Guide to UCAT Decision Making

This UCAT decision making test evaluates a candidate's ability to apply logic to reach conclusions, assess arguments, and analyse statistical data. This is tested because doctors have to manage complex decisions, make difficult decisions, and problem-solve often. The decision-making section of the UCAT tests various skills, including:

• Deductive reasoning: The ability to derive specific conclusions from general principles.

• Evaluating arguments: Assessing the strength and validity of various arguments.

• Statistical reasoning: Interpreting and analysing statistical information to make informed decisions.

• Figural reasoning: Solving problems involving shapes, patterns, and spatial relationships.

👉🏼These skills are tested through various question types and can be learnt and developed with practice. You need to be aware of several pitfalls in this section of the exam.

UCAT Decision Making Logical Puzzles

These questions require you to deduce inferences to arrive at conclusions. They involve solving worded puzzles with given and unknown information. Here are some strategies to help you:

• There's no trick to answering these—you must solve the puzzle directly. Pay close attention to the wording (e.g., "might," "may") as examiners will not explicitly indicate where something belongs.

• Identify and place known facts first: Start by identifying and placing the known facts provided in the puzzle. These known facts serve as references to help you place and deduce unknown facts logically.

• Eliminate incorrect answers: Actively eliminate any evidently incorrect answers, narrowing down the possibilities and simplifying the problem.

• Use visual aids: Draw the information on your whiteboard and organise your thoughts. This can help you better understand and solve the puzzle. Write down key points and use abbreviations (e.g., ‘A’ for Abdul, ‘M’ for Martin) to keep track of information.

• Prioritise efficiency: Only do the necessary working out. If solving the entire puzzle isn't required to get the answer, avoid wasting time on it. Focus on finding the quickest path to the correct conclusion.

• Practice regularly: Consistent practice is essential to improve your skills.

Come to our live in-person UCAT course taught by Dr Abdul Mannan, fully qualified NHS doctor and medical school tutor. 🥇

The UCAT can be overwhelming, but it does not have to be! You need to learn before you sit this exam. Develop your revision technique and an intelligent approach. It’s not just about doing questions - every student does questions!

UCAT Decision Making Syllogisms

Syllogisms involve drawing conclusions from given premises. Tips for these questions include:

• Thorough understanding of premises: Ensure you thoroughly understand the premises given. Read them multiple times if needed to grasp the information fully.

• Careful consideration of conclusions: Read and consider each conclusion carefully to determine its validity. After careful consideration, evaluate each conclusion individually to decide whether it is true or false. Watch out for negative sentences; for example, a sentence telling you something is not the case.

• Avoid assumptions: Base your conclusions strictly on the premises given. Do not make assumptions that are not supported by the information provided.

• Attention to qualifying terms: Pay close attention to the use of qualifying terms such as "all," "some," "none," etc. These terms can significantly alter the meaning of the statements and conclusions. Watch out for generic statements, and don’t make assumptions. Passing an exam does not necessarily mean a Grade A

UCAT Decision Making Data Interpretation

These questions present information in various forms, such as text passages, tables, graphs, or pie charts, and require you to draw conclusions. Tips for these questions include:

• Ignore unnecessary information: Focus on the relevant information required to answer the question. Ignore additional information that may be given but is unnecessary to solve the problem.

• Use reasoning skills over prior knowledge: Be prepared to rely on reasoning skills rather than prior knowledge. The questions test your ability to interpret and analyse the given information.

• Round numbers for simplicity: Where possible, round numbers to simplify numerical problems. This can save time and make calculations easier.

• Avoid bias based on believability: Do not base your answers on the believability of a statement. Stick to the information presented and use logical reasoning to reach conclusions.

UCAT Decision Making Recognising Assumptions

In these questions, you must choose the strongest argument from a set. Tips for these questions include:

• Ignore prior beliefs: Focus solely on the information presented in the question. Disregard any prior beliefs or knowledge you may have. Ask yourself if the answer is factually correct and not based on your opinion.

• Look for relevance: Strong arguments will directly relate to the content of the questions. Look for arguments that are closely tied to the information provided and are logically sound.

• Avoid selecting assumptions: Assumptions are incorrect and should not be chosen as answers. Focus on identifying arguments that are directly supported by the information given. Does the answer sort all the question and not just part of it?

• Be Aware Not To Assume: Does the answer seem sensible and reasonable?

UCAT Decision Making Venn Diagrams

These questions involve drawing conclusions from Venn diagrams. Tips for these questions include:

• Review and understand Venn diagrams: Revisit the area of mathematics related to Venn diagrams and ensure you thoroughly understand how to use and interpret them.

• Visualise with your own diagrams: Draw Venn diagrams to visualise the answer options. This can help you better understand the relationships and intersections between different sets of information. You must read the text carefully. Tiny words such as ‘not’ and ‘or’ can be missed.

• Remember: The aim is to get the answer – not draw a diagram!

UCAT Decision Making Probabilistic Reasoning

These questions present statistical information and require selecting the most appropriate response. Tips for these questions include:

• Thoroughly revise probability: Revisit the topic of probability and ensure you have a strong understanding of the concepts and methods involved.

• Eliminate incorrect statements: Actively eliminate any statements that are obviously incorrect. This can help narrow down the choices and increase the likelihood of selecting the correct answer. Draw a probability tree if you get confused.

• Focus on the numbers, not the scenario. Don’t get tricked into choosing an answer that looks right—do the sums.

Gain the knowledge and skills you need for medicine interviews and practice with expert feedback on your performance on our Medical School Interview Course.

We want to help you turn those interviews into offers so you can focus on getting your A-level grades come summer.

Practice 40 MMI stations under exam conditions and get expert feedback on your performance on our Mock MMI Circuits.

Learn where you went wrong and how you can put it right so you don’t make mistakes on the real thing when it counts. Examiners are not your friends.