BMAT - BioMedical Admissions Test

The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is used by medical, veterinary and Physiological Sciences schools in leading universities such as Cambridge, Oxford and University College London as a key part of their student selection procedures. BMAT is a relatively new test and is considered the successor of the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Admissions Test (MVAT). The main parallel of the BMAT is the UKCAT

The results of the BMAT are used in a variety of ways by the different institutions using it: for example, at UCL candidates with scores over 19 automatically pass to the interview stage; Oxford University combines the BMAT results with GCSE grades to decide who is called for interview for Medicine school. At Cambridge, All applicants for Medicine and Veterinary Medicine are required to take this test, but applicants for the Cambridge Graduate Medicine Course should discuss with their Admissions Tutor whether they have to sit the test as part of their application.

The test takes approximately two hours to complete and consists of 3 sections, each including different aptitude tests.

The 3 different sections / psychometric tests of the BMAT are:

1. Aptitude and Skills –
   In this section there are 35 multiple choice or short answer questions. This section has 3 sub-sections that test generic skills in problem solving, understanding argument and data analysis & inference.
   In the Problem solving sub-section you need to determine how to encode and process numerical information required in order to solve problems, using simple numerical and algebraic operations. Problem solving will require the capacity to:

   *   Select relevant information (3-7 questions)

   *   Recognise analogous cases (3-7 questions)

   *   Determine and apply appropriate procedures (3-7 questions).

   The Understanding argument sub-section presents a series of logical arguments and requires the capacity to:

   *   Identify reasons, assumptions, & conclusions (2-4 questions)

   *   Detect flaws (2-4 questions)

   *   Draw conclusions (2-4 questions)

   The Data Analysis & Inference sub-section requires the integrative use of information skills, data interpretation and analysis skills, scientific inference and deduction in order to reach appropriate conclusions from information provided in different forms, namely:

   *   Verbal information (3-5 questions)

   *   Statistical information (3-5 questions)

   *   Graphical information (3-5 questions)

2. Scientific Knowledge and Applications – In this section there are 27 multiple choice or short answer questions.
   This section tests your ability to apply scientific knowledge normally encountered in non-specialist school science and maths courses, up to and including National Curriculum for Double Science and Higher Maths at Key Stages 3 and 4 (including Biology, Chemistry and Physics). Within that level of knowledge, the questions are supposed to require a high degree of understanding, as appropriate for such an able target group.

3. Writing Task – in this section you have to choose and answer one essay question from a selection of three, which will be based on topics of general, medical or scientific interest. This section tests the ability to select, develop and organise ideas and communicate them in writing in a concise and effective way.

   The questions will present you a short proposition and may require you to:

   *   Explain or discuss the proposition's implications

   *   Suggest a counter proposition or argument

   *   Suggest a method for resolution

   Your Answer will be strictly limited to one A4 page, without the assistance of a dictionary or automated spelling and grammar checking software. When scoring responses, severalfactors will come intoconsideration:

   *   The degree to which you have addressed the question in the way demanded.

   *   The level of clarity and organisation of your thoughts.

   *   The degree to which you have expressed yourself using concise, compelling and correct English.

   *   Effective and appropriate use of your general knowledge and opinions.

Please note that the next BMAT test will take place on 4th November 2009 at 9.30am GMT and the BMAT results are supposed to be released online in the beginning of December. The JobTestPrep development team is currently working intensively on creating the most professional and comprehensive online BMAT preparation kit and it should be published very soon.

For more information, please contact us at e-mail: info@jobtestprep.co.uk