BMAT Section 2 requires detailed scientific knowledge, and in-depth BMAT preparation. It covers Chemistry, Biology and Physics. There is also a Maths section.
Many students find Physics the most challenging. That’s because the proportion of Medical School applicants still studying Physics is lower.
In BMAT Section 2, you will be presented with 27 multiple choice questions. These are to be answered in just 30 minutes. So it can feel quite time pressured. The questions require GCSE-level science.
The questions are, however, not straightforward science questions of the kind you might expect at GCSE or A-Level. Instead, they require you to apply your scientific knowledge, using the problem solving skills tested in Section 1.
BMAT Section 2 requires you to answer questions on the following topics:
To help students prepare you can access an online ‘textbook’ on the BMAT website. This serves as an excellent revision tool for revising the sciences. But it is important that you spend time working through all the past questions.
You can also be able to download a specific BMAT science syllabus from the website from 2015.
Remember that the average BMAT candidate scores 5.0. In 2013, a score of 10 out of 27 answers correct scored you 4.9. And a score of 11 out of 27 scored 9.2. To get a top score of 9.0 you needed 23 or more correct answers.
Brush up on your scientific knowledge
Revising Biology, Chemistry and Physics is crucial in BMAT preparation for Section 2. Physics tends to be the trickiest for most students, as most of you will have stopped studying the subject at GCSE or AS Level – so this may be the section to focus the most on.
A good technique for BMAT preparation is to look at the Assumed Subject Knowledge Guide on the Admissions Testing site. This provides information on the subjects that may feature in BMAT Section 2 – and a revision guide on each topic. How confident are you with ionic bonding or enzymes? Could you answer a question on nuclear fission or trigonometry? It’s a good idea to go through this guide to brush up on the topics you’re not so confident on.
Practice your mental maths
As with Section 1, you should also practice your mental arithmetic skills for BMAT Section 2, as the Maths section occupies five to seven questions. Section 2 is one of the most time pressured parts of the test, so brushing up on your mental maths is a vital aspect of your BMAT preparation for Section 2. From now until November, try using pen and paper to calculate sums, and start revising your fractions. In general, the Maths and Physics questions are the most time-consuming in BMAT Section 2 as they require step-by-step calculations – so the more you practice, the more time you’ll save!
Complete past papers
BMAT past papers will be particularly useful for Section 2 to familiarise yourself with the question formats. Something to remember, however, is that some topics covered in past papers are no longer included in the test. Check these against the Assumed Subject Knowledge Guide so that you don’t waste time revising something no longer relevant!
There are a bank of papers on the Admissions Testing Page which you can use to practice a variety of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths questions and flag any topics you find difficult. You can also read our detailed guide on how to use BMAT past papers.
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Watch our video overview on Section 2 of the BMAT, which focuses on the hardcore science!
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