Pearson VUE

Quick links:

About UKCAT
The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (www.ukcat.ac.uk) is used by 26 universities to inform the application and admissions process for their medical and dentistry courses. The test is run by the UKCAT Consortium in partnership with Pearson VUE.

Why introduce a test?
Medical and dentistry courses at UK universities are in huge demand, with around 22,000 applicants for 9,000 places. The test was introduced in 2006 to help universities identify candidates’ likely aptitude for a clinical career. All applicants must take the test before applying to any of the 26 participating universities.

Professor Ian Johnson, Chair of the UKCAT Consortium, explains: “It has become progressively more and more difficult to identify who to interview, with most applicants predicted to get A* and A grades at A Level."

“Academic performance remains important, but the tests give us another tool. There is a long history of such testing in the USA and other countries – here it was an idea whose time had come.”

How does it work?
UKCAT consists of four sub-tests on verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, abstract reasoning and decision analysis. It is multiple choice and lasts 90 minutes. Pearson VUE manages the whole end to end process, including:

Marketing, online registration, test booking and payment handling
Test delivery through a selection of Pearson VUE’s global network of test centres in 168 countries.
Test security
Test question provision
Test delivery and instant assessment
Detailed management information for all universities

The benefits
The Consortium wanted tests that were credible - and a partner who could be trusted to deliver.

As well as exceptional delivery, other benefits include:

Efficiency
Thanks to Pearson VUE’s question bank, candidates do not need to be tested at the same time on the same day. The system also eliminates the distribution, storage and tracking of test papers and answer scripts.

Speed and accuracy
For candidates, all answers are marked automatically, improving accuracy and providing instant results.

Detailed feedback
Each university obtains detailed information on all its applicants and can use the results in its own way to support admissions.

During the period July – October 2006, 19,000 people took the UK Clinical Aptitude Test.

“The first year has been an overwhelming success; it’s been very hard work, but I don’t think that anybody thought it would be so successful.” said Prof Johnson.

The future
Students will be tracked over time to discover the link between test scores and real performance to help develop the recruitment and selection process. As Prof Johnson puts it:

“In the long term, we’re not just interested in producing good medical students, but in producing the best doctors and dentists.”

As part of this tracking, a selection of noncognitive assessments are being trialled in the last 30 minutes of the UK Clinical Aptitude Test.

About Pearson VUE
Pearson VUE is the world’s leading assessment and testing business, with a focus on advanced technology and exceptional service.

How we can help
If you offer paper-based tests, or need to introduce new forms of testing, we can ensure you maintain standards while making the transition to computer based testing. We offer a flexible range of services, including:

Test development
Registration and scheduling
Test delivery through our global network of over 5,000 test centres in 162 countries, or in your own test centres
Management information
Security and data integrity, including physical, password and encryption systems

If you would like further information about Pearson VUE and our assessment solutions please email pvemeamarketing@pearson.com or visit www.pearsonvue.co.uk.