.jpeg)
If you need more info, book a consult with one of our experienced mentors
Have all you need after reading this article? Then let's get you started
What Makes The Best UCAT Tutor?
The Purpose of UCAT
The sole purpose of the UCAT ANZ is to assess your cognitive and reasoning ability as well as empathy and communication skills. The UCAT happens to be one of the primary hurdles for most undergraduate medical schools during the admission process. Unlike a psychometric test like the GAMSAT that is intended to test an applicant’s theoretical knowledge and thematic construction of ideas, the UCAT is a baseline aptitude test that seeks to identify applicants with suitable skill sets to fill the shoes of a doctor.
A Good UCAT Tutor
One can be deemed a good UCAT tutor if they possess the expertise and skills that can effectively address the individual UCAT subsections, and the magnitude of concepts they assess. In addition, a good UCAT tutor should be able to talk about how they attempted elements of the examination in their real-world experience.
UCAT Tutoring of Subsections
UCAT ANZ is a computerised test that consists of five UCAT subtests, which undergraduate medical schools predominantly deploy to analyse an applicant within an overall time limit of two hours. The UCAT subsections are as follows:
All in all, a good UCAT Tutor provides a simplified technique to manifest your UCAT time management; after all, the UCAT has a total of 225 questions that need to be attempted in a nip and tuck.
UCAT Tutoring for Decision Making
As the name implies, a good UCAT tutor will highlight the difficulty of the UCAT exam and accurately target relevant questions that demand more attention and focus. For example, in the Decision-Making test, you must competently present prudent judgements and decisions to complicated scenarios. A common mistake students make in this section is by failing to understand the importance of integrating personal biases.
An experienced private UCAT Tutor is invaluable in this context and can deliver an excellent approach to tackle syllogisms or inference-oriented questions. Also, to approach the Decision-Making section, you are expected to finish a question each minute. Hence, a pragmatic UCAT tutor can help you to cultivate accurate strategies to make a hypothesis based on multi-faceted situations under a strict deadline.
UCAT Tutoring for Situational Judgement
A Situational Judgement Test tests how you respond to different hospital-related errors and instances. It mainly evaluates your non-cognitive aptitude that includes your understanding of ethical principles and how proficiently you acknowledge your shortcomings as an individual. The first and foremost fact a good UCAT tutor would convey to you is whether or not medical school(s) favour the SJT score along with the other subsections as some medical schools disregard the UCAT Situational Judgement Test while ranking applicants for a medical interview.
UCAT Tutors Near Me
UCAT Tutors Brisbane
Nawaal Fayyaz, Decision Making Tutor, Brisbane
“I’m currently a 1st-year med student at Griffith University and have been teaching the Decision-Making section for the UCAT, primarily online. I also have experience teaching the GAMSAT Section 3 in a Masterclass style. My method of teaching is to break down the content in the Decision Making section in front of the students as if I were in their place myself...”
“This makes it easier for my students to track along every step of what’s being taught and minimises room for confusion. Fraser's method of UCAT tutoring progressively exposes students to higher difficulty content and ensures an inclusive learning atmosphere.”
“Moreover, the progression from easier to harder content is preceded by UCAT practice test and mock exams after each problem-based learning class. This reinforces strong foundational learning for students to comfortably build upon as they progress through relevant UCAT preparation courses.”
UCAT Tutors Melbourne, VIC
Brian Duong, UCAT Abstract Reasoning Lead Tutor, Melbourne
“Hi, my name is Brian, and I am the lead tutor for Abstract Reasoning at Fraser’s. I’m currently finishing off my Master of Architecture degree at the University of Melbourne. I bring the skills I’ve learnt from architecture, like problem-solving and creative thinking, into the UCAT space..”
“I’ve always found that good teachers ask the right questions at the right time, therefore, enhancing my ability to think. That’s how I try to teach my students because a good thought process is crucial for succeeding in the UCAT.”
Arjun Nagpal, Abstract Reasoning and Situational Judgement Test of the UCAT, Melbourne
“I really enjoy working through patterns in Abstract Reasoning because they're like little puzzles you have to solve. I'm also quite passionate about the Situational Judgement Test because it focuses on medical ethics, which is really important for all medical students to understand. This section also has an emphasis on real world scenarios and how to evaluate and respond to them - which I think is a really great skill for any student to have.”
“Broadly speaking, my teaching style focuses on personalised learning and I usually get students to do practice questions, timed or untimed, in front of me so I can see where they are struggling. Then I explain to them how they could improve their approach.
“Many students sitting the UCAT are often really stressed, and hence, my style of tutoring also puts a lot of focus on mentoring students. My favourite part about Fraser's method is the focus on comprehensive live teaching. As the UCAT is a "skill based" exam, you can't really learn much about the UCAT by sitting in some didactic lecture just passively listening. The small class sizes at Frasers give all the students heaps of opportunity to ask loads of questions and derive challenging ideas.”
UCAT Tutors Sydney, NSW
Erin Khaw, Decision Making section of UCAT, Sydney NSW
“Hello! My name is Erin, and I’m currently completing my final year of the Medical Science degree at UNSW, and after will begin my MD via the Lateral Entry Scheme. Having sat the UCAT twice, I’ve had the opportunity to review my own personal strategies, and understand that reflection, as well as consistent practice is the key to succeeding in the UCAT!”
“In times of uncertainty, especially learning during COVID, I understand the importance of discussing ideas with peers in a supportive environment, and encourage students to partake in such sessions throughout their practice.”
“Students have been able to gain clarity on their strategies, understanding approaches in greater detail and overall increasing their accuracy. With a multitude of sessions and workshops run by Frasers, students entering this new UCAT season will learn all the skills necessary for their success!”
UCAT Tutor - South Australia
William Burden, Situational Judgement Test, Lead Tutor Adelaide, South Australia
“Hey everyone! My name is Will and I’m currently in my 4th year of the Bachelor of Clinical Science/Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at Flinders University South Australia. I focus all my teaching on the Situational Judgement Test of the UCAT. I am the lead tutor in this section and have a great team who are all experts at this section. Outside of studying and tutoring, I enjoy cooking and playing social basketball.”
“At Fraser’s, I really enjoy engaging with my students and discussing different techniques required to tackle the many different types of scenarios in this section. I have found this to be a great way to handle this section as it provides a more relaxed environment whilst ensuring the core fundamentals are grasped.”
“I am involved in both UCAT private tutoring and small group teaching sessions which I believe is excellent in allowing students the opportunity to discuss their ideas and interpretations with other students. Fraser’s has an excellent method of teaching, that we tailor our UCAT courses to the student’s individual needs and ensure they have access to the best resources irrespective of when they begin their preparation.”
Amy Langdon, Situational SJT Junior Tutor, Adelaide, South Australia
“Hi everyone! My name is Amy and I am a medical student at Flinders University in Adelaide. I am currently in my fourth year of the Bachelor of Clinical Sciences/Doctor of Medicine course, and my second year of the MD program.”
I teach the Situational Judgment section of UCAT, because I just love to analyse ethical and moral dilemmas! When tutoring, I like to lead from behind; explaining the concepts, but giving the students their own space to analyse a question and understand an answer. I then elaborate on the scenario further to help deepen their understanding.”
“Additionally, unlocking critical thinking is the key to UCAT success, and what I aim to achieve with my students. I believe that Fraser’s fosters this critical thinking ability, rather than focusing on rote-learning, and develops core strategies and skills needed to succeed in UCAT. The beauty of this approach is that once you develop these skills, they can be applied throughout your life, especially in healthcare fields where you need to be able to problem solve. Feedback from my previous students have really shown this to be beneficial for them in their studies and other opportunities they have pursued.”
Keshna Jeyandrabalan, Lead Tutor Quantitative Reasoning, WA
"I am currently studying 2nd year of medicine at Curtin University, Perth (WA) and have worked with Fraser's for about 1.5 years now. Initially, I started as a junior UCAT tutor creating content and teaching group classes and private tutorials in Quantitative Reasoning (my personal favourite!), Decision Making and Abstract Reasoning. Whilst a junior tutor, I explored the Frasers' Interview space and took a role as an Interview tutor.”
“My current role is the Academic Lead of the Frasers' UCAT space, whereby I look over the five main sections of the UCAT (VR, DM, QR, AR, SJT) and ensure students are well-supported throughout their preparation.”
“My teaching style is personalised, providing students reassurance and insight into new strategies and techniques. Students have benefited from my classes as they feel more relieved and motivated, often comfortably asking more questions as I always try to help them overcome any roadblocks to achieve their goals."
Where To From Here?
We hope that this article can help you determine the best UCAT tutors in Australia and target your UCAT prep based on individual tutor-experience in different UCAT subsections.
Alternatively, if you are aiming for the GAMSAT, check out our GAMSAT Tutors article which features different Fraser’s tutor profiles in Australia, and their specialisation.
We wish you the best of luck!
