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HPAT

What is the HPAT exam?

The HPAT (Health Professions Admission Test) is an aptitude test used as part of the admissions process for Medicine and other health science courses in Ireland and select universities in Australia and New Zealand. The HPAT is a computer-based exam and is designed to assess skills considered important for success in health-related careers.

It is used by the following universities in Ireland:

  • University College Dublin (UCD)

  • University College Cork (UCC)

  • University of Limerick (UL)

  • University of Galway

  • Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)

  • Trinity College Dublin (TCD)

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Note: All Irish undergraduate medicine applicants (except for mature applicants and graduate-entry medicine) are required to sit the HPAT-Ireland exam alongside their Leaving Certificate (or equivalent secondary school qualifications).

What does the HPAT consist of?

The HPAT exam is 2.5 hours long and consists of three sections, each designed to test different types of reasoning and interpersonal understanding.

🧠 Section 1 – Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving

  • Tests your ability to interpret information, analyse data, and make decisions.

  • Involves charts, graphs, logical puzzles, and real-life scenarios.

  • Time allowed: ~62 minutes

  • Approx. 44 questions

💬 Section 2 – Interpersonal Understanding

  • Focuses on social intelligence, empathy, and understanding human behaviour.

  • You’ll read short dialogues, personal reflections, or emotional scenarios and answer questions based on interpretation and response.

  • Time allowed: ~45 minutes

  • Approx. 36 questions

🔳 Section 3 – Non-Verbal Reasoning

  • Abstract and visual pattern recognition.

  • Similar to IQ-style image puzzles — finding the next image in a sequence, identifying the odd one out, etc.

  • Time allowed: ~38 minutes

  • Approx. 30 questions

Scoring

  •  ScoringEach section is weighted differently, with Section 2 often weighted higher (reflecting the importance of empathy in medicine)

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  • .Scores are scaled and standardised, typically out of 300 points, then combined with academic results (e.g. Leaving Cert points in Ireland).

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  • There is no negative marking.

Section 1

Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving

  • Focuses on your ability to critically evaluate information, identify logical connections, and solve problems using structured thinking.

  • You’ll be presented with short texts, tables, or scenarios and asked to draw conclusions or solve puzzles based on the data.

  • Time allowed: 62 minutes

  • Approx. 44 questions

Section 2

Interpersonal Understanding

  • Tests your ability to understand and interpret emotions, attitudes, and motivations in social situations.

  • You’ll read personal reflections, conversations, or emotionally charged texts and be asked to make judgments about people's thoughts and behaviours.

  • Time allowed: 45 minutes

  • Approx. 36 questions

Breakdown of the Exam

Section 3

Non-verbal Reasoning

  • Focuses on visual pattern recognition and abstract reasoning.

  • You’ll answer questions involving sequences, shapes, and spatial reasoning — similar to IQ-style questions.

  • Time allowed: 38 minutes

  • Approx. 30 question

The HPAT is one of the most important challenges for students aiming to study Medicine in Ireland or Australia. While it doesn’t require the extensive subject knowledge of traditional school exams like IGCSEs or A-levels, it demands focused preparation, strong reasoning ability, and a clear strategy. This is where Medic-Aid comes in.

Every member of the Medic-Aid team has excelled in their admissions journey, scoring in the top percentiles and earning places at some of the world’s most competitive medical schools. Through structured teaching, refined resources, and targeted practice, we help you develop the key skills needed in each section of the HPAT — from logical problem-solving to emotional intelligence — ensuring you’re fully prepared to perform at your best on test day.

The course

  • Full HPAT prep booklet developed by Medic-Aid cy

  • Access to worked solutions from previous years' questions

  • Strategy guides for all three sections

  • Over 1500 practice questions

  • A Simulated timed mock exam

  • Feedback & performance analytics

  • 30 hours + summer course with 10 additional hours of teaching closer to the exam

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