UMAT news:
The 2011 UMAT is set to be the biggest and most competitive ever with a projected 20,000+ students sitting the test worldwide. Primarily used for Health Science entry to Australian and NZ Universities the UMAT has now become a global phenomenon with the University of Oceania using the UMAT for Australian and NZ applicants and test centres in London, Singapore and Washington assisting with expats and over seas students looking for entry into Australian and NZ universities. A similar test known as the HPAT is now used in Ireland and a variation, the OUMAT, is also used by Oceania University for local entry.
Far from the typical rumours we hear every year of the UMAT being phased out, it’s use has expanded every year and continues to do so since it’s inception around 20 years ago. The facts about UMAT and selection tell the real story though; When NIE (the Australian owner of UMATNewZ) began running UMAT preparation programs back in 1999, there were around 6000 students sitting the test. Just over ten years on, the number of UMAT candidates has more than tripled, but the number of available seats at med school has realistically not increased at all. This is indicative of the increasing competitiveness of this bizarre test and even more validity to the pros for students to consider the test seriously and look at options for professional preparation.
If you do decide to prepare then be very careful on who you choose as the many providers all offer very different products and services. One key thing to keep in mind is the issue of material ownership and access. Did you know that with the on line UMAT programs you actually own nothing. You simply rent access to their materials and only for a limited time. Hardcopy books give you not only full ownership of the materials but also the convenience of ‘any time, any where’ access. So as a minimum you should be looking for a provider that offers you real books, not short term on line access.
In the 2010 UMAT:
Our staff noticed considerable changes in Section 1, with some questions presented more as analytical reasoning than logical reasoning. Both Section 2 and Section 3 contained the expected changes and trends seen in the 2009 UMAT.
In the 2009 UMAT:
Section 1: Logical Reasoning continued the swing toward problem-solving and data-analysis type questions leaving almost completely behind the argument style of questions. In Section 2 Understanding People the scenarios became a little bit subtle, even a little bit more subjective. Section 3 remained the same.
In the 2008 UMAT:
We saw the removal of the Analogical this-is-to-this type questions from section III, and a swing toward more probabilty / math-based and problem solving type questions in section I, and a partial return to the ridiculous reading comprehension type questions in section II..
New Zealand to use robo doctor:
Will these 'robo med students' have to sit the UMAT too?
Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc)
Bachelor of Science (BSc Biomedical Science)
In the year of application, applicants must complete (within one academic year, excluding summer semester) the eight required first year courses in either the Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) or the Bachelor of Science (BSc Biomedical Science) at the University of Auckland read more
Biomedical Science
Biomedical Science students who gain a B+ average in their first year of study may be eligible for consideration for an interview for entry to the undergraduate medical course. Students wishing to be considered for an interview need to take POPLHLTH 111 as their elective course in Year 1. They will also be required to sit the UMAT examination in.. read more
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)
To be considered for entry under the Health Sciences First Year category, an applicant must be in the first year of university study, and (i) pass all of the papers prescribed for the Health Sciences First Year course with a B (70%) grade point average (GPA) or better, with no paper grade less than B (65%); (ii) have achieved a current score in all three of the Undergraduate Medical and Health Sciences Admissions Test (UMAT) Sections at a threshold level, determined annually by the... read more
Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLSc)
To be considered for entry to the second year of the programme, an applicant must, in the Health Sciences First Year course, pass all papers and gain an overall B grade (70%) average, or better, and sit the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admissions Test (UMAT). Applicants who reach the academic and UMAT thresholds will be offered an oral assessment/interview. Applicants will not be invited for an oral assessment/interview unless they achieve a score above the 25th percentile in all three UMAT sections... read more
Otago School Of Physiotherapy
Usually you need a B average across Health Science First Year papers with no paper less than a C grade and you need to have passed all papers. If you are applying under the Year 2+ or graduate category then you need a B average over your years of study. UMAT and the interview requirements also apply... read more
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPhty)
To be considered for first year entry a candidate must, in the first year of university study, pass all the papers prescribed for the Health Sciences First Year course with a B- (65%) GPA or better, with no paper grade less than a C. Applicants who have reached the academic and Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) thresholds will be selected on the basis of the score obtained in a structured interview. Those with the same interview score will be ranked according to... read more
Bachelor of Medicine and
Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB)
To gain entry in the Health Sciences First Year category, a candidate must, in the first year of university study at the University of Otago, pass all the papers prescribed for the first year course at B grade or better. Selection shall be based on the results achieved in the papers with a total of 126 points, and in the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT). The academic grades shall contribute 66% of the score to be used for selection and the UMAT shall contribute 34%. UMAT results are valid for two years. This means they can be used in an application for admission in the year following the test and/or one year later. A candidate's most recent UMAT results will be the only UMAT results considered... read more