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STEP-BY-STEP

GUIDE On How To Excel On The UCAT & Get Into Medicine

Contact information www.ucatsecrets.com

INTRODUCTION

future doctors), Dear (and Students

I’m Shanaka Jayakody, the founder of UCAT Secrets, and I’d like to

personally thank you for purchasing my “Step-By-Step Guide On How To Excel On The UCAT & Get Into Medicine”.

I am grateful for the faith you’ve shown in me by purchasing this book and will make sure that you finish this book with complete

certainty about how you can excel in your final few years of highschool and win a coveted place into Medicine.

Just 8 years ago, I was in your position - trying to win a place into Medicine so I could fulfil my vision of becoming a doctor.

Now, I’ve scored in the top 1% on the medical admissions exam

myself, allowing me to win scholarships into virtually every single Medical School in Australia.

Since then, I’ve worked with hundreds of students to help them win places in Medicine too - with 310 of my students now studying in Medical Schools across Australia.

In my time as a teacher and tutor, I have seen students from

almost every single imaginable background, ethnicity, personality and type rapidly transform themselves to win a place in Medicine.

“One of my favourite stories was from a student named .”

Jack

Jack came to me after having failed the medical admissions

exam the previous year. He came from a rural environment and didn’t have access to any materials, teaching or support in his

local area making it very difficult to prepare. He had scored in just the 27th percentile (when you needed to score in over the 90th percentile to have any chance of getting into Medicine).

In the space of 15 months, Jack, his parents, and I worked together closely for 2, 3, sometimes even 4 times per week -

ensuring he was 100% prepared for his medical admissions exam. This time he walked out of his exam with a score in the 91st percentile and he actually won a scholarship into Medicine!

Quite a remarkable improvement. 2

UCAT SECRETS

VOLUME 1

This kind of transformation hasn’t just happened to Jack, but

of students who have used these exact strategies in the last 8

hundreds of my other past students too.

years to get into Medicine (with many of them now practising as doctors).

Don and his parents were worried that he wasn’t gifted enough to get into Medicine - and yet he was accepted straight into Monash

I hope you enjoy this book, and once again, I am grateful for

Medicine in 2019.

the faith you’ve shown in me and my company UCAT Secrets by purchasing this book.

Kusal was worried that he wouldn’t have time to prepare for the medical admissions process because he was a high achieving

One of our core values as a company is service. We are here to

sportsman - and yet he was accepted straight into UNSW

serve you and your family to the highest possible level, not just in

Medicine in 2019.

helping you excel in the medical admissions process, but to live a life that is fulfilling and brings you true happiness.

Ashwin was overwhelmed with school work as he was school captain of a prestigious school - and yet even he was accepted

Once you go through this book and gets into Medicine, we

straight into Monash Medicine in 2018.

hope you too will be driven by service and to give back to future generations of students and the patients that need your help and

Georgia

was

constantly

stressed,

anxious

and

worried

support everyday.

throughout her schooling life and got terribly nervous before each assessment - and yet even she is now studying Medicine

It is students like you that are the next generation of doctors

at Curtin.

that will help to improve our healthcare system and improve the quality of patient care into the future.

No matter what adversity, disadvantage or struggles your child has in their way - I have seen a student break through these

If you have any questions whatsoever, feel free to contact me

obstacles and win a place into Medicine.

personally at [email protected]

Over the last few weeks I’ve received hundreds of emails, calls and messages from students asking me about how the medical admissions process works and what they can be doing to excel on the UCAT and get into Medicine - and so that’s why I’ve created this book.

Good Luck! Shanaka

I’ve created this book to explain to you everything there is to know about the medical admissions process (because it can be quite tricky and complex to understand) - saving you the hassle of trawling the internet for hours and hours trying to figure it out for yourself.

“This is what I want for you - to give you the greatest chance of getting into Medicine.” I’ve also made it to show you what you can do to excel in the medical admissions process and really stand out - these are the things that you can even do from Years 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 to gain a big headstart on everyone else! Most of all, I have made this book to give you the confidence and certainty that you’re doing everything you can to excel on the UCAT and get into Medicine - following in the path of hundreds

VOLUME 1

UCAT SECRETS

3

WHO ISTHIS BOOK FOR? Before we start exploring how you can to excel in the medical admissions process and get into Medicine, I wanted to make sure that the right students are reading this! This book was created for students in Years 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 that know that they are passionate about getting into Medicine and want to do whatever they can to make this dream become a reality. If you are looking to apply to study Medicine at Monash University, The University of New South Wales, The University of Queensland, Curtin University, The University of Adelaide, The University of Western Australia, University of Tasmania, Charles Sturt University, Flinders University, La Trobe University, The University of Newcastle / University of New England, Western Sydney University or even The University of Auckland and University of Otago - this book is for you! But then specifically, I created this book for students who don’t know anything about the medical admissions process and how it works and even students who have already done a lot of research about the medical admissions process and are looking to find a way to get a real edge to stand out. Basically, if you are passionate about getting into Medicine and you’re serious about excelling in the medical admissions process - this is the book for you!

HOW THE MEDICAL ADMISSIONS PROCESS ACTUALLY WORKS

UNIVERSITIES INITIALLY LOOK TO JUST 2 ASSESSMENTS

A lot of the students I speak to are committed to working hard

The First Assessment:

and trying to excel in the medical admissions process - but

Your ATAR - this makes up 50% of the initial application.

understandably, they haven’t been told how this process works. The problem is that the process has changed drastically over the last 20, 10, even 5 years and so unless you have access to people within the universities admissions boards, it’s very hard

The Second Assessment: Your UCAT - this makes up the next 50% of their initial application.

for anyone to find information about the medical admissions process - let alone understand it! Luckily, after working alongside 468 students in 2019 alone, I’ve now gathered information on how all of the Medical Schools in Australia conduct their medical admissions process. Let’s see how it works.

4

UCAT SECRETS

Let’s look at each of these assessments and explore what they are and what they mean! VOLUME 1

THE ATAR

THE ATAR

The ATAR is a ranking of Year 12 results that measures your overall academic achievement in your school subjects compared with all other final year students in Australia. The ATAR is not a score out of 100 – it is a rank. This means that

your score between 0 and 99.95 tells you where you ranks in their

state. E.g. an ATAR score of 70 means that you are in the top 30% of your state. E.g. An ATAR score of 99 means that you are in the top 1% of your state.. The ATAR allows Medical Schools to compare the overall achievements of you school subjects against every other student

who is finishing Year 12.

HOW THE ATAR IS SCORED? The ATAR is calculated by combing your scores in all your school subjects together. This means that if you studies for example: Maths, Chemistry, English, Biology and Physics - these scores are combined together into one single ATAR score between 0 and 99.95 (in intervals of 0.05). The highest rank is 99.95, the next highest 99.90, and so on. The lowest automatically reported rank is 30.00, with ranks below 30.00 being reported as ‘less than 30’. You will want to be aiming for an ATAR score of over 98 to be competitive.

VOLUME 1

UCAT SECRETS

5

ATAR SUBJECTS YOU MUST STUDY TO GET INTO MEDICINE VICTORIA

AUCKLAND&OTAGO

MONASHUNIVERSITY

CURTIN UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITYOFAUCKLAND

(Medicine)

(Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery)

(Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery)

• VCE: • English (study score 30+) or English as an Alternate Language (study score of 35+) • and Chemistry (study score of 30+) • and Biology (recommended; however, students who are accepted into the program but have not completed this may choose to undertake the optional Biology bridging program that commences in late January each year) • or IB: • at least a 5 in Standard English or a 4 in Higher Level English or 6 in Standard English B (ESL) or 5 in Higher Level English B (ESL): • and a 5 in Standard Chemistry or a 4 in Higher Level Chemistry

LA TROBE UNIVERSITY (Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Medical)) • VCE: • English as an Alternate language (study score of 30+) or English other than EAL (study score of 25+) • or HSC: • One of English (Standard), English (Advanced) (Band 3), or English as a Second Language (Band 4)

LA TROBE UNIVERSITY (Bachelor of Dental Science - Honours) • English as an Alternate language (study score of 35+) or English other than EAL (study score of 30+) • and Biology (study score of 25+) or overall grade of at least 60% in Unilearn Biology; • and Chemistry (study score of 25+)

6

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

• WACE: Chemistry ATAR; • or equivalent • or IB: Chemistry at HL Grade 4; • or CHEM1003 Introduction to Chemistry and CHEM1005 Introduction to Biological Chemistry with a grade of 60 or higher in both units, offered through Curtin University; • or completion of the chemistry ATAR course with a final scaled score of 50 through North Lake Senior Campus or Cyril Jackson Senior Campus

UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (Medicine - direct pathway) • Must meet the standard English language competency level; and • The following ATAR or equivalent subjects are recommended, or may be taken as Level 1 university units: • Chemistry • Biology or Human Biology • Math Applications or above • Physics

UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (Dental Medicine - direct pathway) • Must meet the standard English language competency level; and • The following ATAR or equivalent subjects are recommended, or may be taken as Level 1 university units: • Chemistry • Biology or Human Biology • Math Applications or above • Physics

UCAT SECRETS

First-year applicants need to complete the 8 required courses in the first year of either the Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) or the Bachelor Science (BSc) Biomedical Science at the University of Auckland • First Year BHSc courses: • CHEM 110, BIOSCI 107, MEDSCI 142, POPLHLTH 111, POPLHLTH 101, POPLHLTH 102, HLTHPSYC 122, and General Education (excluding BIOSCI 100G, MEDSCI 100G, MEDSCI 101G, POPLHLTH 103G, POPLHLTH 104G) • First Year BSc (Biomedical Science) courses: • CHEM 110, BIOSCI 107, MEDSCI 142, POPLHLTH 111, BIOSCI 101, PHYSICS 160, BIOSCI 106, and General Education (excluding BIOSCI 100G, MEDSCI 100G, MEDSCI 101G, POPLHLTH 103G, POPLHLTH 104G)

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) HSFY applicants must pass all the papers prescribed for HSFY at first attempt, with a minimum of 70% in each paper

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) HSFY applicants must pass all the papers prescribed for HSFY at first attempt, with a minimum of 70% and no paper grade less than 65%

VOLUME 1

NEW SOUTH WALES

QUEENSLAND

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITYOFQUEENSLAND

UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE

(Bachelor of Dental Science)

(Doctor of Medicine - provisional entry)

(Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery)

None

• Year 12 or equivalent English

UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE / UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND

UNIVERSITYOFQUEENSLAND

(Joint Medical Program) None

• Year 12 or equivalent English; • and Chemistry

UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY

(Bachelor of Medical Studies / Doctor of Medicine) None

WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY (Doctor of Medicine) None

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY (Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine) • Mathematics (not Mathematics Standard) (Band 4) or Mathematics Advanced (Band 4); • or Mathematics Extension 1 or 2 (Band E3); • or similar result in equivalent interstate Year 12, IB or GCE A Level subjects

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY (Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine) • Mathematics (not Mathematics Standard) (Band 4) or Mathematics Advanced (Band 4); • or Mathematics Extension 1 or 2 (Band E3); • or similar result in equivalent interstate Year 12, IB or GCE A Level subjects

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY (Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Dental Medicine)

(Bachelor of Dental Science - Honours)

(Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) • English (4,SA) • and Maths B (4,SA) • and Chemistry (4,SA)

JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) • English (4,SA) • and Maths B (4,SA) • and Chemistry (4,SA)

UNIVERSITY OF THE SUNSHINE COAST (Bachelor of Medical Surgery) • English (4,SA)

TASMANIA UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) • Year 12 English Communications (ENG315117 or equivalent); • or Year 12 English literature (ENL315117 or equivalent); • or Year 12 English Writing (ENW315114 or equivalent); • and Year 12 Chemistry (CHM415115 or equivalent); • and UTAS Chemistry Foundation Unit (KRA001)

• SACE Stage 2: Biology or Chemistry or Mathematical Methods; • or IB Biology (SL grade 4/HL grade 3) or Chemistry (SL grade 4/HL grade 3) or Mathematics (SL grade 4/HL grade 3); • or equivalent (i.e 1st year Human Biology as part of the Bachelor of Health and Medical Services program)

UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) • SACE Stage 2: two Science subjects • one chosen from Chemistry, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, Physics; and • One chosen from Biology, Geology, Chemistry, Physics • or IB: two Science subjects • One of Chemistry, Mathematics (SL or HL) or Physics; and • One of Biology, Chemistry or Physics • or equivalent university courses (i.e. 1st year Human Biology as part of the Bachelor of health and Medical Sciences program)

FLINDERS UNIVERSITY (Clinical Sciences/Medicine) None

• Mathematics (not Mathematics Standard) (Band 4) or Mathematics Advanced (Band 4); • or Mathematics Extension 1 or 2 (Band E3); • or similar result in equivalent interstate Year 12, IB or GCE A Level subjects

THEUCAT The UCAT is an aptitude test designed to find students with the abilities of a successful doctor or dentist. These abilities include: critical analysis, problem solving, pattern recognition, decision making, medical principles. You will have to sit this test when you are in Year 12 (for entrance into Medicine next year). You cannot sit the exam until then - but you can prepare for it! You should be aiming to score in at least the 90th percentile score to be competitive (this means you’re in the top 10% of students sitting the test).

VOLUME 1

UCAT SECRETS

7

HOW ISTHE UCAT SCORED? There are 5 sections on the UCAT exam - Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Situational Judgement. Students are given a score of between 300-900 for each section, with students overall scores ranging between 1200 (minimum possible score) and 3600 (maximum possible score).

1

VERBAL REASONING

2

DECISION MAKING

3

QUANTITATIVE REASONING

4

ABSTRACT REASONING

5

SITUATIONAL JUDGEMENT

AFTER SITTING THE UCAT EXAM, STUDENTS RECEIVE SEVERAL SCORES

300-900

1200-3600

Your score for each of the five sections.

An aggregate score for the first four sections.

All universities consider candidates’ aggregate score, although they may also apply minimum elegibility thresholds to certain sections (e.g. Section 1)

Some universities choose not to consider Section 5, as skills it examines may be incorporated into other assessments such as the interview.

One week after the final UCAT exam, an official UCAT calculator is released for students to enter their aggregate UCAT score and find out their percentile. In 2019, the average UCAT score for all students was 2481 (50th percentile). The average UCAT score required for admission into Medicine was ~2800 (90th percentile). Our students scored 2803 on average (91st percentile) - which is enough to get accepted into Medicine. I scored in the 99th percentile with an aggregate score of 3520.

8

UCAT SECRETS

VOLUME 1

of those who enter the professions with the ultimate aim of

WHAT HAPPENS IF I EXCELS ON THE ATAR AND UCAT?

improving patient care” And so every question on this exam has been created with the

If you achieves a high ATAR and UCAT score, then universities

purpose of testing you to see you have the skills they’re searching

may invite you for an interview which is the final component of

for, the skills that they’ve found good doctors to have.

your application.

YOUR UCAT SCORE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS ALL YOUR SCHOOL SUBJECTS (ATAR) - COMBINED

BUT SADLY, YOUR SCHOOL IS NOT GOING TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR THE UCAT

As you would have noticed, the UCAT exam counts for as much

Whilst your school is constantly helping you with your ATAR from

as all 5 or 6 of your ATAR subjects combined. This means that

9AM-3PM… Monday to Friday… for 221 days of the year...

you could score in the top 1% for each subject at school (Maths, English etc.) and still get rejected from Medicine with a poor

They’re totally ignoring the UCAT, and failing to provide any sort

UCAT score.

of guidance, teaching or help with it!