5 Top Tips for HPAT Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving

The first section of the HPAT, Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving, tends to require the biggest time commitment from prospective medical students. The section can be intimidating at first as it can look quite different from traditional exam questions you’ve faced before, but do not let this turn you away from tackling the section. It is particularly daunting because there are no official HPAT past papers. 

This section, like all the others, can be perfected. It takes some well-structured practice and insight into the structure behind the questions. The key to this question type is getting as much exposure to the practice papers as possible. You will eventually develop skills such as unbiased thinking, abstract problem-solving, and scepticism with enough preparation. Generally, students who enjoy problem-based subjects such as Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, etc. tend to find they are naturally strong in this section. 

However, should you find you are in the large cohort of students that initially struggle, do not despair! With these 5 tips, you should have a fighting chance of scoring high in this section.

1. Perfect and Practice Your Timing 

For many students, one difficult question can cause them to waste a lot of time and end up not completing the section. You can avoid this pitfall if you stick to the rule of attempting to finish 5 questions every 7 minutes. If you are struggling to find the answer, it is best to move on instead of missing out on several other questions you might be able to solve more quickly. If you are very weak at a particular question type, it may be best to focus on the ones you are strong at and leave your weakest question type until the end of the exam. Given how long the HPAT exam is, you need to be very efficient with your use of time. 

Try to answer each question. The software used to administer the exam allows you to flag a question to come back to later. If you have to skip a question, flag it, guess an answer, and move on. You have a 20% chance of getting a question correct through guessing which is better than 0% if you skip it altogether.

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2. Be a Sceptic 

In science, being sceptical does not mean doubting the validity of everything, nor does it mean being cynical. Instead, to be sceptical is to judge the validity of a claim based on objective empirical evidence. The key to much of the logical reasoning required for success in this section is never to make an assumption. Always try to have evidence to back up any conclusions you make. Think critically about the stimulus always. 

When reading the stimulus and the question, make sure that you are only using information actually present in both in order to find the correct answer. It is important to be aware of your unconscious bias in these questions as what this section is ultimately trying to do is ensure you have excellent skills in the area of logical reasoning. Logical reasoning ultimately boils down to using rational judgments, identifying relevant facts, analysing information, and evaluating possible hypotheses. Being a sceptic will allow you to do this with ease.

3.   Make Use of Resources for Practice 

With HPAT Section 1, practice and becoming familiar with question types is critical. You will need high-quality resources, and the ACER Practice Tests are an excellent resource you can use to your advantage for section three. The HPAT is a rebranded version of an exam called the UMAT, which was previously used in Australia for medical school admissions. It is also worth searching for older UMAT practice material to gain more exposure to section three questions. 

If you’re struggling with resources or HPAT Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving, you may benefit from Medic Mind’s one-to-one tutoring. Medic Mind tutors can help you work through different techniques for the question types in section three and help you with practice material, which can be helpful as the techniques for section three. 

Many students wonder what the best HPAT preparation course is: many of our students have found the best success through HPAT tutoring with one of our highly experienced tutors.

4. Improve Your Numeracy Skills 

Having excellent numeracy skills is required for success in this section. Ensure you are able to do basic statistical and arithmetic operations such as finding the mean, median, and mode. 

You will also be required to understand probability so make sure you have revised concepts such as experimental probability and conditional probability. 

It is also wise to spend time practising data interpretation. There are often several graphs and charts that require interpretation in this section. These do not tend to be straightforward so ensure you have practice with understanding more complex graphs. 
One way you can get practice with data interpretation is by reading research papers. Examples include the BMJ and the New England Journal of Medicine.

Getting accustomed to turning fractions and ratios into decimals and percentages is a good idea. Although this may seem elementary, it is the fundamentals that can fail you when pressure is applied. For quick ideas and tactics for multiplying, dividing, adding, and subtracting, Bill Handley’s book “Speed Mathematics” is quite helpful.

While the lack of HPAT sample questions can prove to be a difficulty for students, do not fear: through gaining general numeracy skills, you will be able to succeed.

5. Learn the Scientific Method 

Most students will be aware of the different parts of the scientific method. This is well worth revising in the lead-up to the HPAT exam. Ensure you understand the difference between theories and hypotheses. It is important to know how research studies are set up and the reasons why controls and placebos are an important part of clinical trials. 

Much of the stimulus in section 1 will revolve around examples pulled from research studies and being able to interpret the results and make conclusions. Try to use the resources in the previous tip in order to get some practice with becoming familiar with the layout of research and the type of language and conventions used in the field.