UCAT case studies
UCAT · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is an admissions test used by a consortium of UK and partner universities to help select applicants to their medical and dental degree programmes. It is used alongside other selection criteria such as academic qualifications and interviews, and it is a computer-based test delivered in Pearson test centres throughout the UK and worldwide. The test consists of four separately timed multiple-choice subtests. Verbal Reasoning assesses how well you critically evaluate written information; Decision Making assesses sound decision making and judgement using complex information; Quantitative Reasoning assesses critical evaluation of information presented numerically; and Situational Judgement measures your capacity to understand real-world situations and identify critical factors and appropriate behaviour. The UCAT case studies are 5 cases and about 2,771 words.
1Street Trees and Summer Cooling: What the Data Can and Cannot Support
A council planted 4,200 street trees across three districts between 2015 and 2019. A 2023 survey measured summer afternoon surface temperatures: tree-lined streets averaged 3.1°C cooler than matched streets with no trees.
550 words, about 3 min2Two Screening Pathways: Weighing Cost Against Missed Cases
A clinic screens 20,000 adults for a condition affecting 1 in 200 people. The first-line test has 90% sensitivity and 95% specificity.
581 words, about 3 min3Infusion Rate, Bag Count and a Protocol Cap
A 72-year-old patient weighing 84 kg is started on a continuous intravenous infusion of drug X at 15 micrograms/kg/min. The infusion is supplied as 400 mg of drug X in a 250 mL bag.
445 words, about 2 min4Overheard HIV Result at the Reception Desk
You are a third-year medical student on a GP placement. It is 4:40 pm, the waiting room is full, and the GP you are shadowing is running 35 minutes behind.
825 words, about 4 min5Rebuilding a Teaching Rota: One Solution or Several?
A small teaching department is rebuilding its induction rota after a colleague left. Four sessions must be covered, one on each weekday from Monday to Thursday, by four staff: Ana, Ben, Cal and Dee.
370 words, about 2 min