GETTING YOU IN - Face 2 Face UMAT Preparation Centre

What is the UMAT?
Why do you need the UMAT?
A note for students
A note for parents
A note for teachers and career advisors

The Undergraduate Medical Admissions Test (UMAT) is an aptitude test designed to assist in the selection process for undergraduate health professional courses. It is designed by the Australian Council of Educational Resources (ACER) on behalf of universities throughout Australia and New Zealand. The aim is to test critical thinking, problem solving, the ability to understand people as well as non-verbal reasoning. UMAT is not applicable for graduate-entry programs in medicine or dentistry. Prospective applicants to these programs must take the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT).

The UMAT exam for 2011 will be held on the 27th of July.

The exam is 2 hours and 45 minutes long and consists of three sections which are completed in succession. UMAT will assess your abilities in each of these three sections which cover a range of general skills which are important in health professions. The table below shows the structure of the test by section and time.

Sections of the UMAT
	Description of Section	Number of Questions	Time to complete (in minutes)
Section 1: Logical Reasoning and Problem solving	Questions will assess your ability to comprehend information and draw logical conclusions using a range of data sources	44	65
Section 2: Interaction Skills (relating to others)	Questions assess your ability to identify, understand, and infer the thoughts and behaviour of the people in various scenarios.	40	50
Section 3: Non-Verbal Reasoning	Finding and interpreting patterns in a sequence of pictures.	38	50

The UMAT exam has opened up the opportunity to many talented students who would have previously not achieved high enough Year 12 or university marks to gain entry. The UMAT gauges your people skills and other attributes that can contribute to making a great doctor and a committed medical student.

Why do you need the UMAT

The UMAT is available to any student in Year 12 (Australia) or Year 13 (New Zealand) and above with a desire, or possible desire, to study one of the following health professional degrees at an undergraduate level.

University	University	Website
Bond University	Medicine	www.bond.edu.au/hsm/medicine
Charles Darwin University	Clinical Sciences	http://www.cdu.edu.au/
Flinders University	Clinical sciences/BMBS, Vision Sciences, Health Sciences/Physiotherapy, Health Sciences/Occupational Therapy	www.flinders.edu.au/medicine/
La Trobe University	Health Sciences (Dentistry), Oral Health Science	www.latrobe.edu.au/oral-health/
Monash University	Medicine, Pharmacy, Pharmacy/Commerce, Physiotherapy	www.med.monash.edu.au/ www.vcp.monash.edu.au
The University of Adelaide	Medicine, Dental Surgery	www.health.adelaide.edu.au/
The University of Auckland	Medicine	www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/
The University of Newcastle/University of New England	Joint Medical Program	www.newcastle.edu.au/jmp
The University of New South Wales	Medicine, Optometry	www.med.unsw.edu.au www.optom.unsw.edu.au
The University of Queensland	Medicine, Dental Science	www.som.uq.edu.au
University of Otago	Medicine, Medical Laboratory Science, Dental Surgery, Physiotherapy	www.otago.ac.nz/HealthSciences
The University of Western Australia	Medicine, Dental Science	www.meddent.uwa.edu.au/admissions
University of Tasmania	Medicine	www.healthsci.utas.edu.au
University of Western Sydney	Medicine	www.uws.edu.au/medicine/som

The UMAT exam is the first and compulsory part of the selection process for these university courses. Following the UMAT exam, the various admission committees will also take into account high school and/or university results and in some instances performance in an interview when making their selection. Without the UMAT exam you will not be considered for a place, no exceptions. Thus even if you are unsure, completing this exam is important for keeping your options open.

A note for students:

The final year of schooling is both demanding and rewarding – we know, we have been through it ourselves! This is why early preparation is important such that UMAT tuition can be incorporated into your weekly schedule. Remember the UMAT exam is worth ALL your subjects combined and therefore deserves weekly attention. So if you are:A Year 10 or 11 student? We would recommend starting your training at some point during this year beginning with a group class and then having individual lessons in your final year to concentrate on weaknesses and develop your strengths
A Year 12 student? We would recommend starting your training before your half yearly exams. This gives you the time and opportunity to develop your UMAT skills. If you apply later than this, do not despair! We can help tailor a study program for you!
A mature aged student? Whether you have tried and did not succeed in previous years or have decided for a change in career paths, then our course is right for you. It is never too late to apply! We have had past Olympians and people from all walks of life who came to us wanting to fulfil life-long dreams! It is never too late if you dare to dream!
Unsure if these courses are for you? Remember without this exam you can not apply for any of the above degrees. Therefore it is vital that you ensure you have all opportunities open to you. At the same time, it is important to give yourself the best chance of entry by being well prepared for UMAT when the time comes in July.

If you have any questions, please see our FAQ section or don’t hesitate to email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

A note for parents:

The process of applying for undergraduate study is stressful for both students and parents and this is something we understand. We aim to alleviate this confusion by providing a service which will assist your sons and daughters in the selection process but will also provide information about what is on offer and what is required for each university. We are also able to provide first hand experience as to what it is like to be in a medical degree and what is involved.

Here are some helpful tips for how you can help your child throughout this process:

1. Understand what is needed to get into medicine:

Discuss what career path your child is interested in
Encourage them to speak to health professionals and other medical students
Contact us as our team of directors and tutors is comprised soley of doctors and medical students

2. Map out a timeline and enroll in UMAT preparation

The UMAT is the first hurdle – make sure you are aware of the application deadline
Research the requirements for each university your child is interested in with them

3. Allocate time for UMAT

UMAT preparation is critical to keep you in line with other candidates as entrance into health professional courses has become very competitive. At Face 2 Face UMAT Preparation Centre, we lift students to the level above the pack
Help your child allocate time each week for UMAT training up until our mock exam – the benefit of our course is that the students have a target weeks before the UMAT and a way in which to assess their performance before the actual day

4. Tell them they have your support

We know as parents you will want to ensure your child has the best opportunity for reaching their potential and attaining their desire to study a health degree. Speaking from experience, knowing you have the support of your family makes the leap into tertiary education much smoother.

If you have any questions, please see our FAQ section or don’t hesitate to email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

A note for teachers/careers advisors:

“I missed out on applying for Medicine in year 12 because I missed the UMAT cut off date”

To some this may seem unbelievable but it is true. It is a shame that some students never realise their potential in the health field as they were misinformed about the entrance requirements. Caught up with their final year assessments, decisions about careers are often left until after exams which is too late for anyone interested in a health professional degree.

“I didn’t know the exam would be so different to school work”

The UMAT is a style of assessment unlike any other students would have participated in before. UMAT is not an IQ test nor does it draw from any final year curriculum work. At the same time it puts students under enormous time pressures and forces them to demonstrate mental stamina. This is particularly relvevant with the lengthening of the exam this year.

“I was too scared to commit to medicine because I’ve heard bad stories about how many hours you have to work”

Having been through the process ourselves we know what information students are after. We can help by offering you the opportunity for us to come to your school, free of charge, to have a general 30 minute discussion with your students as to what is required to enter a health professional course and where it can lead you in the future. We have attended many schools across Sydney and extremely positive feedback from students and teachers alike. It is important that students are made aware of procedures for entry early within the year. This gives them adequate time to prepare and allows them plenty of time to ask questions. Places for school talks are limited therefore we recommend contacting us via phone or email early so you can obtain the most suitable time for you and your students.

If you are interested please contact us on 0414870754 or email us at enquiries@f2fumat.com.au