ucat??

chemistry1111

hey guys i was wondering if someone could explain the ucat? which schools require you to have done this in victoria? is it to get straight into medicine, or do general science or biomedical science also need it

PhytoPlankton

chemistry1111
Hey chemistry1111,

To briefly explain what UCAT is, it is a 2-hour exam in which certain universities across Australia (also NZ, UK and Ireland) take as a compulsory requirement for school leaver (provisional) entry into medicine. It has 5 sections: verbal reasoning (English comprehension), decision making (weird logic problems), quantitative reasoning (Maths), abstract reasoning (patterns) and situational judgement (actual decision-making based on a situation).

As for the universities, I believe only Monash University requires UCAT for school-leaver entry into medicine in Victoria. The other medical degree is from the University of Melbourne which doesn't require UCAT but requires a very high ATAR (i.e. 99.90, I believe). To answer your other question, you DO NOT require UCAT to gain entry into just the general undergraduate (UNG) science or biomedical science degree. You only require UCAT for provisional entry medicine where you complete a UNG degree first (e.g. biomedical science or medical science or even science) and as long as you maintain a GPA of 5.0 (this could change at different unis), you gain direct entry into the medicine program (i.e. Doctor of Medicine). But don't worry, on your VTAC application, the general UNG science degrees and the medical degree (where you do the UNG degree first) are distinguishable. If you would like to do the general UNG science degrees, just put that as is on your VTAC application. However, if you want the medicine course (where you do the UNG degree first), it will be stated as medicine on your VTAC application.

Anyways, sorry this is so long but hope that helps. Feel free to ask any more questions!

chemistry1111

thank you that makes more sense, so if I begin with a biomedical/ science degree at Monash then decide to apply for post graduate medicine what are requirements.

PhytoPlankton

chemistry1111

So if you do the science degree first then apply for postgraduate medicine, in most unis, you would have to do the GAMSAT, have a competitive GPA and do an interview (at some unis).

As for your second question, if you are in Grade 12, then I would suggest doing the UCAT so you can get provisional entry into medicine. If you don't do the UCAT, you will have to go through the graduate entry pathway and you would likely have to do the GAMSAT which is arguably harder.

Hope that helps.

chemistry1111

"You only require UCAT for provisional entry medicine where you complete a UNG degree first (e.g. biomedical science or medical science or even science) and as long as you maintain a GPA of 5.0 (this could change at different unis), you gain direct entry into the medicine program (i.e. Doctor of Medicine "

So you should complete the UCAT?

chemistry1111

Oh okay do you know if it is too late to start studying for the UCAT? can you do the ucat after you have done undergraduate degree

PhytoPlankton

chemistry1111

If you are in Grade 12 right now, you can certainly start prepping and see how you go. I know people who just did three mock exams and got the 99th percentile so it's definitely possible. As for me, I only prepped a little at the start of the year, forgot about it and then prepped a few weeks before and did decently. Overall, it really depends on how you improve your score each time and your strengths and weaknesses.

Yes, you can do the UCAT during/after an undergraduate degree but some universities don't take second-time test takers. So you'll have to do a bit of research into the specific unis and their requirements.

Hope that helps.