Tips on Maximising Your One-Minute Introductions Before Each UCAT Subtest Section

The UCAT consists of 5 different subtests:

You are given 1 minute to ONLY read instructions at the start of each subtest, you cannot use this 1 minute to read or answer any questions; you are free to skip this 1 minute, if you wish to do so. If you have prepared for the UCAT exam, there will be no need to read any of the instructions. However, if used correctly, this short time-period can potentially improve your performance. Here is how:

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Toilet breaks during the real UCAT:

You are free to take toilet breaks at anytime during the test. However, the test time will continue to run during the break, and you will lose valuable time to answer the questions. If it is necessary to take a toilet break, the instruction time is the best time to do so. Although you may still lose some time, you are missing 1 minute less.

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UCAT desk exercise:

Each subtest in the UCAT has similar questions and can feel repetitive; to help relieve some boredom and regain some focus, you can try these exercises during the 1-minute introduction periods:

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• Shoulder Shrugs: Move your shoulders up and down, holding for 5 seconds in each position.
• Neck Tilts: Tilt your head from side to side, keeping your shoulders and arms relaxed.
• Neck Stretch: Move your head around to stretch your neck.
• Wrist stretch: Press your palm against the desk/chair with your wrist bent. Repeat with back of the palm.‍
• Hand/Finger stretch: Open your hands as much as possible, then clench strongly. Repeat a few times.

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Meditate between UCAT sections:

If you feel stressed or nervous during the test, you may not be able to perform at your best. Meditating during the 1 minute can help relax and calm your mind, helping you control your emotions and think more rationally

Here is some advice on how to meditate:

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• Close your eyes.
• Sit with your back straight.
• Breathe deeply and slowly; in through the nose and out through the mouth.
• While you breathe, clear your mind.
• Once you feel calmer, open your eyes and focus on the next subtest.

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Steady yourself after a bad UCAT subtest:

There are times when you can feel you under performed in a subtest; it is easy to let these negative emotions drag on and affect your performance in later sections. However, you should remember it is the total score which is essential, not scores for individual subtests. Even if you do poorly in one section, scores from other subtests can balance it out. Furthermore, just because you felt you did poorly does not necessarily mean you have. You do not know your results until the test ends, and so it is unwise to give up during your exam. There is no benefit from giving up halfway. You have better chances of trying your best in the later sections. You can still raise your total score.

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Trust in your UCAT knowledge:

Trust the effort and time you put into your revision; you spent many hours focusing on this test. Your efforts will be rewarded with high scores.

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Feeling a bit overwhelmed and anxious? Please don’t worry, head over to our UCAT Online Course and we’ll get you signed up to guide you through this whole process step-by-step.

We have a bank of over 10,239 questions, a decision-making section and 8 full mock exams and 18 mini-mock exams; we even give you performance feedback too.

We’ve been lending a successful helping hand since 2009. Medify’s here to support you, just reach out to us.