UCAT Situational Judgement: Question Types, Examples and Principles

UCAT Situational Judgement tests how a candidate understands situations that arise in clinical settings and medical or dental training, and which responses and considerations matter most in them. The subtest has 69 questions in 26 minutes, about 22 seconds per question, and it is scored in four bands, with Band 1 the highest. No medical knowledge is needed, and the answers are judged against those of a panel of experts. Below are the three question types, an original scenario with worked answers for each, the principles behind most correct answers and how to prepare.

How Situational Judgement works

The UCAT Consortium says the subtest assesses integrity, perspective taking, team involvement, resilience and adaptability. Candidates read hypothetical scenarios set in a clinical setting or in medical or dental training, and each scenario may have up to six questions.

The bands come with an interpretation from the Consortium. Band 1 indicates judgement similar to the panel of experts in most cases, and Band 4 indicates judgement that tends to differ substantially from the ideal in many cases. Each university decides how to use the band, and some give it more weight than others.

The three question types

Appropriateness. The candidate rates a possible response on a four-point scale: a very appropriate thing to do; appropriate, but not ideal; inappropriate, but not awful; a very inappropriate thing to do.

Importance. The candidate rates how important a consideration is when deciding how to respond: very important; important; of minor importance; not important at all.

Most and least appropriate. The candidate chooses the most appropriate and the least appropriate action from a short list.

Since partial marks are given for an answer close to the correct one, a candidate who judges a response appropriate when it is very appropriate still earns some credit, which is one more reason to answer every question.

Featured tutors

Ellis A.

Master Tutor

Computer Science

I'm Head of Computer Science at a secondary school in Cornwall, where I lead staff CPD, after seven years in technology consulting. I teach GCSE and A-Level Computer Science, and I'm known for explaining the algorithms pupils find hardest in plain terms, little and often.

Enquire about this tutor

Michael M.

Master Tutor

EconomicsBusiness StudiesOxbridge Preparation

I taught Economics for nine years, latterly as Head of Economics at Winchester College, and I examine for AQA and Edexcel. I teach Economics and Business Studies to A-Level and prepare Oxbridge and UCAS applicants, working from Rosenshine's principles of direct instruction.

Enquire about this tutor

Michael O.

Master Tutor

MathsEconomicsPhysicsChemistry

I have a First in Economics from York and an MSc from UCL, and have tutored for seven years, including SEN students. I teach maths, economics, physics, chemistry and biology to GCSE, A-Level, IB and AP. I build strong foundations so advanced questions feel intuitive.

Enquire about this tutor

See all tutors

An original scenario with worked answers

The scenario and questions below were written for this guide in the style of the subtest. The answers reflect the principles set out in the next section, and the official practice materials remain the authority on how the panel judges responses.

"

Priya is a medical student on a placement at a GP surgery. In the evening, another student on the placement, Tom, posts a photograph in the students' group chat. It was taken in the surgery, and a computer screen behind him clearly shows a patient's name and appointment details.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Priya?

1. Priya messages Tom privately, points out that the patient's details are visible and asks him to delete the photograph. Very appropriate. It deals with the problem promptly and directly and gives Tom the chance to put it right.
2. Priya reports Tom to the medical school's fitness to practise process without speaking to him. Inappropriate, but not awful. Raising the concern is right, and going straight to a formal process before speaking to Tom or the placement supervisor is out of proportion as a first step.
3. Priya does nothing, since the group chat is private. A very inappropriate thing to do. A private chat does not protect the patient's confidentiality, and the details are already shared beyond the surgery.

How important are each of the following considerations for Priya in deciding how to respond?

1. The patient's confidentiality may have been breached. Very important. Patient confidentiality is the central issue in the scenario.
2. Tom may feel embarrassed if Priya raises it. Of minor importance. Tact matters, and it does not outweigh the patient's interests.
3. Whether other students in the chat have already seen the photograph. Important. It affects how far the information has spread and whether the surgery needs to be told.

Choose the most and the least appropriate action for Priya.

"

A. Ask Tom to delete the photograph and suggest that he tells the supervising GP.
B. Save a screenshot of the photograph as evidence.
C. Wait to see whether anyone else in the chat raises it.
D. Leave the group chat.

Most appropriate: A. It removes the photograph and brings in the person responsible for the placement. Least appropriate: B. A screenshot makes another copy of the patient's details, which makes the breach worse.

The principles behind most correct answers

Most correct answers follow a small number of principles drawn from the standards expected of doctors and medical students:

• Patient safety and wellbeing come first. A response that protects the patient usually outranks one that protects a colleague or the candidate.
• Honesty and integrity. Responses that conceal a mistake or mislead someone are very inappropriate.
• Confidentiality. Patient information is shared only with people who need it for the patient's care.
• Proportion. The best first step is usually to raise a concern directly with the person involved, then to involve a supervisor if needed. Going straight to the most senior or formal route is often out of proportion, and doing nothing is rarely right.
• Working within one's competence. Students do not take on tasks beyond their training, even when asked, and they seek help when needed.
• Respect for colleagues. Good responses deal with a colleague's mistake privately and supportively, without public criticism.

Timing in Situational Judgement

At about 22 seconds per question, there is little time to deliberate. Reading the scenario once carefully and then answering its questions in a run works better than rereading for each question. Candidates who find themselves stuck between two adjacent ratings should pick one and move on, since partial marks reward a near answer and time spent on one question is lost from the rest.

How to prepare for Situational Judgement

• Read the GMC's guidance for medical students. The General Medical Council's Achieving good medical practice sets out the standards the scenarios draw on, and dentistry applicants can read the General Dental Council's standards.
• Practise with the official question bank and practice tests, reading the explanation for every answer, especially those that were close.
• Keep a note of principles. After each practice set, writing down the principle behind each error helps to build consistent judgement.
• Use work experience and volunteering. Thinking through how professionals handled difficult situations during placements builds the same judgement the subtest assesses.

The UCAT practice questions page explains how to use the official materials, and the UCAT preparation plan fits Situational Judgement practice into the weeks before the test. The medical school interview guide covers the same ethical principles for interviews.

Related guides

• UCAT guide: subtests, scoring and how universities use it
• UCAT score converter
• UCAT Verbal Reasoning
• Medical school interview preparation
• Medical school personal statement guide
• Super-curricular activities for dentistry

University admissions support from Taylor Tuition

Students preparing for the UCAT often want to talk through Situational Judgement scenarios with someone who can explain the principles behind the expected answers. Our tutors are graduates of Russell Group universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, and the tutor pool includes former heads of department and school leaders, experienced exam-board examiners, teachers from independent and boarding schools, and educational consultants with independent-school admissions experience.

Sessions run online for families across the UK and internationally, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject, there is no registration fee and the initial consultation is free. Tutors who work with children hold an enhanced DBS check, and families receive progress reports after sessions.

Read more about our UCAT tutors, or send an enquiry and we reply with tutor recommendations.