Part 4: Preparing for UCAT Situational Judgement

Part 4 of our UCAT preparation guide focuses on one of the most misunderstood but important parts of the exam: Situational Judgement. We’ll unpack what the subtest entails, how it’s marked and how to effectively prepare for it.

What is Situational Judgement?

The Situational Judgement UCAT section is a subtest designed to assess your ability to understand real-world scenarios in a clinical context and identify the most appropriate course of action. You’ll be presented with a series of challenging ethical and interpersonal dilemmas that mirror situations you might face as a medical student or junior doctor.

Rather than testing your scientific knowledge or mathematical ability, Situational Judgement measures non-academic attributes such as integrity, teamwork, resilience and empathy. This subtest provides admissions panels with a glimpse into how you might behave in professional environments.

Does Situational Judgement Count for UCAT?

If you’re wondering “is Situational Judgement marked in the UCAT?”, the answer is yes. It can carry significant weight in the admissions process, depending on the university. Some universities consider Situational Judgement separately from the other cognitive subtests, while others may use it as a cut-off or a deciding factor when comparing borderline candidates. Your performance is graded into Situational Judgement Bands, from Band 1 (highest) to Band 4 (lowest), with Band 1 indicating excellent judgement and Band 4 indicating poor judgement. A high band score can boost your application and signal to selectors that you have strong ethical and interpersonal reasoning skills.

The Situational Judgement UCAT Format

This subtest is the final section of the UCAT and differs significantly from the others. In 2025, the Situational Judgement subtest consists of 22 scenarios followed by 69 questions, all of which must be answered within 26 minutes. This gives you less than 23 seconds per question, making time management vital.

You’ll first read a short scenario, usually involving a healthcare setting or a professional interaction. You’ll then be asked a series of questions about how best to respond to the situation.

There are two main question formats in the Situational Judgement UCAT subtest:

1. Importance or Appropriateness Questions – These require you to rate how important or appropriate a given response is, based on a specific scenario. You’ll usually choose from options such as ‘Very Important’, ‘Important’, ‘Of Minor Importance’ or ‘Not Important at All’.
2. Most/Least Appropriate Questions – You’ll be given several actions and asked to select which is the most appropriate and which is the least appropriate response to the situation.

It’s important to note that this section doesn’t require any prior medical knowledge. Instead, it tests your moral compass, professionalism and judgement under pressure.

Tips for Tackling Situational Judgement

To succeed in UCAT Situational Judgement, practice is essential.

For Importance/Appropriateness rating questions:

• Think like a healthcare professional – Priorities patient safety, respect and honesty.
• Avoid extreme reactions – Responses that involve escalating situations aggressively or ignoring professional responsibilities are usually less appropriate.
• Be empathetic – Consider how your actions affect patients, colleagues and the broader team.

For Most/Least Appropriate questions:

• Don’t overthink it – The best and worst options are often clearly distinguishable.
• Look for red flags – Actions that compromise patient care, break confidentiality or avoid responsibility are usually least appropriate.
• Remember hierarchy – Recognising when to escalate issues to a senior colleague is often the most appropriate action.

Practicing past questions and reading detailed explanations will help you internalise these principles and apply them quickly during the test.

Need Help? Contact Zhang’s HSC Coaching

Struggling with the Situational Judgement UCAT subtest or want expert guidance on the entire UCAT? Reach out to Zhang’s HSC Coaching. Our experienced tutors can provide you with detailed strategies, practice questions and one on one feedback to help you master the UCAT subtests.