Why You Should Be Preparing For The UMAT Now

We recommend everyone to start preparing for the UMAT as early as possible, even in Year 9 and 10. We find that the earlier a student starts, the more likely they are to get into Medicine.

To find out why it’s extremely beneficial to prepare for the UMAT early, we have to talk about why you should train for the UMAT at all.

Is It Possible To Train For The UMAT?

Absolutely.

The most common misconception of UMAT is that since it is a skills-based test, it is impossible to prepare for it. However, this is blatantly not true. Every skills-based activity can and should be trained.

As with most professional athletes, practice alone cannot guarantee success but peak fitness and strong technique will give you the best possible opportunity for success on “game day”

Here’s an analogy for why practicing any skill will make you better. Unless you are naturally gifted, you won’t be able to complete a complex dance without training and practice.

Like in dance, you learn one skill or dance step at a time, and practice until it is fluid. Similarly, solving each question type is a skill, and being able to apply multiple question solving skills fluidly and efficiently requires practice.

Solving each question type is a skill, and being able to apply multiple question solving skills fluidly and efficiently requires practice.

Whilst preparing for a skills-based exam is different to preparing for a knowledge-based exam, having a structured, and methodical approach to learning will give you the best chance of acing the UMAT. This is because you will be familiar with a few critical elements:

• The typical question types, so you can identify them quickly and apply techniques to solving them.
• The time pressure of the UMAT, so you won’t score sub-optimally due to time mismanagement (spending too long on one question).

As with most professional athletes, practice alone cannot guarantee success but peak fitness and strong technique will give you the best possible opportunity for success on “game day”. Likewise for the UMAT, although you may not know what questions they will ask you, if you study the right techniques and understand how to time yourself, you will have the best chance of acing the UMAT.

Why Should You Prepare Early?

Preparing for the UMAT in Year 9-11 is recommended, as it will free up your time in Year 12 to study for your school leaving exams (HSC and VCE).

In your final year, you will be under a lot of time pressure preparing for up to five subjects at school and the UMAT. To add to the pain, the UMAT is usually just before school Trial Exams (that usually count for 40% of your Assessment Mark). Many students end up facing a trade-off between preparing for the UMAT and preparing for their school exams. Failure to achieve high marks in either can cost you your place in the Medicine.

Preparing for the UMAT in Year 9-11 is recommended, as it will free up your time in Year 12 to study for your school leaving exams (HSC and VCE).

Moreover, since UMAT is a skills-based exam (rather than memorisation), students will not forget the techniques even after a year has passed.

Conclusion

Preparing for the UMAT early is not only possible, it is extremely beneficial. Start as early as you can.

MedStart courses are designed to help you prepare early. We pioneered the approach of early UMAT preparation which is why if you are in Year 11 or below and enrol into our Care or Intensive Care Course, we will give you up to two years access to our MedStart Online Learning System. Start preparing today!