What is the SJT? An introduction for UCAT applicants.
What is the SJT? How is it Structured and Scored?
The SJT is the final section of the UCAT exam. Like the other sections, the SJT is a multiple-choice exam. However, it has a different scoring system. Instead of being scored between 300 and 900, the SJT is scored from band 1 to 4. Band 1 is the highest score an applicant can achieve.
Candidates have 26 minutes to complete the SJT. This comprises 66 questions over 22 scenarios, meaning you will have just over 70 seconds per scenario.
Is the UCAT SJT Difficult?
Many candidates report that the biggest difficulty with the SJT is remaining focused and reasoning through every answer. With no clear working such as in a QR question, it can be tempting to skip the reasoning processes required to excel in this section and guess based on gut instinct. Avoid this.
Important Changes to the SJT for the UCAT 2022
An important change to the SJT for 2022 is the reduction in the total number of questions from 69 to 66, still with 26 minutes for the section as a whole. This will reduce the time pressure of the exam.
How is the SJT scored?
The following information on the banding and its interpretation is provided on the official UCAT consortium website.
Band 1 | Band 1 shows an excellent performance. Demonstrating in many cases a similar judgement to a panel of experts |
Band 2 | Band 2 demonstrates a good performance. Demonstrating appropriate judgement frequently, with many answers matching model answers |
Band 3 | Band 3 demonstrates a modest level of performance, with an appropriate level of judgement demonstrated for some answers and substantial differences from ideals for others. |
Band 4 | Band 4 demonstrates low judgement, with a substantial difference from the model in many cases. |
What Question Types Will I Encounter on the SJT?
The 22 scenarios in the SJT are based on real-life situations. The scenario will require candidates to decide how a student, dentist or doctor ought to respond to a situation based on the options provided. All questions provide a range of options ranging from highly appropriate all the way to grossly inappropriate. The challenge of the SJT is selecting the most appropriate options.
There are two question types in the SJT
Appropriateness: candidates are presented with an example scenario and possible responses. Candidates must judge if they are an appropriate response to the example situation.
Importance: candidates are presented with an example scenario and a list of responses; you must judge how important the given responses are in the context of the scenario.
Two Key Points To Remember
The SJT is multiple choice, you will be presented with four possible options for each question on a scenario (usually 2-4 total questions per scenario).
When assessing the appropriateness or importance of each response, judge them independently of one another. Meaning that the same response can be true for multiple questions on the same scenario.
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