Decision Making is the second subtest of the UCAT, a prerequisite aptitude test for entry into medical schools across Australia and New Zealand. It is designed to assess your ability to make logical conclusions, evaluate arguments and analyse statistics across various passages and question types. Decision Making consists of 29 questions that must be answered in 31 minutes (approximately 65 seconds per question).
While there is no set syllabus for the UCAT, nor its specific subtests, Pearson Vue recommends that all UCAT candidates revisit the theoretical principles behind statistics, basic arithmetic and Venn diagrams within the Decision Making subtest. This topic book serves to cover the mathematical principles behind the Decision Making subtest, covering: independent, dependent and conditional probability as well as Venn diagrams with worked examples.
UCAT Decision Making Tips
Familiarisation
Familiarize yourself with the six different question types contained within Decision Making, as each question type underpins different theories and thus has a different strategy.
Mental Mathematics
Avoid using the calculator in the Decision Making subtest, as everything can be solved mentally. Remember to also brush up on your arithmetic, where: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are common in Decision Making.
Focus on your Strengths
Before going into the exam, understand your strengths and weaknesses well. By understanding your strengths and weaknesses in Decision Making, you will be able to structure your time well by focussing on answering your strengths first - answering them quickly and accurately. After this, you can then spend more time on your weaknesses, allowing you more time to think and reason through difficult questions.
Here's What To Do Next!
The UCAT itself is a highly competitive aptitude test that requires all candidates to apply their critical thinking skills within a limited amount of time - it is in this sense that effective time management, understanding the theoretical principles and strategies behind the UCAT is necessary to achieve a high UCAT score.
At Fraser’s UCAT, we are committed to providing all future doctors with adequate UCAT preparation. As such, we provide a Free Online UCAT Course available for all students, containing an array of free resources. We also recommend consistent practice in the lead up to the UCAT, to ensure students receive a maximal score on their test day. We also offer two UCAT exams to all students to assist their UCAT preparation: Free UCAT Express Practice Exam and Free UCAT Comprehensive Practice Exam adjunct to the exams freely available on the UCAT consortium’s web page.
Above all, remember that We’re Here to Help. Feel free to contact us at any point throughout your journey to medicine regarding the UCAT, the UCAT Question Bank, our courses or how to go about applying for medical school.
