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Update: Med offers out!
I got an offer for doing medicine YAY! Currently drinking vodka for the first time haha. Thanks to everyone for their support. 
Results are out!!!
So yeah I just checked my results like 10 minutes ago:
Section 1 66 - 96 percentile
Section 2 45 - 30 percentile (ouch!) i.e. I got beaten by 70% of everyone in this section
Section 3 57 - 70 percentile
My section 2 was horrificly bad. I think it's the worse score I've heard out of everyone so far, but luckily my section 1 will pick up the slack for me. When I combine these with what I think will be my paper marks I get 83% which is alright and I think it'll be enough to get me into medicine, but I'll only know for sure on December 23rd where the letter they send me will either make for a very happy christmas or the worst christmas of my life so far.
Thanks to everyone who gave me support. Hopefully I'll be reporting good news on the 23rd 
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On this fateful day I will be sitting UMAT, or the undergraduate medicine and health sciences admission test (another, and probably more appropriate, name would be unbelievable mental anguish and trauma test). It was made and is run by a company called ACER. It's meant to test skills that you've acquired over your time at school and so you can't really study for it (although you can prepare by doing past questions etc.)
As you can guess this test is Australasia's equivalent of the MCAT, but more gay in so many many ways (from what I've heard of the MCAT anyways). It consists of 3 sections:
Section 1 - logic and reasoning
Section 2 - understanding people
Section 3 - non-verbal reasoning
The logic and reasoning section is very similar to the equivalent section in the LSAT, and I don't have too much trouble with that. A thing to ntoe is that this section is still incredibly difficult and nearly everyone will not be able to complete it in time.
The understanding people section is the gay part. You're expected to read conversations between patients and doctors, and to pick (it's a pure multichoice test) how the patient is feeling in line 10 or if the doctor's response in line 5 was appropriate. Can I get a wtf?
Non-verbal reasoning is just "what comes next in the pattern" sort of questions (think IQ tests) but it hardly counts for my university so I don't really care.
Thousands of people will be sitting this test on this date, including many medicine hopefuls like myself. Worst part is that the understanding people section is worth 45% of my UMAT mark for my university, and that my total UMAT mark from the 3 sections makes up 34% of the mark that decides if I get into medicine or not. That's the equivalent of like 3 and a half papers T_T!! I got a 98% average (thank you lord for scaling and to everyone else for doing so so badly) in my 1st semester papers so I'm all set for my other 66% of my final mark that is taken from my paper average. It's just the bloody UMAT that is standing between me and med (no interview required).
A very easy section 2 example question in the spoiler:
+ Show Spoiler +
Bob’s wife, Mary, has been in hospital recovering from a heart attack. The doctor informs Bob that she is now well enough to return home, although she will need to ‘take things easy for a while’.
Bob: I’m glad she can come home now Doctor, but I’m not sure I can look after Mary by myself. We live on our own, you know.
Doctor: Bob, it’s natural to feel a little anxious, but the best thing for Mary will be to be back in her own environment.
1. In his response, the doctor has
A not realised that Bob is concerned.
B not really dealt with Bob’s concerns.
C responded to Bob’s concerns effectively.
D made Bob feel bad about being concerned.
2. Following the doctor’s reply, Bob is likely to feel
A relieved.
B empowered.
C embarrassed.
D apprehensive.
Answers lol:
+ Show Spoiler +
1. B
2. D
Remember these are like easy example ones and the real ones are shit-yourself-in-your-parts-wtfness.
Some harder practice questions, although still significantly easier than the real thing (but gives a good idea of the format they use):
+ Show Spoiler +
In the real thing you'd want to only spend just over 6 minutes on the following 5 questions. Sorry for typos caused I typed it up real quick without checking.
The follwing script is an extract from a play. Claudia is thirty-nine. Her husband, Martin, has a very low sperm count. Claudia has undergone eight IVF treatments during the last two years in an attempt to conceive a child with her eggs and Martin's sperm. After the most recent treatment, she finally became pregnant for over three months but then miscarried.
Claudia: The doctor said it was safe. Relax he said. You're through the first three months. It's going to happen. Ninety-eight per cent safe. You can talk to the baby. Tell her stories. And I did. Story after story.
She howls with rage.
Martin: It's only a miscarriage.
Claudia: Only? Only?
Martin: We'll try again.
Claudia: Martin, it was a miracle it happened last time. It is not going to happen again.
There's a silence.
Martin: I don't want a sperm donor. If we are going to have a child, I wan it to be mine.
Claduia: Martin, I've been trying and trying to have your child.
Martin: If I'm going to bring it up, I want it to be mine.
Claudia: I totally agree. I've always totally agreed. The only little problem is that you're running out of sperm and I'm running out of quality eggs.
Martin: It'd be like you've been unfaithful.
Claudia: Martin!
Martin: Metaphorically.
Claudia: If all I ever am is metaphorically unfaithful, you're doing okay.
Martin: I'd rather adopt.
Claudia: So the child isn't yours or mine?
Martin: In some weird way, that's fairer.
Claduia: You bloody well know adoption is almost impossible.
Martin: I just don't want to be bringing up another guy's child.
Claduia: You don't want me to have any child!
Martin: That's not true. Absolutely not true. I wanted this kid. As soon as I knew you were pregnant it really hit me. I wanted it as much as you.
Claudia: Yeah, I know. Sorry.
56. How does Claudia perceive Martin's response after she 'howls with rage'?
A sympathetic but clumsy
B confronting but realistic
C comforting and reassuring
D insensitive and thoughtless
57 What is the most significant aspect of being a father for Martin?
A sharing the role of raising a child equally with Claudia
B keeping Claudia happy by fulfilling her need for a child
C being financially responsible for a dependent wife and child
D having the same biological connection to the child as Claudia
58 What does the 'silence' suggest about Martin's understanding of the situation?
A Martin knows what is behind Claudia's comment.
B Martin has finally realised how much he wants to have a child.
C Martin doesn't understand what Claudia is making such a fuss about.
D Martin has not thought about other ways to become a parent before now.
59 How do Claudia and Martin relate to each other?
A They are polite but do not listen to each other.
B They are sarcastic and dismissive of each other.
C They support each other through a difficult emotional time.
D They acknowledge each other but focus on their own needs.
60 Where have Martin and CLaudia got to by the end of the passage?
A Claud has decided to go ahead and use a sperm donor.
B They still cannot work out how to resolve their situation.
C Martin has decided to find out more abiout adopting a child.
D They have both agreed about the next steps they need to take.
Answers:
+ Show Spoiler +
56. D
57. D
58. A
59. D
60. B
Poll: How'd you do?
(Vote): All wrong 
(Vote): 2 right
(Vote): 3 right
(Vote): 4 right
(Vote): All right yay!
At my university (Otago University in New Zealand) 1500 students take a first year course, and from that 190 are selected to enter medicine. Because the course is so tough for most people, 500 people have dropped out in the first semester already. A further couple hundred have not gained the minimum 70% in every paper that you need to apply for med, so the actual number of people who are going to apply for med is at a not so scary ~600. Even then, the competition is pretty intense and every mark counts sorta thing.
Anyways enough ranting. I'm sure there'll be a couple others on TL who are gonna sit the test too, mostly in Australia I guess, so good luck to you guys too ^_^ (and screw you ACER for making such a gay as test).
 
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Hey i got the questions right!
But yeah I can imagine the harder ones would be really annoying.
Anyway good luck, I have no idea about all that stuff ^_^
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Uh... maybe you should be studying right now rather than writing this post
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Haha yeah but you can't really study cause there's hardly any practice questions available from ACER and the questions that other companies try and provide are crap cause noone can write the questions as gay as ACER can
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Good luck, skyglow  and post the results and maybe some more of these spoiler questions with their answers - I really like that one  .
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On July 28 2008 09:19 Jathin wrote:
I would kill for my medicine entrance exam to have questions of that format. I took the MCAT (I'm from the USA). Does your UMAT use passages or are they all short-answer multi choice like that?
Anyway, time for some advice. First and foremost, the UMAT tests one thing and one thing only -- how well you can take the UMAT. Keep that in mind, that it's not a predictor of how good a doctor you will be. Most people who take that exam are capable of being doctors, but since it's such a selective process they need SOME filter.
Second, I would recommend exercising in your few days remaining before the exam. When I took the MCAT I was running 3-4 miles per day for two weeks before the exam. It really kept my nerves in check when I sat down for the real deal (nerves are the #1 reason for poor performance in exams like this).
If you need any advice, let me know. I'm starting med school in 4 weeks.
Most of it is passages, ranging from about 1/2 a page to a full page then a bunch of questions on that passage.
Ya you come to the point when you realise UMAT isn't about being a good doctor, it's about beating a test that is unlike any I've sat before.
Thanks for the advice! I've been working out (go skinny little asian me!) and sleeping heaps and trying to calm myself down so I don't freak on the test day. Congrats onto getting into med school btw.
On July 28 2008 09:17 Emptyness wrote:Good luck, skyglow and post the results and maybe some more of these spoiler questions with their answers - I really like that one .
Thanks. I've chucked some more questions up for people to have a go at.
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I wanna see some of the 'real' stuff, so you can stop saying the shit your facing is way too much for 'our' level of exercises, that irks me so much.
Anyways, good luck
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The practice questions ACER give out are not the real ones, and there's pretty much no way of obtaining the real ones afaik sorry
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Real stuff plz gogogogogo
And Martin is teh fail.
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I think this test is amazingly smart unlike the retarded theoritical exams giving for engineers or other studies. This test checks your EQ, emotional quotient which is btw one of the most important thing when working with people.
If I remember correctly, many lower managment have higher IQ yet those who have higher EQ manage to get CEO and high-management positions in companies. I think that since a doctor is responsible for the health and well-being of the patient, he should know how to read the patient and talk accordingly. Remember you can tell somebody to go fuck themselves in the nicest way possible and they won't hate you for it... as much. It's the how you do things that counts really.
anyways I hope you do well in this test because it was probably designed to test that ability mostly and you don't seem like a douche, just somebody who is concerned about his future. so relax, prepare yourself and take the time to breath while your taking the exam (it relaxes you and you seem so stressed lol ). Anyways gl dude
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I have to take the MCAT this coming spring, and I am slacking so so much. Frick. I should be studying 8 hours a day, every day when I have the chance in this summer break, but alas I am a genuine procrastinator. Okay, starting tomorrow, I am going to study for at least 4-5 hours. Good luck for your exam, and I hope you own it. You are my favorite poster on tl.net, just to let you know.
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Good luck on that test dude.
Beats the Dutch system, unless you got super high grades in high school you have to do some kind of lottery to get in.
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hmmm, Acer is a computer company right? or am i thinking of something else completely off
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On July 28 2008 13:13 b_unnies wrote:
hmmm, Acer is a computer company right? or am i thinking of something else completely off
lol. I'd like to think not in this case. Although ACER is the name of a computer company
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Thanks guys Will report back on what is hopefully owange of the test. I won't know the actual results to september though (that's a loooooong time to wait and worry over the test lol).
On July 28 2008 10:41 Cloud wrote:I wanna see some of the 'real' stuff, so you can stop saying the shit your facing is way too much for 'our' level of exercises, that irks me so much. Anyways, good luck
It comes across in my post that the real thing is super hard but that's only cause I suck at section 2 so badly so for me it's like a nightmare lol. It'd be interesting to see the scores of some TL people doing this test.
On July 28 2008 11:49 Freaky[x] wrote:I think this test is amazingly smart unlike the retarded theoritical exams giving for engineers or other studies. This test checks your EQ, emotional quotient which is btw one of the most important thing when working with people. If I remember correctly, many lower managment have higher IQ yet those who have higher EQ manage to get CEO and high-management positions in companies. I think that since a doctor is responsible for the health and well-being of the patient, he should know how to read the patient and talk accordingly. Remember you can tell somebody to go fuck themselves in the nicest way possible and they won't hate you for it... as much. It's the how you do things that counts really. anyways I hope you do well in this test because it was probably designed to test that ability mostly and you don't seem like a douche, just somebody who is concerned about his future. so relax, prepare yourself and take the time to breath while your taking the exam (it relaxes you and you seem so stressed lol ). Anyways gl dude
Problem with section 2 is that doctors don't read patient's emotions through a conversation on paper in real life. There's tons of things like body language and tone that I'd think were more important in real life situations, but everyone knows its bullshit and I just have to deal with it lol.
On July 28 2008 13:23 xBTx wrote:Show nested quote +On July 28 2008 13:13 b_unnies wrote:
hmmm, Acer is a computer company right? or am i thinking of something else completely off lol. I'd like to think not in this case. Although ACER is the name of a computer company
I never thought of that haha. I think the computer ACER is a brand and the UMAT ACER is a company, or maybe theyre both companies.
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That sucks man. Good luck.
MCATs here weren't really that fun either although this seems a bit.. worse in a way. Then again, probably more applicable than straight up book knowledge-ish stuff that MCATs was.
Best thing to do is not worry about it too much. In any way that you can. Worrying is basically just a waste of time and makes you perform worse. Figure out ways to relieve stress or just calm yourself. It won't be bad as long as you put the time in studying and probably understand concepts (well, at least that's how I learned stuff).
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On July 28 2008 22:19 Jathin wrote:Show nested quote +On July 28 2008 14:22 eshlow wrote:
MCATs here weren't really that fun either although this seems a bit.. worse in a way. Then again, probably more applicable than straight up book knowledge-ish stuff that MCATs was.
?? The only part of the MCAT that was truly straight-up knowledge was the discrete questions. Everything else you could figure out from the passages. That's one of the primary distinctions between the MCAT and the USMLE (US Medical Licensing Exam) and why people criticize the MCAT as not being a good predictor of USMLE scores -- the USMLE is heavy on facts.
For the most part, if you didn't know what you were looking for (had some semblance of background knowledge), you couldn't figure out the answers on a bunch of the questions. For example, the questions about physiology of different body systems or a knowledge of say IR spectra for organic chemistry passages. Sometimes they threw in obvious answers in the passages, but maybe only for the first question or two out of 5-6 of each passage.
I dunno I had taken orgo about 4 years ago so I was getting like 40-50% when I first started studying it again when I had a fairly "decent" background knowledge on it. But it was only when I started rememorizing mechanisms like Sn1/sn2/etc. and the NMR/IR spectra that I bumped the percentage up to like 70-80%+
But yeah, as you said, there were also the discrete questions as well.
In any case, I would hope it's not a good predictor of USMLE because it was a bunch of crap as far as I'm concerned.
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On July 29 2008 01:11 Jathin wrote:
Ah I see what you mean. I never considered NMR/IR/Sn1/Sn2/etc. as memorizing because I used it so frequently as an undergrad that I never had to explicitly memorize them.
Where are you going to med school?
Yeah, it's funny I probably would've done better if I took it back in like sophomore year right after I had taken physics, orgo and all of those classes. But hey, can't complain with a 33 after a month or so of studying.. all came back pretty quick overall.
Not yet. Applying this cycle. Planning on getting into Univ of Md though. I like their class format, and it's in state so tuition is much, much lower than anything out of state. As long as I don't blow the interview I should be able to make it.
Where are you at?
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I got them all right. Just study hard and dont worry about. My way of looking at things is if you cant past a test, then you are in the wrong field, and are better off failing and moving on to something else you are intended to do in life. Not everyone is good at everything. Find what you are good at it and do that.
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So I just sat the test like a couple hours ago. The test venue was horribly cold and harsh and it didn't help that today was real bad weather. I was shivering while waiting for an hour for the test to start. Section 2 was really hard for me as I expected and I think I'm gonna do pretty badly at that but the other two sections were alright. Thanks everyone for support! ^_^
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Good luck sir. If you did all you know you could have you should have no regrets.
Sounds good Jathin.
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Crap, I just saw this just then. Im too late
I sat the UMAT and am currently a med student at UWA. Dont be too worried about how you did, its one of those ceiling tests where your not expected to get really high scores. It just about beating your competition.
Goodluck with your results. Maybe we'll run into each other some day as students or doctors
Just for everyone else. The UMAT questions are generally quite a lot harder than the practice ones they put out. The time constraints on the test are quite rough as well (1.5 mins per question if I remmember correctly).
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Results just came out and I posted an update
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Good luck sir. Your section 1 should make up for some of your section 2 indeed. Hopefully enough.
I'm doing application stuff now... not fun.
We shall reconvene later.
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I posted an update, for anyone who wants to know how this story turned out.
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congrats! Based on that poll most of TL could go take the MCATS (or w/e they are called) and become doctors. TL never ceases to amaze me.
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Wow congrats dude and welcome to the club. Theres a few of us now on TL
To Jonoman92, the sample questions they release are generally a lot easier than the ones in the test itself. In the test there are a range of questions from easy to downright impossibly hard. The idea being that they can see about what difficulty level a persons brain starts crumbling .
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Aotearoa39261 Posts
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Congrats bro! I on the other hand failed miserably. My dumb mexican ass....Does it help that I just guessed?
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the questions above the poll seemed similar to the reading comprehension questions on the SAT... but easier o_O
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EPT
