Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test
Encyclopedia
The Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) is a test administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research
(ACER) in Australia
and New Zealand
to assist in the selection of students into certain health science courses including most medical (MBBS or MBChB) and Dentistry (BDSc or BDS) courses, as well as other health science courses including physiotherapy and pharmacy
. The UMAT is used for selection into undergraduate courses only; applicants for graduate courses must sit the GAMSAT
. Each year, the UMAT is held on a single day, typically during either late July or early August.
(Year 12) results. In New Zealand, entry was following completion of the first year of a related degree, with applicants selected based on their GPA for that year. A consortium of universities found this criterion too restrictive, as it did not reflect all the qualities required to successfully study and practise medicine. Consequently, the UMAT was introduced to assess the qualities deemed by ACER and the UMAT Consortium universities to be important to the study and practice of medicine and the health sciences. These qualities include: critical thinking and problem solving, ability to understand people, and abstract non-verbal reasoning.
A candidate's UMAT score consist of three numbers, one for each section of the test, as well as a percentile ranking (out of 100) for each section. These UMAT scores are valid for 2 years.
The nature of the UMAT is quite different from typical school examinations; academic excellence does not necessarily equate to an outstanding UMAT result.
), may also independently scale each section of the UMAT in their selection process. In determining whether or not a candidate should be awarded a place, most universities also take into account a structured or semi-structured interview with the candidate, as well as Year 13 results- NCEA in New Zealand, and year 12 results in Australia. The University of Melbourne
, the University of Queensland
and the University of Otago
(except for Dentistry, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy) do not use interviews as part of the selection procedure.
ACER do not release their marking and scaling procedures. As well as this there are a number of different test booklets, with many of the questions uniquely appearing in one. From other tests administered by ACER (e.g. the Programme for International Student Assessment
, PISA), it is known that ACER likes a simple version of item response theory
presumed to correct for varying item difficulties. The accuracy of this scaling is, however, disputed.
Australian Council for Educational Research
The Australian Council for Educational Research , established in 1930, is an independent educational research organisation based in Camberwell, Victoria and with offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Dubai and India...
(ACER) in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to assist in the selection of students into certain health science courses including most medical (MBBS or MBChB) and Dentistry (BDSc or BDS) courses, as well as other health science courses including physiotherapy and pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
. The UMAT is used for selection into undergraduate courses only; applicants for graduate courses must sit the GAMSAT
GAMSAT
The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test is a test used to select candidates applying to study medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary science at Australian, British, and Irish universities for admission to their Graduate Entry Programmes The Graduate Australian Medical School...
. Each year, the UMAT is held on a single day, typically during either late July or early August.
History
Before the introduction of the UMAT as a component of university entrance requirements, the sole criterion for entry into medical or health science degrees in Australian universities was final year high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
(Year 12) results. In New Zealand, entry was following completion of the first year of a related degree, with applicants selected based on their GPA for that year. A consortium of universities found this criterion too restrictive, as it did not reflect all the qualities required to successfully study and practise medicine. Consequently, the UMAT was introduced to assess the qualities deemed by ACER and the UMAT Consortium universities to be important to the study and practice of medicine and the health sciences. These qualities include: critical thinking and problem solving, ability to understand people, and abstract non-verbal reasoning.
Format
As of 2011, the UMAT consists of three sections:- Logical reasoning and problem solving (44 questions to be completed in 65 minutes)
- Understanding people (40 questions to be completed in 50 minutes)
- Non-verbal reasoning (38 questions to be completed in 50 minutes)
A candidate's UMAT score consist of three numbers, one for each section of the test, as well as a percentile ranking (out of 100) for each section. These UMAT scores are valid for 2 years.
The nature of the UMAT is quite different from typical school examinations; academic excellence does not necessarily equate to an outstanding UMAT result.
Usage
The UMAT is now an entry requirement for all UMAT Consortium universities, which constitute the vast majority of medical schools in Australia and New Zealand. Each university determines its own cut-off scores for UMAT results (based either on the "raw" section scores or section percentiles, depending on the university), obtaining the results directly from ACER. Some Universities, (for example, the University of OtagoUniversity of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
), may also independently scale each section of the UMAT in their selection process. In determining whether or not a candidate should be awarded a place, most universities also take into account a structured or semi-structured interview with the candidate, as well as Year 13 results- NCEA in New Zealand, and year 12 results in Australia. The University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
and the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
(except for Dentistry, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy) do not use interviews as part of the selection procedure.
Controversy
Due to its inclusion as a mandatory admission requirement into medical and health science courses, as well as the highly competitive nature of entry into such courses, there has been some controversy regarding the UMAT's relevance, structure and necessity.ACER do not release their marking and scaling procedures. As well as this there are a number of different test booklets, with many of the questions uniquely appearing in one. From other tests administered by ACER (e.g. the Programme for International Student Assessment
Programme for International Student Assessment
The Programme for International Student Assessment is a worldwide evaluation in OECD member countries of 15-year-old school pupils' scholastic performance, performed first in 2000 and repeated every three years...
, PISA), it is known that ACER likes a simple version of item response theory
Item response theory
In psychometrics, item response theory also known as latent trait theory, strong true score theory, or modern mental test theory, is a paradigm for the design, analysis, and scoring of tests, questionnaires, and similar instruments measuring abilities, attitudes, or other variables. It is based...
presumed to correct for varying item difficulties. The accuracy of this scaling is, however, disputed.
UMAT Consortium universities
The following universities are members of the UMAT Consortium:- The University of AucklandUniversity of AucklandThe University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
- The University of AdelaideUniversity of AdelaideThe University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
- Bond UniversityBond UniversityBond University is a private university located in Robina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is also the first private university established in Australia...
- Griffith UniversityGriffith UniversityGriffith University is a public, coeducational, research university located in the southeastern region of the Australian state of Queensland. The university has five satellite campuses located in the Gold Coast, Logan City and in the Brisbane suburbs of Mount Gravatt, Nathan and South Bank. Current...
- Monash UniversityMonash UniversityMonash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
- Victorian College of PharmacyVictorian College of PharmacyMonash University, Parkville campus is a campus of Monash University, located in Parkville, Victoria, Australia. It is home to the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, previously known as the Victorian College of Pharmacy...
(Parkville campus of Monash University) - The University of MelbourneUniversity of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
- The University of NewcastleUniversity of Newcastle, AustraliaThe University of Newcastle is an Australian public university that was established in 1965. The University's main and largest campus is located in Callaghan, a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales...
(University of Newcastle School of Medicine) - The University of New South WalesUniversity of New South WalesThe University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
- The University of OtagoUniversity of OtagoThe University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
- The University of QueenslandUniversity of QueenslandThe University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
- The University of TasmaniaUniversity of TasmaniaThe University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
- The University of Western AustraliaUniversity of Western AustraliaThe University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
- The University of Western SydneyUniversity of Western SydneyThe University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
See also
- Special Tertiary Admissions TestSpecial Tertiary Admissions TestThe Special Tertiary Admissions Test is a scholastic aptitude test, used for entry into undergraduate programs at Australian universities for people without a recent Australian Tertiary Admission Rank ....
(also created by ACER) - GAMSATGAMSATThe Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test is a test used to select candidates applying to study medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary science at Australian, British, and Irish universities for admission to their Graduate Entry Programmes The Graduate Australian Medical School...
(also created by ACER) - ACT Scaling TestACT Scaling TestThe ACT Scaling Test is a test of aptitude in studies for Year 12 students in the Australian Capital Territory set by the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies and created by the Australian Council for Educational Research...
(also created by ACER)