THE MEDIC BLOG | 2020
BMAT
CHECKLIST
PRINT OUT FOR USE DURING BMAT PREPARATION
1 Find out everything you can about the BMAT
You need to know whatʼs on the BMAT, how much time will you have, how the exam is scored, when to
register, what you can and cannot bring to the testing centre, among other details. Use the checklist below
to get started.
Visit the official website and learn everything you can about taking the BMAT
Learn about the structure of the exam, itʼs timing and how it is scored.
Learn about eligibility, registration, key dates, the type of ID you need, what
happens if you cancel, what you cannot bring to the test centre, and other
important test information.
Find out about available test centres where the test can be administered.
Learn about the medical school admission process with the BMAT and the
application deadlines for programs in your country.
Find out if you qualify for reimbursement, which helps students from low income
backgrounds and ensure that the entry fee is not a barrier to access or widening
participation.
Read the official guides and find out the skills covered in the BMAT exam
Read the official BMAT preparation guide
Read the BMAT section 1 question guide
Read the BMAT section 2 specification and BMAT section 3 marking criteria
Watch the BMAT live 2020 chat (watch on YouTube)
Review the BMAT conversion tables
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2 Figure out where you stand
Take at least one BMAT past paper to identify your strengths and weaknesses in the exam. We recommend
that you go through the practice papers untimed before taking a past paper under timed conditions. This
will provide more insight into where your natural capabilities lie.
Attempt the official practice papers and at least one past paper
For more guidance on how to go about using the official past papers, take our free 30-day BMAT challenge. It
is a free ebook designed to structure revision and teach how to apply BMAT theory to your study. Learn more
Attempt the official BMAT practice papers untimed: Section 1
Attempt the official BMAT practice papers untimed: Section 2
Attempt the official BMAT practice papers untimed: Section 3
Attempt at least one official BMAT past paper timed
Review performance in practice papers and past papers
Create an outline of specific concepts, content and skills that may need more
attention as you revise for the exam.
Use practice results to identify why you think you missed specific questions
and what concerns you need to address before the exam. Break down the
stimulus-type, question-types and skills, as well as list your challenges.
Identify and record your base score in each section (using the BMAT
conversion table)
Identify your strongest and weakest BMAT sections
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3 Research and gather resources to help you prepare
Pull together an inventory of resources for BMAT preparation. BMAT resources can be broadly classified into
two: content and practice. Content are resources that provide knowledge. They include books, textbooks,
auditory and video tutorials on concepts that can be used in the BMAT. Whilst practice is resources that provide
questions that replicate the style of questions in the exam. The #1 choice for practice is the official BMAT past
papers.
Pick resources to learn content
As you select resources in this category, remember to reinforce learning by engaging in active learning.
Summarise what you read and explain concepts in your own words. You should always use content and
practice resources together to reinforce knowledge and test understanding.
Research and gather resources to learn content for section 1.
Gather materials that teach how to solve specific problems or think critically. For
example, if you struggle with the reasoning-type ʻcalculating averagesʼ then you
will get a GCSE maths textbook to learn how to calculate the mean. Save money
by borrowing books from your local library or watching comprehensive videos on
platforms like Khan Academy and YouTube.
Research and gather resources to learn content for section 2.
Gather multiple resources to learn and understand concepts that will be applicable
in section 2. We recommend using textbooks, YouTube, Khan Academy, online
quizzes, etc. The key thing is to consolidate knowledge by engaging in problem-
based learning where you are solving science questions that require applying
knowledge rather than recalling facts.
Research and gather resources to learn skills needed for section 3.
Gather resources to learn and improve the skills tested in section 3. For example,
you could gather resources that teach how to structure an argument if this is an
area of weakness. You might also find it helpful to do some wider reading on a
variety of subjects, particularly ethics or the nature of science, and current debates
in Medicine.
Pick resources to practice questions and apply knowledge
Resources in this category will comprise mostly the BMAT past papers. However, you may want to use other
resources to supplement and build familiarity with certain question-types.
Research resources with practice questions for concerned areas you need to
address for section 1.
Expose yourself to past papers and problems that draw on the reasoning-types
needed for section 1. Great resources include the TSA papers and BMAT practice
books.
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3 Research and gather resources to help you prepare
Research resources with practice questions for concerned areas you need
to address for section 2.
Expose yourself to past papers and problems that draw on your scientific
reasoning skills, where you are required to apply knowledge instead of recall
facts.
Research resources with practice questions for concerned areas you need to
address for section 3.
Expose yourself to past papers and exercises that draw on your essay writing
skills.
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4 Create your study plan
Organise your time to prepare for the BMAT test.
You can purchase our uniquely designed BMAT planner to help structure your revision and stay
organised Learn More
Prioritise the areas you want to study and practice.
List the areas that you want to study. Determine how you want to study
and practice them. Do you want to start with your strongest or weakest area?
Do you want to alternate between a section you are comfortable with and
a section youʼre less confident with?
Plan strategies youʼll use to study and practice. Remember, studying
content typically comes before practice and application.
Find out how many hours per week you can realistically dedicate to BMAT prep.
List all your academic, professional and extracurricular obligations as well
as how many hours each activity requires. Then consider how many hours
you have available to study each week.
Given the time you have available each week, allocate realistic periods that you
can dedicate to BMAT study.
Allocate tasks for each BMAT study period.
Please note that this can be done on a weekly basis.
Your study plan will likely change and thatʼs okay. After a few weeks of studying, you may find that you
need to adjust your timeline or the number of hours allocated for specific sections, concepts, or skills.
The earlier you start planning, the more flexibility youʼll have in your study schedule.
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5 Study and practice
Studying should include a mix of strategies to help you learn, integrate, and apply new concepts and
strengthen your existing knowledge and skills. After studying content areas, make sure to give yourself
opportunities to practice and apply them. Here are some other preparation strategies you might want to
consider using:
Pomodoro technique
Study in 25 - 50 minutes chunks with 5- 10 minute breaks in between to help
you study longer and reduce the likelihood of burning out.
Question log
Keep a log of questions you answered wrong or found difficult to review later.
Great for spotting patterns in performance.
We created a BMAT Question log spreadsheet and notebook for students to
purchase. They are great for reviewing performance and spotting trends. Click on
the respective links for more information.
Study group
Study with a partner or study group. Assign topics to teach each other, use each
other as sounding boards to think out loud, and share notes. Create questions
and quiz each other. You can join our free BMAT study group on Facebook.
Feynman technique (Ideal for Section 2)
Explain what youʼve learned to someone else. This is a great way to test you
understand the content. If you cannot explain it to someone then youʼve not fully
understood the topic.
Create flashcards (Ideal for Section 2)
Create your own flashcards for section 2
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5 Study and practice
Here are more preparation strategies you might want to consider using:
Multiple sources for the same topic (ideal for Section 2)
Develop a 3D understanding of content by reviewing the same topic from
multiple resources.
Active recall & summarisation (ideal for Section 2
Summarise what you learned from memory by compiling lists and drawing
compare-and-contrast charts or concept maps. Check the accuracy of your
summaries by using school notes, textbooks, or Khan academy tutorials.
Podcasts (ideal for Section 3)
Listen to podcasts in your spare time to expand your thinking on common
discussions.
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6 Evaluate progress
After a few weeks of study and practice, attempt a full mock to see where you now stand. Take it under
the same conditions as the actual test.
After you take the mock, review your results and consider your next steps. Are you happy with the results?
Do you need more time to study and practice, or are you ready to take the BMAT test? You may adjust your
study plan based on your practice exam results.
Take a BMAT mock periodically.
Take a full BMAT mockunder timed conditions.
We recommend completing at least 8 full-length mocks before test day. Use the
official past papers as mocks.
Review your results and performance from the full-length mock. Compare
to previous attempts and assess your current performance.
Determine your next course of action.
Post-Mock Analysis
Happy with results? Think you can do better?
• Take another practice test sooner • Review study plan based on practice
rather than later. test results.
• Work on minor issues that could be • Modify areas of focus and add more
improved. time and resources
• Hone on approach & exam • Consider if obstacles were physical?
techniques by doing mostly timed Were you hungry, tired or
practice for the remainder of prep. unfocussed.
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