BMAT Section 3: BMAT Essay

BMAT Section 3 is an essay-writing task that needs to be completed in 30 minutes. It tests your ability to formulate concise arguments, use of grammar, spelling and punctuation.

Section 3 is very different from the rest of the BMAT exam as it does not focus on the test of knowledge. It draws upon your skills to develop ideas and communicate them efficiently.

Jump to section:

• The BMAT Essay
• How can I prepare for Section 3?
• BMAT Section 3 tips

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BMAT Section 3: The BMAT Essay

In BMAT Section 3, you are required to write a short essay. This will cover one side of A4. But it can’t be any longer. So timing and technique are crucial.

You will be given a choice of three essays. You only have to answer one of these. And you have 30 minutes in which to do so.

Each essay option is based on a short quote or statement. These can be scientific or medically-related, but often aren’t. They are not technical. Examples might include a quote from Voltaire or Charles Darwin. The tasks the candidates can select from will be:

• Explanation of the proposition: candidates are asked to explain the proposition or part of it or its implications.
• Generation of a counter-argument: candidates are asked to look at the other side of the argument by proposing or commenting on a counter-argument or counter-proposition.
• Reconciliation of the two sides: candidates are asked to offer some sort of resolution or reconciliation for the two opposition positions (or elements of those positions) explored in the answer.

Many students will no longer be taking essay-based subjects. This can lead to a degree of trepidation. However, we have designed a clear and repeatable strategy for success in this section. Read more about that in our BMAT Section 3 Blog.

You can download and print sample answer sheets from the BMAT website to practice writing essays of the correct length in time.

BMAT Preparation: How can I prepare for Section 3 Essay?

Watch Daniel’s top tips for BMAT Section 3 here!

More BMAT Essay and Section 3 tips:

• Plan Essay Questions: Take a look at essay questions from past papers and summarise the question statement/quote, explaining the key terms. Start by planning an ‘against’ list with examples, then list some possible positives before reaching a conclusion.
• Ask Others To Review Your Work: One of the best ways of getting an idea of your score is to ask a teacher to review it with their suggestions for improvements. You could also send your essays to us – they’re marked by an expert Medicine Tutor and sent back to you.
• Clarity Is Key: Section 3 is about concise points being clearly presented and argued. Your marks will be awarded based on your style of writing, but also the points you make. Try wider reading around current ethical issues, this will be very useful if similar topics appear and help you build solid arguments.

Still struggling with BMAT essay-writing? Get 1-2-1 help from the experts.

Learn More:

• Section 1: Aptitude and Skills
• Section 2: Scientific Knowledge
• BMAT August vs BMAT October
• BMAT Past Papers
• BMAT Book

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