UCAT Situational Judgement: The Ultimate Guide to Acing the SJT
📚 What Is the UCAT Situational Judgement Test (SJT)?
The UCAT Situational Judgement Test is the fifth and final section of the UK’s UCAT exam, focused on measuring your capacity to understand real-world situations and identify appropriate behaviour in response. Unlike the other UCAT subtests (which assess cognitive skills like verbal, quantitative, and logical reasoning), the SJT presents you with realistic scenarios – often involving ethical or professional dilemmas – and asks how you would respond. It’s essentially testing your judgement, ethics, and professionalism rather than academic knowledge.
During the SJT, you will be presented with a series of hypothetical situations that an aspiring medical or dental professional might encounter (for example, scenarios in a hospital, clinic, university, or team setting). For each scenario, you’ll need to evaluate a set of possible actions or responses. The questions typically ask one of two things: either how appropriate an action is, or how important a consideration is, in the context of the scenario. All questions are multiple-choice.
Ranking-style questions:
Most SJT questions will require you to rank the appropriateness or importance of a given response. You’ll usually choose from four options ranging from “very appropriate” (or “very important”) to “very inappropriate” (or “not important at all”). For example, you might rate a particular action as “A very appropriate thing to do,” “Appropriate, but not ideal,” “Inappropriate, but not awful,” or “A very inappropriate thing to do.” These gradations let you show nuance in judgment.
Most/least appropriate questions:
Some scenarios will give you a short list of possible actions (usually three) and ask you to pick the most appropriate and the least appropriate responses. This format tests whether you can identify the best course of action and also recognise the worst choice in a given situation.
Binary questions:
A small number of questions may simply ask if an action is appropriate or inappropriate (or important vs. not important), with just two answer options. These tend to be more straightforward, and were introduced to add variety – but they still require careful thought to ensure you don’t misjudge the situation.
No prior medical knowledge is required. Crucially, the UCAT SJT is not a test of medical or procedural facts. The official UCAT guidance states that you do not need any specific clinical knowledge to answer SJT questions. All the scenarios are designed to be answered using general common sense, empathy, and ethics. In other words, you’ll never be asked something like “what medication should you prescribe” – instead, the SJT is about judging behaviours and reactions. The test makers are assessing whether your instincts align with the core values expected of doctors and dentists, such as integrity, compassion, teamwork, and respect for others.
In summary, the UCAT Situational Judgement Test places you in the shoes of a medical or dental professional facing everyday challenges. Your task is to demonstrate mature judgement and ethical decision-making in each scenario. Think of it as showing that you understand how a good doctor or dentist should behave, even when confronted with difficult choices.
⏱️ Format and Timing of the SJT Section
The SJT is a fast-paced section, so time management is key. Here’s an overview of the exam structure and timing for Situational Judgement in the UCAT:
Number of Questions: 69 questions total, associated with around 20–22 scenarios (each scenario typically has up to 6 questions based on it).
Time Limit: 26 minutes to answer all SJT questions (plus an additional 1 minute for instructions before the section starts). This averages out to roughly 22 seconds per question, so you’ll need to keep a steady pace.
Question Format: Multiple-choice, as described above. After each scenario description, you’ll handle either ranking questions or the most/least selection questions. All answers are selected on screen (for ranking questions, you’ll click one of four labelled options; for most/least questions, you might drag and drop the options into “Most Appropriate” and “Least Appropriate” slots, or simply select two choices, depending on the test interface).
Section Order: Situational Judgement comes at the end of the UCAT – after the other subtests (Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning). This means that by the time you reach it, you’ll have been testing for about 90 minutes. Many students feel a bit fatigued by this point, so it’s important to stay focused and alert for the SJT, even though it's the last section.
Pacing tip: Because time is limited, don’t spend too long agonising over one scenario. If a question stumps you, use elimination (e.g. you can often rule out obviously inappropriate actions) and make your best guess – remember, there’s no negative marking for wrong answers. It’s better to answer every question (even if unsure) than to leave any blank. We’ll discuss scoring in the next section, but keep in mind that even a semi-correct answer can earn partial credit, which is better than nothing.
📊 Scoring and SJT Band Results
The way Situational Judgement is marked differs from the other UCAT sections. Instead of receiving a numeric score out of 900 for this section, you’ll receive a Band result from 1 to 4. Here’s how it works:
For each question, you can earn full marks if your answer is exactly the correct response, or partial marks if your answer is close to the correct response. This partial credit system is forgiving: it rewards you for being “almost right.” For example, if the model answer was “Appropriate, but not ideal” and you answered “Very appropriate,” you’d get some marks for being in the right ballpark. However, if you were way off (e.g. you answered “Very inappropriate” to something that was actually appropriate), you’d score zero for that question.
At the end of the test, your raw score (the sum of marks from all questions) is translated into one of four Bands. Band 1 is the highest (top performance), and Band 4 is the lowest. Your UCAT score report will show your Band for SJT alongside your numeric scores for the other sections.
What do the Bands mean? Each Band comes with an official description indicating the quality of your judgment:
Band 1: Excellent performance – your judgement on the scenarios was highly in line with the model answers and the panel of experts. (In simpler terms, you acted in the scenarios just as a good professional would, almost every time. 🌟)
Band 2: Good performance – you showed appropriate judgement frequently, with many of your responses matching the ideal answers. (You got most decisions right, with only minor differences from expert judgement here and there.)
Band 3: Modest performance – you showed appropriate judgement for some questions, but there were substantial differences from the ideal responses for others. (In other words, you did okay on certain scenarios but made quite a few choices that the experts wouldn’t have.)
Band 4: Low performance – your judgement was substantially different from the ideal in many cases. (This implies you frequently picked actions that the experts deemed inappropriate. Band 4 is the bottom band, indicating a serious gap between your decisions and the expected standard.)
Most students fall into Band 2 or Band 3 each year, with Band 1 and Band 4 also relatively less common. For instance, in recent years, roughly 60–70% of candidates scored in Band 1 or 2 combined (though this can vary year to year). Band 2 is often considered a solid, above-average result, while Band 1 is excellent.
What is a “good” SJT score? Generally, Band 1 or Band 2 is considered a good outcome on the SJT. Scoring in these top bands suggests you have a strong grasp of appropriate professional behaviour. Band 3 is usually deemed acceptable (many universities will still consider applicants with Band 3), but it’s more of a borderline score – it indicates some lapses in judgement. Band 4 is poor and signals significant issues in how you judged the situations. As we’ll discuss next, a Band 4 can be very problematic for your applications, and even Band 3 can put you at a disadvantage at certain universities.
✅ Key scoring tips:
Remember that answering every question is crucial. There is no penalty for wrong answers, and partial marks mean a close guess is still worthwhile. So even if you’re unsure, eliminate obviously wrong options and take your best guess between the remaining choices. A 50/50 guess might still net you some points. Do not leave questions blank! Also, try to be consistent in your approach – for ranking questions, first decide whether an action is generally appropriate or inappropriate; this will narrow your options (for example, if you determine an action is somewhat appropriate, you know it’s either “Appropriate” or “Appropriate, but not ideal,” not one of the inappropriate options). Using this strategy can improve your chances of getting at least partial credit on tough questions.
🎓 Why Is the SJT Important for Medical and Dental Applicants?
You might be wondering: Does your Situational Judgement band actually matter for getting into university? The short answer is yes – absolutely. The SJT carries significant weight in UK medical and dental school admissions, and performing poorly on it can put your application at risk.
Nearly all UCAT-participating medical and dental schools receive your SJT Band along with your UCAT scores. Unlike the other sections, which are often summed into a total score, the SJT band is considered separately by many universities. Here are some key points on how different schools use the SJT result:
Minimum requirements:
Most UK medical and dental schools expect you to score at least Band 3 or above on the SJT. In fact, a Band 4 (the lowest band) is frequently an automatic rejection at many institutions. For example, the University of Edinburgh states clearly that any applicant who achieved Band 4 “will not be considered for entry” to their Medicine program (meaning Band 4 applicants are immediately eliminated). Similarly, the University of Liverpool, Anglia Ruskin, Keele, Leicester, Nottingham, and numerous others explicitly do not consider Band 4 applicants. In practical terms, if you score Band 4, your medical/dental school options become very limited – most schools will remove you from the pool regardless of how strong your other UCAT section scores were.
Selective criteria:
Some highly competitive programs set the bar even higher. For instance, Manchester’s Medicine and Dentistry courses currently exclude applicants with Band 3 or 4, only considering those who scored Band 1 or 2. This means that Manchester considers even a Band 3 to be below its threshold. As another example, King’s College London and a few others give preference to higher bands by using the SJT score as part of their ranking or tie-break system – so while they might not outright reject Band 3, a Band 1 or 2 gives you a notable advantage in their selection process.
Interview shortlisting:
At some universities, the SJT is used at the interview stage or to decide who to invite to an interview. For example, the University of Birmingham states that your SJT band will be considered alongside your performance at the interview. Others, like Hull York Medical School, actually allocate a certain number of points for your SJT band when scoring candidates for interview offers. In these cases, a higher band can directly boost your chances of getting an interview or an offer after the interview.
Borderline cases:
A few schools say they only look at SJT in borderline situations. For instance, Queen’s University Belfast and Aston University have indicated they won’t score SJT for all candidates, but if you’re on the cusp (tied with another candidate), your SJT band might be used as a tiebreaker. So a higher band could push you over the line in those scenarios.
The overall takeaway is that the SJT isn’t just an afterthought – it can be crucial. Admissions tutors see it as a measure of your attitudes and suitability for a clinical career. Medical schools value traits like ethics, integrity, teamwork, and empathy, which the SJT is designed to assess. A great SJT result (Band 1 or 2) strengthens your application by signalling you have the personal qualities needed to be a successful medical or dental student. Conversely, a poor result (Band 4, or sometimes even Band 3) raises red flags about your judgment, and universities don’t want to take that risk.
👉 In short: Scoring well on the SJT can boost your chances of getting an interview or offer, while scoring poorly can undermine an otherwise strong application. It’s worth putting in the effort to prepare for this section, because the difference between (say) Band 2 and Band 4 could be the difference between an offer and a rejection in extreme cases. Next, we’ll explore exactly what the SJT is testing – and why those skills and qualities are so essential.
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🗝️ What Skills and Qualities Does the SJT Assess?
The Situational Judgement Test may feel very different from typical exam questions, and that’s by design. It assesses the personal and professional attributes essential to doctors and dentists, rather than academic skills. According to the UCAT Consortium and the governing bodies, the SJT scenarios aim to evaluate whether you demonstrate the core values and behaviours expected of medical professionals. Here are some of the key skills and qualities that underlie SJT questions:
Integrity and Honesty:
Being truthful, ethical, and adhering to strong moral principles. For example, if a colleague makes a mistake, do you own up to it or hide it (integrity)? The correct actions usually reflect honesty, even when it’s personally difficult. Doctors and dentists must be trustworthy and accountable for their actions.
Empathy and Perspective-Taking:
The ability to understand others’ feelings and points of view. Many questions test whether you can put yourself in a patient’s or colleague’s shoes. This includes showing compassion to patients who are upset, respecting their concerns, or supporting peers. The SJT rewards responses that show kindness, understanding, and respect for others’ perspectives.
Teamwork and Team Involvement:
Working cooperatively with others, knowing when to seek help or consult others. As a medical student or practitioner, you’re part of a team. Scenarios may test if you collaborate (e.g. ask a senior for advice when appropriate, help a teammate) versus going rogue or ignoring help. Valuing teamwork and communicating well are positives. The test often expects you to recognise hierarchy and your role within a team (for instance, a medical student should defer certain decisions to qualified doctors).
Responsibility and Accountability:
Taking responsibility for your duties and for any errors. For example, if you forget to do an urgent task, the scenarios will expect you to act to correct it (perhaps by informing a senior or staying late to fix it) rather than shrugging it off. Being accountable and prioritising patient safety over personal convenience are recurring themes.
Resilience and Adaptability:
Staying composed and effective under pressure and adapting to challenging situations. The SJT may present dilemmas that test your ability to handle stress or criticism. For instance, how you respond if you’re feeling burnt out during a rotation, or if a patient complains about you. The ideal responses usually show resilience – such as seeking appropriate support, maintaining professionalism, and learning from feedback - rather than giving up or reacting defensively. Adaptability also means being open to change and flexible in solving problems.
Respect for Rules and Confidentiality:
Following professional guidelines, laws, and ethical rules. A common theme is confidentiality – e.g. a scenario might tempt you to share a patient’s information (perhaps to a friend or on social media). The correct answer would almost always be to maintain confidentiality (unless there’s a safety risk), reflecting the vital importance of patient privacy. Similarly, scenarios involving the following protocols (such as hygiene rules and obtaining consent) test whether you uphold standards even when others don’t.
Ethical Reasoning:
Understanding the basic ethical principles in medicine. It’s helpful to know the four pillars of medical ethics: Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, and Justice. While you won’t be quizzed explicitly on these terms in the SJT, many scenarios implicitly draw on them. For example, autonomy – respecting a patient’s right to make decisions about their own care; non-maleficence – not causing harm to patients; beneficence – acting in the patient’s best interest; justice – treating people fairly and without discrimination. If an SJT scenario’s action would violate one of these core principles (say, ignoring a patient’s choice or doing something that could harm them unnecessarily), it’s likely an inappropriate action.
All these qualities are detailed in professional guidelines like the General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice (for doctors) and the General Dental Council’s guidelines (for dentists). In fact, the UCAT official advice strongly encourages candidates to read Good Medical Practice, as it “sets out the principles, values, and standards of professional behaviour expected of all doctors”. This document (available on the GMC website) essentially describes how a good doctor should behave – e.g. work collaboratively, maintain patient trust, act with honesty and integrity. It’s no surprise that SJT questions are built around these same principles. If you’re preparing for the SJT, familiarising yourself with Good Medical Practice (and the equivalent for dentistry, the GDC’s Standards for the Dental Team) will give you a solid foundation for understanding what the exam will expect. The more you internalise these professional standards, the more naturally you’ll be able to identify the “best” response in a scenario.
To illustrate, imagine a scenario: “You are a medical student, and you see a junior doctor looking unkempt and smelling of alcohol before seeing a patient.” The qualities above come into play. Integrity and patient safety (non-maleficence) would mean you cannot ignore this – you should probably alert a superior (teamwork, accountability) rather than stay silent (which would be irresponsible). Empathy might mean considering that the doctor could need help, but not at the expense of patient safety. A strong candidate would identify the key issue (potential patient harm) and respond by escalating the concern to the appropriate person in charge, in line with professional duty. Poor judgment would be to do nothing or assume it’s fine – the SJT would score that as inappropriate.
In summary, the SJT is assessing whether your decision-making aligns with the professional expectations of the NHS and healthcare regulators. It’s about testing your “doctor material” or “dentist material”: are you someone who will make ethical, considerate, and responsible choices? Keep these core qualities in mind as you approach SJT questions. In the next section, we’ll provide concrete tips and strategies to help you consistently answer in ways that demonstrate these values.
💡 Top Tips and Strategies to Ace the UCAT SJT
Now that we’ve covered what the Situational Judgement Test entails and what it’s looking for, let’s focus on how to prepare effectively and perform your best on test day. The SJT can initially feel tricky because the “correct” answers might not be obvious until you get used to the style. These tips will help you approach SJT questions more systematically and confidently:
1. Start with Official Guidelines and Ethics
Begin your preparation by reviewing the key principles outlined in official guidelines such as the GMC’s Good Medical Practice (for medicine) and the GDC’s guidance (for dentistry). These resources spell out the duties of a doctor or dentist – such as putting patients first, working effectively in teams, maintaining confidentiality, and being honest and professional at all times. By understanding these principles, you’ll have a clearer sense of what the ideal answers on the SJT are aiming for. Essentially, ask yourself: “What would a good doctor/dentist do in this situation?” If an action in a question violates a core professional principle (e.g. breaches confidentiality, disrespects a patient, or ignores a serious risk), it’s likely to be inappropriate. In contrast, actions that uphold ethics (such as being honest about an error, seeking help when something is beyond your competence, and treating everyone fairly) are likely to be the right moves. Grounding yourself in these real-world expectations will train you to think like a clinician when answering SJT items. 📖👍
2. Learn the Common Scenario Themes
While SJT scenarios can vary, certain themes appear frequently. By practising, you’ll start to recognise these patterns. Examples of common scenario types include:
Professionalism lapses: e.g., witnessing a colleague doing something unprofessional or unsafe (e.g., a doctor who may be intoxicated, or a fellow student cheating). Usually, the right action is not to ignore it – often it involves diplomatically addressing it or reporting it to a supervisor, rather than staying silent or joining in.
Patient-centred dilemmas: e.g. dealing with an angry or distressed patient, or a patient demanding something not in their best interest. The correct approach tends to be showing empathy, listening to their concerns, explaining things calmly, or seeking advice if needed – rather than dismissing their feelings or being authoritarian.
Confidentiality and consent issues: e.g. a friend asks you about a patient, or you’re tempted to check a family member’s test results. The right answer is almost always to maintain confidentiality (don’t disclose information without proper authority). If it’s a consent scenario, always ensure proper consent is obtained, and the patient’s autonomy is respected.
Hierarchy and “Know Your Role” scenarios: e.g. as a first-year med student, you are asked to do something beyond your competence, or you notice a mistake. In such cases, the ideal action is often to know your limits and involve the right people. If you’re a student, you wouldn’t independently prescribe medicine or directly confront a consultant harshly; you’d likely inform a supervisor or ask a qualified staff member for guidance. Understanding the NHS team hierarchy (medical student < junior doctor < consultant, etc.) helps – it’s usually correct to escalate issues to a suitable senior person rather than handle everything yourself when you’re low in the hierarchy.
Time management and workload: e.g. you forgot to do something important, or you are overwhelmed with tasks. The good responses typically involve prioritising patient care and honesty (like informing someone of the delay, apologising if appropriate, or finding a way to get the task done even if it inconveniences you). Bad responses would be covering it up or leaving it undone to go home, etc.
By recognising the type of scenario, you can quickly recall which general principle applies, which makes it easier to eliminate wrong answers and choose the best one.
3. Don’t Inject Personal Bias – Think Like a Professional
It’s called “Situational Judgement”, but ironically, the key is not to apply your personal judgement or emotions, but rather the judgement expected of a medical professional. This is a subtle point: sometimes what you personally might do in real life (especially as an 18-year-old student) isn’t what the exam considers “ideal.” For example, if a friend is breaking a rule, your instinct might be to cover for them – but in a professional context, the correct action might be to report it. Train yourself to answer from the perspective of “what’s ethically and professionally right,” not just what you feel. The scenarios often deliberately include tempting choices a layperson might make to test whether you know the higher standard expected in healthcare. Always remember the role you’re playing in the scenario (are you a student, a doctor, an assistant?) and respond as that role should act professionally, not how you’d act with your mates. Stay objective and principle-driven in your answers.
4. Manage Your Time – But Read Carefully
With roughly 22 seconds per question, timing is tight, but you also need to read each scenario carefully. It’s easy to skim a scenario and miss a critical detail (like who you are in the scenario, or exactly what issue is at stake). Misreading could lead you to judge inappropriately. So, practice a strategy: quickly yet attentively identify the key facts in the scenario – ask yourself, “What is the core issue here? Who is involved, and what is my role?”. For instance, if the scenario mentions “You are about to leave your shift and realise you missed a task,” the key issues are patient safety and responsibility. Once you pinpoint the crux, you can more rapidly decide on rankings for the responses. One technique is to underline (or mentally note) keywords: e.g. urgent task, end of shift, personal plans, forgot to do task – this clearly indicates the conflict between personal convenience and professional duty. Be methodical: practice reading scenarios and distilling them to the main concern. This way, you won’t waste time on irrelevant details, and you’ll answer more accurately under time pressure. And remember: never spend too long on one question. If a particular scenario is complex, make your best judgment and move on; it’s better to finish all questions and possibly come back for review (if time allows) than to leave questions unanswered. ⏰
5. Use Process of Elimination and the “Half Right” Strategy
Because partial marks are awarded, often you just need to be in the correct “direction.” For ranking questions, this means figuring out whether this action is generally a good or bad idea. If you can at least determine that, you’ve narrowed the answers down to two (either one of the two “appropriate” options or one of the two “inappropriate” options). For example, suppose a proposed action is “Yell at a nurse who made a mistake.” Clearly, that’s not an appropriate or professional response (no matter how wrong someone was, yelling is unprofessional). So you instantly know it’s either “Inappropriate” or “Very inappropriate,” not one of the appropriate choices. Even if you’re unsure how bad it is, by eliminating the two positive options, you guarantee at least partial credit. Similarly, if an action is obviously positive (e.g. “Offer to help a struggling classmate with revision” – there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a kind and professional behaviour), you know it’s either “Appropriate” or “Very appropriate.” Using this elimination method helps you increase your odds of scoring marks on each question. It’s often easier to identify extremes (definitely good or definitely bad actions) and then decide if it’s very or just moderately. And remember, if truly torn between two options, go with your best intuition – even a guess between two is worth it when there’s no penalty.
For the most/least appropriate type of questions, elimination also helps. Often, one of the options will stand out as clearly the best thing to do, and one as clearly the worst. Focus first on identifying those extremes; don’t agonise equally over the middle option. If you identify the top choice and bottom choice correctly, you’ve got full marks on that scenario’s question.
6. Practice, Practice, Practice – in Realistic Conditions
Nothing improves SJT performance like practising lots of questions. Use official UCAT practice questions and mocks as a primary resource (since they are made by the test writers). Also consider reputable question banks or books for additional practice. When you practice, time yourself – initially, you might start untimed to learn the patterns, but eventually do full timed runs. Try simulating the full UCAT to build stamina, since the SJT comes at the end when you’re tired. By doing full mocks, you’ll train yourself to maintain focus for two hours so that you can still think clearly by the time SJT arrives. This also helps you learn how to quickly read scenarios and make snap judgments similar to the real test conditions.
After practising, review explanations for any questions you got wrong or weren’t sure about. It’s important to understand why a certain response is deemed appropriate or not. Often, the explanations will reference the kind of principles we discussed (patient safety, respect, honesty, etc.). Over time, you’ll start to internalise this reasoning. For example, if you consistently see that “not informing a supervisor about a serious issue” is marked as very inappropriate, you’ll remember that pattern next time you see a similar scenario. Your goal is to make the professional mindset almost second nature.
7. Stay Calm and Positive – You’ve Got This!
Finally, go into the exam with a confident but calm mindset. 😊 Remember that the SJT is not about perfection or having some magic knowledge – it’s about demonstrating good sense and values. If you’ve prepared by understanding key principles and practising questions, trust your training. During the test, if you feel mentally drained (which can happen by the last section), take a brief moment during the instruction period to reset: take a few deep breaths, refocus, and remind yourself you’re nearly at the finish line. Don’t let fatigue sabotage your performance – each question on the SJT still counts towards an important result.
Also, keep in mind that partial credit and no negative marking mean every bit of effort helps. So even if a scenario seems confusing, do your best – you might score higher than you expect. Stay resilient if you encounter a tough question; treat each new scenario independently and don’t dwell on previous ones. With the right preparation (which you’re doing!) and a professional mindset, you can excel in the UCAT Situational Judgement Test.
By mastering the UCAT SJT, you’re not only boosting your admission chances – but you’re also preparing yourself for the ethical and professional challenges of a career in healthcare. Many of the skills you hone for the SJT (like ethical reasoning, communication, and integrity) will serve you well in interviews and in medical or dental school itself. In fact, situational judgement tests will reappear during medical training (for example, when you apply to the UK Foundation Programme as a final-year medical student, there’s a separate SJT exam). So, the effort you invest now is truly an investment in your future professionalism.
Good luck with your UCAT preparation! With knowledge of what the SJT involves and these strategies in hand, you’ll be well equipped to achieve a top Band score in Situational Judgement. Aim for that Band 1 or Band 2 – and secure that competitive edge for your medical or dental school application. 🎉🏆
📚 Further Reading: Deepen Your UCAT Situational Judgement Knowledge
To support your UCAT Situational Judgement preparation and broaden your understanding, here are direct links to relevant Blue Peanut UCAT Blog posts that expand on key SJT concepts, question types, and smart strategies. These complement this guide and will help deepen your insight and performance:
📍 Key UCAT SJT Strategy Articles
👉 Key UCAT Situational Judgement (SJT) Strategies – Identify Key Issues, Apply Logical Thinking & Make Decisions Under Pressure
https://bluepeanut.com/ucat-blog/key-ucat-situational-judgement-sjt-strategies-identify-key-issues-apply-logical-thinking-amp-make-decisions-under-pressure
➡️ Practical strategies to tackle real-world SJT questions under time constraints — great for developing structured thinking and speed.
👉 Mastering UCAT Situational Judgement – Key Principles from GMC Guidance
https://bluepeanut.com/ucat-blog/mastering-ucat-situational-judgement-key-principles-from-gmc-guidance
➡️ Breaks down how professional values and GMC-aligned principles show up in SJT scenarios — essential for aligning your answers with what admissions tutors expect.
👉 UCAT Situational Judgement – Appropriateness Questions & Techniques
https://bluepeanut.com/ucat-blog/ucat-situational-judgement-appropriateness-questions-amp-techniques
➡️ A dedicated guide to the appropriateness format — learn how to distinguish between “very appropriate” through to “very inappropriate” effectively.
👉 UCAT Situational Judgement – Importance Questions: From Essential to Irrelevant
https://bluepeanut.com/ucat-blog/ucat-situational-judgement-importance-questions-from-essential-to-irrelevant
➡️ Focused help on the importance-ranking style questions: deciding which actions matter most in a given scenario.
📍 Other Related SJT & UCAT Resources on Blue Peanut
👉 UCAT 2026 Section Guide – VR, DM, QR & SJT Strategies in One Place
https://bluepeanut.com/ucat-blog/ucat-2026-section-guide-vr-dm-qr-amp-sjt-strategies-in-one-place
➡️ Broad guide covering all UCAT sections, including SJT – perfect if you want integrated strategies across the full exam.
📌 These blog posts zoom in on specific SJT skills — from logic and prioritisation to ethical decision-making — giving you practical, scenario-based tools to improve your Band in Situational Judgement. They’re perfect for consolidating what you’ve learned in this main guide and turning knowledge into quick-thinking performance on test day.
References and Further Reading
UCAT Official Website – Test Format & Scoring: Overview of UCAT subtests, timing, scoring methods, and band descriptions for Situational Judgement.
UCAT Official Website – 2025 Update: Confirmation of the 2025 UCAT format (Abstract Reasoning removal) and timing for SJT (69 questions, 26 minutes).
UCAT Official Guidance on SJT: The UCAT Consortium emphasises that the SJT measures judgement in real-world scenarios and does not require medical knowledge – it assesses values and behaviours instead.
General Medical Council – Good Medical Practice (2019): Core guidance outlining the professional values and standards expected of doctors in the UK. A highly recommended read for understanding the principles behind SJT answers.
University of Manchester (Medicine) – UCAT Requirements: An example of a medical school’s policy on UCAT SJT Bands. Manchester does not consider applicants who scored Band 3 or 4, effectively requiring a Band 1–2 score.
University of Manchester (Dentistry) – UCAT Requirements: Similar to Medicine, the Dentistry programme at Manchester excludes applicants with SJT Band 3 or 4, reflecting the importance of SJT performance in dental admissions.
