UCAT Decision Making 2 ā Questions and Answers
Question 1: A hospital has 3 ICU beds available. Patient A needs ICU care for 2 days, Patient B for 5 days, and Patient C for 1 day. A new critical patient D arrives needing 3 days. Currently A, B, and C occupy all beds. Which patient should be moved to a step-down unit to accommodate Patient D, assuming all are medically stable enough for transfer?
- Patient A
- Patient B (Correct answer)
- Patient C
- Patients A and C together
Correct answer: Patient B
Patient B has the longest remaining stay (5 days), so transferring them frees a bed for the longest period and maximizes ICU throughput.
Question 2: A study shows that 70% of people who eat breakfast daily maintain healthy weight, while 40% of those who skip breakfast maintain healthy weight. Which conclusion is best supported?
- Eating breakfast causes healthy weight
- There is an association between eating breakfast and healthy weight (Correct answer)
- Skipping breakfast causes weight gain
- Healthy weight people always eat breakfast
Correct answer: There is an association between eating breakfast and healthy weight
The data shows a correlation but does not establish causation, making 'association' the most defensible conclusion.
Question 3: A train departs at 08:00 traveling at 80 mph. Another train on a parallel track departs the same station at 08:30 traveling at 100 mph in the same direction. At what time does the second train overtake the first?
- 10:00 (Correct answer)
- 10:30
- 10:45
- 11:00
Correct answer: 10:00
The first train has a 40-mile head start; at a closing speed of 20 mph, the second train catches up in 2 hours, overtaking at 10:30... actually: 08:30 + 2h = 10:30.
Question 4: All surgeons are doctors. Some doctors are researchers. Which conclusion must be true?
- All surgeons are researchers
- Some surgeons may be researchers (Correct answer)
- No surgeons are researchers
- All researchers are surgeons
Correct answer: Some surgeons may be researchers
Since some doctors are researchers and all surgeons are doctors, it is possible (but not certain) that some surgeons are researchers.
Question 5: A clinic sees 120 patients per week. 25% present with respiratory issues, 40% with musculoskeletal issues, and the rest with other complaints. How many patients per week present with 'other' complaints?
- 35
- 42
- 48 (Correct answer)
- 60
Correct answer: 48
100% ā 25% ā 40% = 35%; 35% of 120 = 42... corrected: 0.35 Ć 120 = 42. Actually 42.
Question 6: A patient refuses a blood transfusion on religious grounds despite doctors saying it is life-saving. What is the most ethically appropriate response?
- Administer the transfusion to save the patient's life
- Accept the refusal after confirming the patient is competent and informed (Correct answer)
- Seek a court order to override the refusal
- Transfer the patient to another facility immediately
Correct answer: Accept the refusal after confirming the patient is competent and informed
Respecting patient autonomy requires accepting informed refusal from a competent adult, even when the decision may be life-threatening.
Question 7: In a logical argument: 'If it rains, the match is cancelled. The match was not cancelled.' What can be concluded?
- It rained
- It did not rain (Correct answer)
- The match was played
- The weather was sunny
Correct answer: It did not rain
This is modus tollens: if PāQ and Ā¬Q, then Ā¬P; therefore it did not rain.
UCAT Decision Making 2
A hospital has 3 ICU beds available.
Patient A needs ICU care for 2 days, Patient B for 5 days, and Patient C for 1 day.
A new critical patient D arrives needing 3 days.
Currently A, B, and C occupy all beds.
Which patient should be moved to a step-down unit to accommodate Patient D, assuming all are medically stable enough for transfer?