The BMAT has now been discontinued. All applicants for undergraduate medicine in the UK will be required to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) for their application. Check out our wide selection of Free UCAT Guides to get started with your preparation.
Right, let’s talk about BMAT Section 2. Section 2 frequently causes pain and strife for students, and it’s often the section that students email us about afterwards saying it was horrendous. With so much content to cover, we have summarised the BMAT Section 2 syllabus below with links to our guides on each topic of the section.
In Section 2, you have 27 questions to answer in 30 minutes. Be aware that it is a time-pressured section of the test with just over 60 seconds per question.
These questions are important considering the scientific nature of the courses and is the area that arguably benefits the most from preparation. The questions require a set syllabus of GCSE-level science knowledge but they often require quite sophisticated applications of knowledge under intense time pressure.
In the video below, we explain everything you need to know about the exam format, questions and timings, along with a selection of top tips to help you with your preparation!
If you’re not sure where to start with your preparation, you should check out our guide to Getting Started with the BMAT, where you’ll learn more about how to start up your revision or find out when you should start revising here!
BMAT Section 2 Questions
The questions cover 4 major subjects: Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and (to the dismay of many) Physics. Each subject has a set number of questions, which you will find below:
| Topic | Number Of Questions |
|---|---|
| Biology | 7 |
| Chemistry | 7 |
| Physics | 7 |
| Mathematics | 6 |
| Total | 27 |
Now it’s time to take a look at the syllabus for each section of the BMAT. Knowing what you need to study ahead of time is essential for creating a great preparation schedule.
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BMAT Section 2: Biology
Examinable Biology content is shown below and has been adapted from Cambridge Assessment Admission Testing’s BMAT Content Specification.
- B1. Cells
- B2. Movement across membranes
- B3. Cell division and sex determination
- B4. Inheritance
- B5. DNA
- B6. Gene technologies
- B7. Variation
- B8. Enzymes
- B9. Animal physiology
- B10. Ecosystems
We go into even more detail about this Biology, including a collection of practice questions, in the guide below!
BMAT Section 2: Chemistry
- C1. Atomic structure
- C2. The Periodic Table
- C3. Chemical reactions, formulae and equations
- C4. Quantitative chemistry
- C5. Oxidation, reduction and redox
- C6. Chemical bonding, structure and properties
- C7. Group chemistry
- C8. Separation techniques
- C9. Acids, bases and salts
- C10. Rates of reaction
- C11. Energetics
- C12. Electrolysis
- C13. Carbon/Organic chemistry
- C14. Metals
- C15. Kinetic/Particle theory
- C16. Chemical tests
- C17. Air and water
If you want to learn more about BMAT Chemistry, our guide below is the perfect place to go!
BMAT Section 2: Mathematics
- M1. Units
- M2. Number
- M3. Ratio and proportion
- M4. Algebra
- M5. Geometry
- M6. Statistics
- M7. Probability
There’s a lot more to learn about BMAT Maths, which you can find in the guide below!
BMAT Section 2: Physics
Physics is probably the most important one to learn, because ~80% of BMAT candidates don’t do physics at A-level. Everyone does Chemistry and most people do Biology, so you’ll find that you’re probably fairly well versed in those subjects anyway. Examinable Physics content is shown below and has been adapted from Cambridge Assessment Admission Testing’s BMAT Content Specification.
- P1. Electricity
- P2. Magnetism
- P3. Mechanics
- P4. Thermal physics
- P5. Matter
- P6. Waves
- P7. Radioactivity
Our dedicated BMAT Physics guide below will help you with everything that you’re not sure about when it comes to the exam.
Closing Tips for BMAT Section 2
1
To do well in Section 2 you must revise every topic and practice questions regularly.
The specification tells you everything you need to know, so make sure you follow what it says and revise every topic on it. It’s advisable to make sure all areas of the specification have been covered in your school lessons. If any areas have been missed or not covered adequately, then take a look at additional resources such as high-quality textbooks or the 6med website.
2
Define your areas of strength and weaknesses in each subject.
This will help you organise your revision time effectively and focus your time on the topics that need the most improvement.
3
Practice under the correct limitations.
When it comes to serious practice, there’s no point in giving yourself access to a calculator or the internet, as you’re not going to have any of that in the real thing. Practice under the conditions that you will be in when taking the actual exam so you will be used to the limitations that the BMAT sets.
4
Never leave a question unanswered.
When you’re taking the BMAT, you’re very likely going to come across a question that you don’t quite get. Maybe you don’t understand the wording, or it’s a topic you forgot to revise properly. No matter what, you should never leave a question unanswered! Whether you need to use elimination, save it for the end or just guess on the spot, you should always give yourself the chance to gain that point.
So that’s Section 2 of the BMAT. It’s the most diverse part of the BMAT, with four whole major subjects that you’re going to need to be knowledgeable in. However, as long as you’ve been paying attention in class and are confident in GCSE level Maths and Science, then you shouldn’t have a problem!
That’s only one section of three though! If you want to learn more about the rest of the BMAT, you should check out our Section 1 and Section 3 guides to make sure you’re covered for the whole exam. Alternatively, you can check out our BMAT Scoring Guide if you want to learn more about how your marks will affect how you score, or find out more about how Universities use your BMAT Score.
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We've got all the tips and tricks you need to score highly on the BMAT.
With our BMAT Bundle, cover Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the BMAT in detail with tips and strategies to ensure you achieve the highest possible score.
Want to learn how to smash the BMAT, then this bundle is the one for you…
