HPAT 2020 - DR. JOHN GANNON - Everything you need to know - HPizzle
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HPAT 2020 Everything you need to know DR. JOHN GANNON john@hpizzle.com
Key Dates Registration Opens November 2019 Registration Closes January 2020 HPAT Exam 22 February 2020 HPAT Results June 2020 https://hpat-ireland.acer.org
What is the HPAT? The Health Professions Admission Test is an exam designed to measure a candidate’s suitability for a career as a doctor. It was introduced in 2009 in Ireland as another way of allocating places in medicine, in addition to Leaving Cert results. The HPAT rewards other types of intelligence that may be neglected in Leaving Cert exams such as logic, problem solving, emotional empathy and abstract reasoning. The good news is that you don’t have to learn anything off for this exam. You just have to practice answering questions and improve your skills over time. Your HPAT exam will take place on Saturday 22nd February 2020.
Exam Format You have to answer 110 questions in 150 minutes. All questions are in multiple choice question (MCQ) format with 4 or 5 options. Only 1 is correct. The exam is divided into three sections: Section 1: Logical Reasoning & Problem Solving Section 2: Understanding People Section 3: Non-Verbal Reasoning Section Questions Minutes Weighting 1 44 65 40% 2 36 45 40% 3 30 40 20%
Section 1 - LOGIC This section is all about interpretation of data, drawing logical conclusions, generating and testing hypotheses and working things out. You will have to evaluate information and identify relevant facts to reach solutions. Question types: Logic games Graphs Experiments Populations & statistics Data handling Finance & maths Spotting logical fallacies & drawing conclusions This is the section with the greatest diversity in question type, and for this reason students tend to find it the trickiest of the three when they begin preparing for the HPAT. But once you get to know it, you’ll find that it’s the best and most interesting section.
Why would a doctor need Section 1 skills? Doctors need to be able to think about problems quickly and reach correct solutions under pressure. For example, prompt and effective application of the WET FLAG paediatric life support formula could be the difference between a child living and dying.
Hot Tips: Section 1 Answers with qualifiers like “on average” and “approximately” are more likely to be correct Cautious or vague answers are often correct e.g. “may”, “might”, “can”, “could” “possibly” Absolute statements are often incorrect e.g. “always”, “never”, “definitely”, “must” Beware answers that equate actual values to relative values Beware negatively phrased questions e.g. “which of the following must be false?” Abbreviate names in your workings to make them as short as possible but not too short that you get confused If there are rules, extract them from the paragraph and write them down in abbreviated form For questions involving proportions of populations, it can be useful to pick a number and work with it e.g. 1000 people If something is larger than something else, or if one team beats another etc, just write “X > Y”
If values are multiples of each other, put them all in terms of the smallest one There is no use of calculators so get used to estimating the answers of tricky sums – the examiners do not expect you to be able to perform unreasonably difficult calculations so often an estimation will suffice to determine the correct answer For drug trial questions, the correct answer is never something like “The drug is the reason why the health of these patients improved” or “This drug should now be prescribed for this disease” When you’re trying to work out a pattern (e.g. books lined up on a shelf), start with what you know to be certainly correct For liars and truth tellers, the best way is to assign roles to each person and try to make it work, and if it fails start again To “be sure” of something, you need to allow for the worst case scenario Be familiar with correct experiment procedure e.g. controls, hypotheses Draw a rough table or diagram to organise information
Avoid biases and assumptions, ensuring your answer is supported by the passage – information you otherwise know to be correct, might be the wrong answer When asked for a minimum dataset requirement to find something out, try to find that thing out, with as little data as possible If two of the answers are direct contradictions of each other, there’s probably a higher chance that one of them is the correct one In “which of the following must be true?” try and create a situation in which the statement is not true and is not breaking any rules – if you can do that, then it is not the answer Graphs can be daunting but you are rarely required to understand all that's going on If questions appear to be a little bit too easy, make sure you’re not missing something If some cats are fish, and all penguins are cats, draw a Venn diagram If you have absolutely no idea, choose the longest answer
Section 2 - FEELINGS This section usually involves a dialogue or other text representing interpersonal situations between two or more characters. You must make inferences about how they feel, judgments on their behaviours and predictions about what might happen next. Most passages have multiple questions. Question types: Reflective passages Doctor-patient interactions Literary texts Cartoons Autobiographical excerpts Disputes between family or friends This is probably the section students find easiest, and also puts you under the least time pressure. However, it is the one with the least tips and tricks.
Why would a doctor need Section 2 skills? It is so important for healthcare providers to be empathetic when it comes to patient care. The Leaving Cert never assesses emotional intelligence, but this is an area the HPAT rates highly. A caring doctor, who is able to understand and anticipate how patients and their families will feel and react to a poor prognosis or a complication of a treatment, can make a profound difference to their lives, and this is the type of person the HPAT wants. Most of the questions are totally unrelated to a healthcare setting, but the idea is to test how good you are at seeing situations from the perspective of others.
Hot Tips: Section 2 Find direct quotes in the passage to support your answer (like you would for Leaving Cert English) “Aggressive” and “Angry” are normally incorrect unless there’s actually shouting going on Be conscious of the difference between how the narrator thinks everyone else is feeling/behaving and how they actually are The correct answer is not going to involve you criticising a healthcare professional’s competence or knowledge, but will most likely involve criticising their empathy or manner The tone of one of the characters might not be the same as the tone of the cartoon itself A common incorrect answer is adjectives that underestimate the emotional trauma of bad news e.g. “upset” instead of “devastated” following a messy divorce “What should the doctor say?” – something related to whatever the patient is most worried about It is important to note what part of the passage the question focuses on
Read the question carefully, especially looking for negatively phrased questions Always re-read the part of the passage that contains what is referenced in the question If in doubt, criticise the doctor (the patient is always right) Don’t worry if you get a strange old-fashioned literary passage – no one else will understand what’s going on either For answers with two adjectives, one wrong one often cancels out one right one If one extract applies to several questions, scan the questions first to give you an idea of what’s important in the text Always remember that it’s an empathy test – if in doubt, be nice to the guy whose kids are being taken away by social services Having a good vocabulary helps a lot in this section – check out the list of Key Vocabulary on the next page
KEY VOCABULARY acquiescent = reluctantly accepting of something without protest acrimonious = bitter, spiteful, hostile, harsh aflutter = nervous and excited aggrieved = perceiving unfair treatment apprehensive = anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen ardent = enthusiastic, keen, fervent, zealous, eager, fervid base = dishonourable, ignoble, immoral beleaguered = put in a very difficult situation belligerent = hostile or aggressive brazen = bold and without shame brusque = abrupt or offhand in speech or manner cajoled = persuaded by flattering callous = unfeeling, coldhearted, cruel, cold, candid = truthful, straightforward, frank capricious = changeable, fickle, erratic, unpredictable caustic = incisively sarcastic, (corrosive in chemical terminology) chipper = in lively spirits choleric = short-tempered, irritable chopfallen/chapfallen = down/depressed churlish = rude, mean circumspect = wary of circumstances and potential consequences, prudent coerced = pressured, intimidated or forced into doing something concede = surrender or yield conceited = having an exaggerated opinion of oneself conformity = behaviour in accordance with socially accepted conventions conjugal = relating to marriage or married couples contemptuous = manifesting, feeling, or expressing deep hatred or disapproval contrite = remorse at the realisation that one has done wrong credulous = naïve, innocent, (over)trusting, gullible crestfallen = sad, disappointed debilitated = hindered, delayed, weakened deferential = admiring, reverent, polite, submissive, obsequious dejected = sad and depressed, disheartened despondent = in low spirits from loss of hope or courage
devious = scheming, conniving, sneaky, cunning, crafty, sly didactic = intended to teach digressive = departing from the subject (but I digress) disconcerted = unsettled, composure disturbed discredit = harm the reputation of disgruntled = displeased, dissatisfied dismayed = feeling concern or distress earnest = showing sincere and intense conviction eloquent = fluent, articulate, good with words enervated = exhausted, drained of energy exasperated = intensely irritated, infuriated facetious = flippant, foolish, not serious or earnest, frivolous, light-hearted frugal = stingy, thrifty, economical, parsimonious, sparing galled = made annoyed or resentful garrulous = excessively talkative harassed/harried = stressed due to heavy demands impotent = powerless impugn = dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of a statement or motive incredulity = being unwilling or unable to believe something indignant = feeling or showing anger at being treated unfairly ineffectual = not producing the proper effect; futile insouciant – showing a lack of concern intolerant = not willing to allow or accept something introspective = examining one’s own mental/emotional conditioniIntroverted: withdrawn, reclusive, reticent, reserved, timid inept = clumsy, useless, unskilled inquisitive = curious, having an interest in learning things invidious = unpleasant or causing resentment e.g. invidious remarks irate = very angry, furious, enraged irked = irritated, annoyed irony = happening in a way contrary to what is expected, and typically causing wry amusement because of this lackadaisical = lacking enthusiasm & determination lethargic = lifeless, lazy, sluggish, indolent, dull livid = angry malleable = easily influenced meticulous = thorough, careful, pedantic
miser = cheapskate mutinous = rebellious, disobedient, defiant nonchalant = not concerned overbearing = unpleasantly overpowering paranoia = exaggerated distrust or fear paternalistic = managing someone as a father would a child pedantic = excessively concerned with minor details or rules perplexed = baffled placated = calmed, appeased, stopped from being angry, usually by making concessions pompous = grand, self-important pragmatic = dealing with things realistically based on practicality rather than theory rankled = caused keen irritation or bitter resentment repulsive = arousing intense disgust resolute = purposeful, determined, unwavering sadistic = deriving pleasure from inflicting pain sardonic = sceptically humorous scapegoated = being wrongly blamed sceptical = not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations scepticism = having doubts or reservations snarky = irritable, sharply critical sober = serious, solemn, sensible solicitous = showing interest or concern sullen = appearing sad and withdrawn vehement = passionate, forceful, showing strong feelings vexation = the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried virulent = full of malice vivacious = lively, spirited, energetic, animated
Section 3 - SHAPES These questions test your ability to reason in the abstract. You are provided with multiple different types of sequences, and you must identify and extrapolate patterns. Here, you are challenged to solve problems in non-verbal contexts. Question types: Next in the sequence Missing segment Odd one out Middle of the sequence Section 3 can seem like a bit of an enigma at the start, but students who prepare well tend to score highly in it. This is because questions are very repetitive and predictable. If you put the work in, there will be very few patterns or question types on the day that you won’t have seen before.
Why would a doctor need Section 3 skills? Of the three sections, it’s probably most difficult to see how this one applies to a career in medicine. For one, a good sense of spatial awareness is key for specialties like radiology or surgery. Also, a large part of the role of a physician when it comes to diagnostics is pattern recognition. Diseases can often present and progress in predictable ways, but the doctor needs to be able to figure out what’s going to happen next, based on past experience.
Hot Tips: Section 3 Try to figure out the pattern and what you expect to see, then if it’s in the options there’s a good chance it’s correct If there are three numbers inside a square, try different combos of add/subtract/multiply/divide to produce one from the other two When there are three cylinders moving around, examine each of the relationships between two In sequences where shapes are moving from front to middle to back, assign their positions as 1,2,3 The presence of letters often relates to their position in the alphabet – J, O, T are 10, 15, 20 respectively Sometimes you can get the answer by using only one of the moving parts 3 x 3 grids are usually set up so that 2 rows or columns dictate what’s in the third – Is it moving horizontally or vertically? Are you keeping common or keeping unique? For any shape with more than four sides – the number of sides is likely to play a role in finding the answer Pizza slices – opposite slices usually have a relationship
Pyramids – two adjacent blocks usually dictate what’s
above, often adding one element and subtracting the other
When there are many elements and they are cluttered, it’s
more likely to be quantity than position, however look out
for weird anomalies e.g. balls touching walls
Clocks are basically either related to position of the hands
or the actual time – try both
For rotations jot down the degrees (usually multiples of 45)
and CW (clockwise) or ACW (anti-clockwise)
Look out for patterns of prime numbers (2,3,5,7,11,13,17…)
and squared numbers (1,4,9,16,25,36,49…)
The most common movement patterns are: (1,1,1,1)
(1,2,3,4) (0,1,0,1) (1,2,1,2) and (2,-1,2,-1)
Tips for Middle of the Sequence
Always use mapping for middle of the sequence – draw the
shape out on the page and mark in where each element
(A,B,C,D,E) is located. This makes it easier to identify the
pattern of movement.
Write down your sequence (e.g. ECABD), this will save you
time when looking over answers at the end. If one element is being replaced each time, look for one that only appears once, as that will be at the end of the sequence Always look for a 3-2 rule at the start – this is a useful hint included in many MOTS questions. If three elements have a clear difference to the other two, those three will typically be in the 1, 3 & 5 positions. If an element appears 4 times and is missing once, it is probably hiding If an element appears 2 or 3 times, it could either be hiding or part of a 3-2 pattern
Timing You have approximately 60-90 seconds to answer each question SECTION QUESTIONS MINUTES Q’S PER 10 MINS 1 44 65 8 2 36 45 9 3 30 40 8 Don’t get bogged down on any one question, make your best guess and move on if necessary, and mark it to return to at the end if you have time. You can spend a bit longer than allocated on a question, but you should have an upper limit after which you must leave it. Always look at how many questions relate to the stimulus before you engage with it. If there are multiple questions it will be worth spending a little longer on organising the information (e.g. drawing a table). Don’t worry about the clock initially when doing drills or exams. Concentrate on answering questions correctly before you start to focus on timing. Eventually you should start to practice in test conditions i.e. no breaks, no music, keeping to time limit. It is a tiring exam so it is important to practice doing the whole 150 minutes.
Key Points The two most important things to remember are: 1. Read the question carefully 2. The process of elimination is your best friend The Exam Paper There is no rough paper allowed so that paper is your only space to work things out – be economical with space No one will be correcting the exam paper, you’ll only hand up your MCQ sheet, so no need to worry about the state of it Underline key words, draw tables, strike out incorrect answers Circle the answer you’re going for so it’s easier to review at the end Include “?” next to guesses and “√” next to ones you’re confident about The MCQ sheet Fill in neatly and in pencil, with one answer filled in per question, no stray pencil marks and no blanks. If you skip a question to come back later, be very careful not to fill in your next answer in that position.
Sample MCQ Sheet
The CAO Points System
You will receive your HPAT score in June 2019 and your Leaving
Cert results in August. These will be combined to determine if
you are offered a place in undergraduate medicine in one of the
five participating universities in Ireland.
Points scaling
Scores above 550 in the LC will be rounded up to the nearest 5
points and moderated as per the table below:
original adjusted original adjusted
550 550 590 558
555 551 595 559
560 552 600 560
565 553 605 561
570 554 610 562
575 555 615 563
580 556 620 564
585 557 625 565
e.g. a score of 558 is rounded to 560 and scaled to 552
Note: this adjustment only applies to candidates applying for
medicine, not for other courses.HPAT Results 2019 PERCENTILES & RAW SCORES 2018 70th = 163 80th = 170 90th = 181 98th = 200 75th = 167 85th = 175 95th = 188 100th = 213
Examples of combined scores
LC 625, HPAT 75th percentile = 565 + 167 = 732
LC 580, HPAT 80th percentile = 556 + 170 = 726
LC 530, HPAT 98th percentile = 530 + 213 = 743
Entry Requirements for Medicine 2019
UCD 736
Trinity 730
RCSI 729
UCC 729
NUIG 726
Points vary from year to year e.g. since I’ve started coaching students
for the HPAT, entry points for UCD have gone from 747 (2013) to 736
(2015) to 734 (2017) to 736 (2019). This does not necessarily mean the
standard is changing or that interest is increasing or declining or that
the exam is getting easier or harder.
The HPAT is marked by ACER (Australian Council for Educational
Research) who change the marking scheme on an annual basis which
influences the points that are awarded for a particular centile score.
The bottom line is that you are competing against 2500 or so other
candidates sitting the HPAT and you need to be around the top 20%
with a Leaving Cert > 550 points to put yourself in a good position.
However, it is best not to worry too much about CAO points and
instead focus on improving your own scores in practice exams.On the Test Day The HPAT exam will be held in various centres throughout Ireland including five locations in Dublin. You will be informed of your test centre and will receive your admission ticket by email around two weeks before the exam. Some students have talked to their teachers to try to organise sitting Leaving Cert mocks at a different time if there is a clash. BRING DON’T BRING Admission Ticket Calculator ID Rough Paper Pencils, Sharpeners, Erasers Watch Water Bottle Sleep well the night before – cramming is counterproductive. Eat a good breakfast – complex carbs. Arrive early – one less thing to worry about. Mobile phones must be left face down under the table or in your bag which is left at the top of the exam hall. If there are any types of question that you haven’t seen before, relax. It’s likely that most others haven’t seen them either.
Whatever you do, answer all 110 questions! There is no negative marking so do not leave blanks KEEP CALM: Remember that you will have done more work than most other students in the exam hall. STAY POSITIVE: Most students leave the exam feeling like they have done worse than they really did. Students also dwell on questions that they found difficult but don’t worry because nobody gets them all right. Try to forget about it until you receive your results in June. Good luck. You can do it! John
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