Exploring the UCATSEN

The majority of UK medical schools use the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) as part of their selection process for medicine. Four extended versions of the UCAT exist for those entitled to reasonable adjustments. Around 6% of applicants sit an extended version of the UCAT. The most frequently taken version is UCATSEN, in which applicants have 25% extra time compared to UCAT.

However, relatively little is known about those candidates who sit an extended version of the UCAT, or how scores may be related to demographic factors, such as gender or age. This work will thus be vital to informing developments of extended versions of the UCAT, will have implications for eligibility criteria and outreach, and will inform future research into UCATSEN.

We will use national data to describe the demographic and educational profiles of those who take an extended version of the UCAT. We will then build a series of models which evaluate the relationship between the demographic characteristics of candidates and their scores on the extended versions of the UCAT.