New test for clinical students

The test will help universities widen access and make more informed choices from amongst the many highly qualified applicants who apply for medical and dental degree programmes. It will help ensure that the candidates selected have the best combination of mental abilities, attitudes and professional behaviours required for doctors and dentists to be successful in their clinical careers. The 90 minute test will require no specific preparation as it aims to probe innate skills and competencies and seeks to assist rather than place an additional hurdle in front of potential candidates.

Professor Ian Johnson, chair of the UKCAT Consortium, said: “We are delighted that so many universities have acted together and agreed to use the same test to provide additional information for selectors and to improve transparency when feeding back to candidates. The UKCAT will assess a wide range of general skills and attributes rather than strictly academic achievement and will assist universities in creating a level playing field for applicants from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds.”