02Nov

HPAT Section 2 Tips and Advice

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Absorbing and recalling all of the information that you need from the passages you are given in HPAT section 2 can be quite difficult, however there are ways to tackle these long and dense passages so that you are able to process them and extract the important information more efficiently and effectively and thus improve your section 2 HPAT score.

One of the best ways to process section 2 stimuli is to break the paragraph down into simpler forms through paraphrasing. This means that long and complex paragraphs are simplified into smaller and simpler pieces of information. Good readers will paraphrase as they read and this saves time and also makes it more likely that your brains will be able to retain and recall the most significant information at a later stage while answering the questions. Some quick and easy paraphrasing tips and techniques are as follows:

- Write short summaries on the HPAT paper

- Underline sentences that capture the main ideas as simply as possible

- Keep your paraphrasing as simple and concise as possible without losing the main ideas – you will lose the value of paraphrasing if you overdo it

Another way to simplify a large passage is to create visual aids (in your mind). Not only will this help you retain and recall the information when answering the HPAT questions but it will also keep you interested while reading dense and complex paragraphs. Have a look at these examples:

- Stories/Novel Extracts: Creating visual aids is relatively easy as they are written in a manner that encourages visualisation.

- Analytical Piece/Argument: Visualise particular aspects of the article, such as main ideas or important elements so that they are easier to recall later.

- Argumentative pieces: Picture these pieces as a battle – one argument against another. This will help clarify the two sides being put forward in the piece.

As mentioned earlier, simplifying the texts is a good technique for understanding but if you oversimplify, it may cause you to lose the main idea of the paragraph and this can be costly to your HPAT score. Also avoid falling into a pattern when answering section 2 HPAT questions. Just because one question leans a particular way, doesn’t mean that the rest will follow. Make sure you treat each question set as new – don’t bring along any information from other questions sets!

HPAT Prep will be able to provide you with more tips on improving your HPAT score!

19Oct

HPAT Anxiety

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Knowing that the HPAT is getting closer may cause you to feel some anxiety. While a small amount of anxiety or nervousness is good for test takers, too much can hinder your performance in the test and consequentially bring down your HPAT score.

The following is a list which includes all of the typical signs of anxiety for you to look out for leading up to the HPAT:

  • Mental blank out – eg. knowing the answers before and after the HPAT (or practice tests)
  • Negative thoughts
  • Difficulty concentrating – eg. Racing thoughts
  • Nausea
  • Sweating
  • Headaches
  • Tense muscles

There are a number of factors that can cause these symptoms of anxiety, but fear not, as there are ways to cure or handle them so that you are not affected when it comes to taking the HPAT.

Cause #1: You are not very familiar with the HPAT

It is important that you confront the HPAT and find out about it so that you can eliminate any anxiety that is caused by uncertainty – eg. What it entails, what you will be assessed on, how long it is, how many questions etc. The basic facts about the HPAT can be easily accessed online via the ACER website or any other HPAT websites. Also, use the information that you find out about the test to discover the truths about any myths surrounding the HPAT. Don’t be sucked into believing what others may say about the test. Find out the answer yourself so that you are confident that you know the test well and can prepare accordingly.

Cause #2: You feel that you are unprepared for the HPAT

If you feel unprepared you should create an organised study schedule so that you have time to take practice tests, familiarise yourself with the types of questions that you will be asked on the HPAT, and most importantly work on any areas of weakness you may have regarding the HPAT.

Cause #3: You have physical signs of anxiety

Tension reinforces itself and will build up over time, so it would be beneficial to practice some stress and tension relief exercises.  Also make sure you are taking care of your body and your mind. Make sure you eat well, do regular exercise and get a good amount of sleep. Over studying and over preparing will hinder your performance in the HPAT. A good balance between study and leisure will help maximise your performance on the test.

Cause #4:  The ‘test environment’ affects you

The supervisor of the HPAT will try to make the environment favourable for test taking, however they cannot control everything. Wear comfy clothes (layers are good because the room could be cold or warm and you won’t know until you get there) and try to minimise distractions, for example, don’t arrive to early or too late – know the location of the testing centre and possible traffic conditions and sit by yourself before the test, as nervousness can be contagious.

The three keys for HPAT Success are: Preparation, Organisation and Practice. By implementing the tips above, you will be able to control your nerves and anxiety so that they don’t affect your HPAT results.

07Feb

HPAT Couses Galway

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HPAT preparation courses are run throughout Ireland leading up to the HPAT. A typical HPAT Course Galway will include: HPAT focused lectures, advice tips and strategies to ace the HPAT, a practice HPAT exam with results and feedback as well as many additional resources for HPAT preparation such as trial HPAT papers, practice HPAT questions, HPAT guides and HPAT drills accessible for Irish students.

Studying Medicine in Ireland has become extremely competitive. The competition for places in Medicine courses is fierce which makes the HPAT score particularly important in addition to students’ LC Points. The HPAT makes up about one third of the entry requirements for Medicine and Health Sciences in Ireland, with the remaining two thirds consisting of LC Points. This means that success in the HPAT is a MUST if students wish to study at highly ranked institutions in Ireland such as the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI GALWAY), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Cork (UCC) and University College Dublin (UCD).

Galway HPAT courses and lectures are facilitated by experienced HPAT educators with the assistance of students who aced the HPAT and will cover various techniques and skills required to answer questions in all three sections of the HPAT exam. In addition to an in depth analysis of past HPAT questions and examples from sections 1, 2 and 3, the HPAT lectures in Galway will provide students with the opportunity to ask questions as the sessions are very interactive. The additional resources provided through the Galway HPAT courses allow students to implement the skills they have learned and practice them in the time leading up to the HPAT exam in July.

The Galway HPAT courses are generally offered at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology or Menlo Park Hotel and Conference Centre, and will generally be held on weekends or school holidays and run for two full days (9am-5pm), so that they are accessible for all students. HPAT courses Galway provides an example of and details regarding such HPAT courses in the Galway area.

07Feb

HPAT Advice

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HPAT advice: Analysing a HPAT question

To analyse, you must look closely at a problem, break it down into parts and understand how they all fit together. It is important to develop a way of keeping track of the mechanics of the problem so that you can recall how everything fits together as you work through long problems or a problem with several associated questions. This can be done through writing out a formula on the side of the problem, drawing little mind maps or diagrams, underlining key phrases or simply putting a line through what you have already worked through or determined to be wrong.

HPAT advice: HPAT Section 1 is about problem solving, logical reasoning and crtical thinking. This section includes some problem solving questions. To answer a question like this, you have to break it into parts. You should be able to separate any unknowns, variables or concepts and understand how they make up the problem. It’s not just about a straight forward maths problem or comprehension. Instead, this section is all about using critical and logical reasoning to determine an answer.

HPAT Advice: HPAT Section 2 is about reading passages and answering questions. While this may seem like simple comprehension exercises, there is far more to this section than it appears. The questions purport to test your ability to read other people’s emotions and feelings. Sometimes there are questions that ask for over arching elements of the whole passage like tone or views of the author that can only really be grasped from understanding the passage as a whole. In addition, many people overlook the little introduction to the passage or other information included that may not seem overly important but may give you clues to help you answer questions such as what the authors intention is. Having an excellent knowledge of emotion vocabulary is of great help here. Having wide life experiences is also useful for this section.

HPAT advice: HPAT Section 3 is all about the patterns. This section is often seen as the hardest or the area where people have the most trouble. However, you know that it’s all about the patterns. Each problem must have a logical solution. How you analyse the problem and break down the components will determine how easily and correctly you answer the problem. There are a range of different types of pattern questions that can be asked; from finding which is the next in the series to finding which is the missing segment. The analysis and technique to answer these questions is the same for all.

To answer a question you need to be able to analyse it. As you begin to break down more and more problems, you will find that the skill becomes easier and takes less time. Analysis is crucial for not only all the sections of the HPAT but for other exams and everyday life as well.

HPAT sample questions will give you an idea of the types of questions asked.

03Feb

HPAT Courses Dublin

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HPAT preparation courses are run throughout Ireland leading up to the HPAT. A typical HPAT Course Dublin will include: HPAT focused lectures, advice tips and strategies to ace the HPAT, a practice HPAT exam with results and feedback as well as many additional resources for HPAT preparation such as trial HPAT papers, practice HPAT questions, HPAT guides and HPAT drills accessible for Irish students.

Studying Medicine in Ireland has become extremely competitive. The competition for places in Medicine courses is fierce which  makes the HPAT score particularly important in addition to students’ LC Points. The HPAT makes up about one third of the entry requirements for Medicine and Health Sciences in Ireland, with the remaining two thirds consisting of LC Points. This means that success in the HPAT is a MUST if students wish to study at highly ranked institutions in Ireland such as the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI GALWAY), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Cork (UCC) and University College Dublin (UCD).

Dublin HPAT courses and lectures are facilitated by experienced HPAT educators with the assistance of students who aced the HPAT and will cover various techniques and skills required to answer questions in all three sections of the HPAT exam. In addition to an in depth analysis of past HPAT questions and examples from sections 1, 2 and 3, the HPAT lectures in Dublin will provide students with the opportunity to ask questions as the sessions are very interactive. The additional resources provided through the Dublin HPAT courses allow students to implement the skills they have learned and practice them in the time leading up to the HPAT exam in July.

The Dublin HPAT courses are generally offered at Griffith College, and will generally be held on weekends or school holidays and run for two full days (9am-5pm), so that they are accessible for all students. HPAT courses Dublin provides an example of and details regarding such HPAT courses in the Dublin area.

03Feb

Which HPAT prep course?

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As a customer it is very difficult to choose between the various HPAT prep course providers. It is even more difficult to do so when you are bombarded with hype, myths and misinformation through slick and deceptive marketing strategies.

You are only going to be able to improve your HPAT results if you prepare using questions that simulate the real HPAT. Students are too often mislead by purchasing practice tests and questions that show little, if any resemblance to the HPAT itself. An example of this is HPAT prep courses that include LSAT questions. The HPAT does not have questions like those in the LSAT and therefore students are wasting their money by purchasing these questions and practice papers. Do not choose your HPAT prep course based on free sample questions. Generally, poor HPAT prep courses will provide a few good quality free sample questions to draw students in, but the quality of rest of their preparation resources and materials is sub-par.

Remember that anyone can publish information on internet websites, blogs and forums. HPAT prep course providers will manipulate their websites and the information they upload in order to make their courses seem more popular and rank higher amongst search results. Be cautious and only trust information from genuine websites and learning forums.

Beware of organisations which mislead by claiming that they are Registered Training Organisations. There is the only one Registered Training Organisation offering HPAT prep and is the only one whose course which is nationally accredited by the government (MedEntry HPAT Preparation).

As in most cases, word of mouth referrals are best. By asking around and speaking to students who have completed HPAT courses you will be able to gauge whether or not the course they did and the preparation materials and resources they received were worthwhile or a waste of money.

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02Feb

HPAT Practice Question Section 1

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You are treating a 60kg patient for a laceration, which you will need to suture under local anaesthetic. Given that the maximum safe dose of lignocaine is 3mg/kg, what is the maximum volume of a lignocaine 1% weight per volume (w/v) solution that can be administered safely?

A.   180µL

B.   6mL

C.   1.8mL

D.   18mL

 

More HPAT practice questions and resources are available.

 

Solution:

mL = milli litres ; µL = micro litres

1 litre = 1000 mL = 1 kg = 1000 g

1% weight per volume (w/v) solution means

1 litre has 0.01 kg of lignocaine

Or 1000 mL = 10 g = 10,000 mg

Therefore,

3mg/kg X 60 kg X 1000mL/10000 mg =18 mL

The correct answer is D.

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02Feb

HPAT Courses

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HPAT preparation courses are run throughout Ireland leading up to the HPAT each February. A typical HPAT course will include: HPAT focused lectures, advice tips and strategies to ace the HPAT, a practice EXAM exam with results and feedback, as well as many additional resources for HPAT preparation such as trial HPAT papers, practice HPAT questions, HPAT guides and HPAT drills.

Studying Medicine or Health Sciences in Ireland has become extremely competitive, particularly at institutions like the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI GALWAY), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Cork (UCC) and University College Dublin (UCD). The bar is always being raised with regards to HPAT scores and LC Points. This means that success in the HPAT is a MUST if students wish to study at highly ranked Irish Medical Schools.

HPAT courses and lectures are facilitated by experienced HPAT educators with the assistance of students who aced the HPAT and will cover various techniques and skills required to answer questions in all three sections of the HPAT exam. In addition to an in depth analysis of past HPAT questions and examples from sections 1, 2 and 3, the HPAT lectures will provide students with the opportunity to ask questions as the sessions are very interactive. The additional resources provided through the HPAT courses allow students to implement the skills they have learned and practice them in the time leading up to the HPAT exam in February.

The HPAT courses are offered in locations – such as Dublin, Galway and Cork and will generally be held on weekends or school holidays and run for two full days, so that they are accessible for all students. HPAT courses provides an example of and details regarding such HPAT courses in Ireland.

25Oct

Are HPAT Courses a waste of money?

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Organisations such as the ACER like to promote the myth that HPAT courses are a waste of money. This is because ACER has a hidden agenda.

Newspapers like to run stories with headlines such as: “HPAT prep courses declared waste of money”, or “HPAT courses a waste of money”, or “Are HPAT preparatory courses time well spent or a waste of money?”, or “Private courses branded PreMed are a waste of money” etc. Such articles create apprehension, doubt and fear among students and parents, so newspapers publish them to sell more newspapers.

Furthermore, those who have vested interests rally and argue against such courses or providers of such courses by making false, negative or defamatory comments about individuals under a cloak of anonymity. Truths about HPAT Preparation provides some useful information.

So why does ACER claim that HPAT preparation courses do not help? Well, there are many reasons and some of them are discussed under HPAT News and HPAT FAQ.

In summary, ACER’s misleading statements are due to the fact that:

  1. HPAT Preparation makes ACER’s job of creating the test paper harder.
  2. All psychological tests are based on deception (eg. placebo – see above links for details)
  3. ACER thinks that by making such claims, they will create a level playing field.
  4. By providing poor quality of preparation, some HPAT Preparation colleges do mislead, hence the importance of ‘Buyer Beware’.
  5. ACER’s stance has shifted constantly regarding HPAT Preparation (see above links).

In the three to five years that students spend at university, universities claim to develop students’ skills in critical thinking, logical reasoning, problem solving, interpersonal understanding and abstract reasoning. So it is illogical to say that such skills can not be developed.

The practice HPAT tests provided by ACER are easier than the real HPAT (and do not simulate the HPAT well). They are designed to lull you into a fasle sense of security. By providing such deceptive practice HPAT tests ACER is in fact misleading students.

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