Greatrix R, Nicholson S, Anderson S. Does the UKCAT predict performance in medical and dental school? A systematic review. BMJ Open 2021; DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040128.

The relationship is generally weak, although noticeably stronger for the UKCAT total score and the verbal reasoning subtest.

This systematic review summarises the literature exploring the relationship between performance in the UKCAT and assessments in undergraduate medical and dental training. Studies which included the predictive validity of selection criteria including some element of the UKCAT were considered. Twenty-two papers were included. Four studies described outcomes from dental programmes with limited results reported. Eighteen studies reported on relationships between the UKCAT and performance in undergraduate medical training. Of these, 15 studies reported relationships between the UKCAT cognitive tests and undergraduate medical assessments. Weak relationships were observed in 14 of these studies; four studies reported some moderate relationships. The strongest relationships with performance in medical school were observed for the UKCAT total score and the verbal reasoning subtest.