of Medicine Admissions Interview is to assess a candidate's suitability for a career in Medicine. Being frank and forthright in a medical setting may cause more harm than good; all options need to be considered — and communicated — to ensure appropriate care is provided to patients.   To succeed in MMI settings, you must first understand the key competencies as determined by the interviewing medical school i.e., the ability to: Interact effectively with peers, healthcare team, patients, and their families Contribute effectively as a team member Act ethically and demonstrate the capacity to care Communicate efficiently and assimilate, organise, and present information concisely Promote health maintenance   Naturally, these key competencies direct the topics explored at different interview stations. Although the content varies slightly between universities, the themes of MMIs generally centre around: Personal questions Emotional communication Problem solving Resilience and maturity Enthusiasm for Medicine Awareness of common issues in Medicine Ethics and empathy It is important to note that due to the high volume of candidates participating in Medicine Admissions Interviews each year, it is impossible to recruit large numbers of clinicians to assess all participants. Therefore, your assessors may also include academics, members of the administrative staff, medical students, or even individuals drawn from the wider community, like butchers and landscapers. So, why does this matter?Your final interview score will be based on your ability to answer the question/scenario presented and how well you communicate your response. You must practice sharing your answers in a universally understandable style — remember, as a doctor your job is to present information to patients in a comprehensible fashion. And when I say practice, I do not mean the weekend before your interview. Interview performance makes up a significant chunk of your ranking required for medical school offers, which is why you should start preparing for interviews before offers are released. It is recommended you spend at least a few weeks (or a couple of months) preparing, practicing scenarios under interview conditions with someone who understands the criteria.  When practicing, it is important to arrange your response according to a particular pattern. One such technique is the SPIES format, used for interpersonal conflict and ethical issues in clinical situations: Seek information – identify who the stakeholders are Patient safety – make sure the patient is okay before proceeding Initiative – can you do anything yourself to solve the problem Escalate – involve other colleagues if you require further assistance Support – support all those involved  For instance, you are a junior doctor in a hospital and overhear a fellow doctor talk down to a nurse who they say was high on illicit drugs in a nightclub last night. How would you address the situation? Using the SPIES technique, we can propose: Seek information – correctly identify that the nurse, doctor, hospital governing body, and immediate patients require attention. Patient safety – make sure to check up on all the patients who are currently under the care of the nurse. Initiative – ascertain viewpoints from both the doctor and the nurse (in a private setting and not in front of patients). You may have to involve the hospital disciplinary body if it is found that an employee is under the influence of intoxicating substances at work. Try to organise another nurse to look after the patients until more information is provided.  Escalate – seek guidance from senior registrars/consultants at the hospital and/or report the matter to the hospital disciplinary body. Support – If it is found that the nurse is under the influence of illicit substances, they should rightly be disciplined by the hospital’s governing body. However, the nurse should also receive counselling or directives to pathways to help resolve their drug problem, as taking illicit substances could be a sign of deeper mental health issues. Conversely, if the doctor who initially raised the concern was lying, a meeting with peers should be proposed to examine workplace bullying.  Other techniques for responding to general and ethical scenarios exist; however, you should work to develop a technique of your own to help organise your thoughts. Some MMI stations will require strong, robust responses covering a wide range of topics and this can only be achieved with well-articulated and organised answers. Importantly, once key stakeholders are identified, you should work through responses that address each viewpoint. The Institute of Medical Education Medicine Admissions Interview Question Generator provides example themes and interview questions that are assessed across a diverse number of medical schools. If you receive an offer for interview, our Interview Mentorship Program will give you the best chance at entry, so contact us today!`)} Arror right
What Motivates You To Sit The GAMSAT?

What Motivates You To Sit The GAMSAT?

If you find yourself here reading this post, you are likely preparing for GAMSAT. You may be preparing to the sit the GAMSAT for the first time, or you may be...

${reading_time(`If you find yourself here reading this post, you are likely preparing for GAMSAT. You may be preparing to sit the GAMSAT for the first time, or you may be one of most candidates who are re-sitting the exam. In either case, it is important to consider and eliminate the internal obstructions which may impede your success. To do so, ask yourself the following questions: What is it that you want? If you haven’t asked yourself this question, you need to do this before progressing. What does the question even mean? The process of thinking about your real desires is paramount — it necessitates a recognition of whims versus ambitions. Whims will fall in the face of adversity while true desires will weather the storm. Wanting something means you are willing to forgo the alternatives. The cost of committing to an endeavour such as GAMSAT and a career in Medicine will evidently involve many sacrifices. Less evident is the imposed growth that such processes enforce, which represents a further challenge to accept and overcome. Awareness of your ambitions and why they are important to you will soften the blow of the sacrifices you will invariably be making both now while you study, and in your future work. What would your life look like to get what you want? After considering what it is you want, you may have landed on a career in Medicine which involves success in the GAMSAT (and if you didn’t, then pursue whatever else it is you want). Success requires a set of goals and an associated plan. Your plan at present will necessarily focus more on GAMSAT, and you will need to take responsibility in structuring your life so that you are maximising your potential. Taking responsibility for your studies prevents others from allocating your time (which will not assist you in your goals). But also keep in mind that planning your days, weeks, and months requires negotiating with yourself — you cannot be your own tyrant. Finally, what would your life be like if you habitually did the difficult tasks? Candidates that perform well in the GAMSAT (and in many other areas of life), make doing difficult tasks a habit. In GAMSAT, this means sitting practice exams under timed conditions, receiving honest feedback, and continually asking questions to improve. The result of these processes (whether failure or success) is always productive. Consider that your overall aim may be to score 70+ in GAMSAT and enter Medicine. The fastest way to this destination is via a routine committed to completing the tasks most avoid. It does not matter where you start, or the number of failures you encounter along the way — it is the process that is most important.`)} Arror right

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