BMAT Section 3: Essay [1]
• Overview
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Format of the section
What is Section 3 testing?
How is Section 3 marked?
Question structure
• Approach #1
– Your essay structure
– Examples
• Last week’s work
• Plan for next week
Format of the section
• Presented
– Three statements: quotations or opinions
expressed as if they were facts
– Instructions:
• Explain the statement.
• Formulate an objective argument.
• Express your opinion.
• Expected
– Write one essay, addressing one particular
statement/quotation
– On one side of A4 paper
• Allowed
– Notes on a separate sheet of paper.
What is Section 3 testing?
• The BMAT guidelines
– ‘This section tests ability to select, develop
and organise ideas and communicate them in
writing in a concise and effective way.’
– ≠ ‘being creative’
– You want to appear: logical, concise, reasoned
and systematic, like a scientist.
How is Section 3 marked?
• Content: scoring-a-5 checklist
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All aspects of the question are addressed
Excellent use of the material
Excellent counter-proposition or argument
The argument is cogent
Clear and logical
Breadth of relevant points
Compelling conclusion
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Fluent
Good sentence structure
Good use of vocabulary
Sound use of grammar
Good spelling and punctuation
Few slips or errors
• English: scoring-an-A checklist
Question structure
• Answer only one question out of three
• Each question
– A statement or quotation
– Prompts
• Explain the statement.
• Provide objective arguments.
• Reach a balanced conclusion.
• The most common question
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Statement or Quotation
Explain the statement.
Argue to the contrary of / argue for the statement.
To what extent do you agree with the statement / what is
your opinion on the subject of the statement or quotation?
Your essay structure
• One suggestion:
Section
• 11–18
Sentence
s
Words
Explanation
1-2
20-40
Objective
argument
5-8
130-180
Extent of
argument
sentences
5-8
130-180
11-18
280-400
Total:
are not many.
– The essay doesn’t have to be long.
– Every single sentence is crucial. Don’t waste
words!
Sentence structure
• Keep it simple!
– Writing short, punchy sentences will ensure
maximum clarity and impact.
• Examples
– It is important to practise BMAT Section 3
because it is one of the most challenging sections
of the exam and offers a chance for candidates to
stand out but it is also important to practise other
sections of the exam and overall exam technique.
– It is important to practise BMAT Section 3
because it is one of the most challenging sections
of the exam. It therefore offers a chance for
candidates to stand out. However, it is also
important to practise other sections of the exam,
in addition to overall exam technique.
The statement/quotation
• Often science- or medicine-related
• Not highly technical
• In general, there are two types of statement:
– An opinion stated as fact
• In a world where we struggle to feed an ever-expanding
human population, owning pets cannot be justified.
(2013)
– A quotation
• ‘The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient
while nature cures the disease.’ Voltaire. (2011)
• Which one to tackle?
– Select one which you not only understand
perfectly but are actually interested in
Explaining the
statement/quotation [1]
• The first part of the task can be phrased in
slightly different ways.
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‘Explain what this statement means.’
‘Explain what you think the above means.’
‘What does the above imply?’
‘What do you understand by the above?’
‘Explain the argument behind the above.’
• Response: a couple of sentences
– Absolutely critical
– The rest rests upon this.
– Any misunderstandings are likely to be
transmitted – and magnified – throughout your
Explaining the
statement/quotation [2]
• How?
– Identify the key terms.
– Define these key terms.
• Write what is meant by the key terms, without
using the term itself.
– Apply context and combine.
• Fuse together these definitions.
• Provide a cohesive overall meaning in one or two
sentences.
• A worked example
‘A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no
affections – a mere heart of stone.’ Charles Darwin
Step one – identify the key
terms [Q]
‘A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no
affections – a mere heart of stone.’ Charles
Darwin
• Which are the key terms that give the
statement its meaning?
– Which terms do you need to ‘translate’ to
explain to someone, in a different (preferably
simpler) way?
– What exactly is Darwin getting at?
Step one – identify the key
terms [A]
‘A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no
affections – a mere heart of stone.’ Charles
Darwin
• Which are the key terms that give the
statement its meaning?
– Which terms do you need to ‘translate’ to explain
to someone, in a different (preferably simpler)
way?
– What exactly is Darwin getting at?
‘A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no
affections – a mere heart of stone.’ Charles
Step two – define these key
terms
Not necessarily a dictionary definition.
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• Make it easily comprehensible, while accounting
for the context.
– Do not try to impress by using overcomplicated
language.
– Clarity is always the goal.
• ‘Scientific man’
– Person seriously involved in scientific pursuits
• ‘Ought’
– Should/ideally
• ‘Wishes/affections’
– Emotional traits
• ‘Heart of stone’
Step three – apply context and
combine
‘A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no
affections – a mere heart of stone.’ Charles Darwin
• ‘Scientific man’
– Person seriously involved in scientific pursuits
• ‘Ought’
– Should/ideally
• ‘Wishes/affections’
– Emotional traits
• ‘Heart of stone’
– Metaphor for emotional detachment
• Fusing together the definitions.
‘Charles Darwin is suggesting that a person who is
seriously practising science would, in an ideal world,
be completely free from emotion.’ (21 words)
Explaining the
statement/quotation [3]
• Variations: ‘explain the reasoning’ behind the
statement.
– Adjust your approach slightly.
– Stick to the same three-step plan above, but add a layer
of interpretation.
– Go one step further, suggesting the rationale behind the
statement.
‘A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections –
a mere heart of stone.’ Charles Darwin
‘Charles Darwin is suggesting that a person who is
seriously practising science would, in an ideal world, be
completely free from emotion. The reasoning behind this
statement might well be that, since science is by
definition objective and precise, the fickle nature of
Argue objectively [1]
• The second part will almost always
demand an objective argument.
– Argue against (‘to the contrary of’) the
statement
– Argue for the statement
– Argue both for and against the statement
• How?
– Try to come up with two or three clearly and
logically articulated arguments, each
demonstrated by a strong example.
Argue objectively [2]
• A worked example
‘The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient
while nature cures the disease.’ Voltaire
Argue to the contrary that medicine does in fact do
more than amuse the patient.
‘Voltaire implies that the key skills involved in medicine
are those that simply reassure or distract the patient,
while their ailment corrects itself naturally over time.’
• Note
– ‘amusing’, in this context, is equated to reassuring
and distracting the patient.
• Not the modern definition making someone laugh.
– Context is crucial
Argue objectively [3]
‘The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the
disease.’ Voltaire
Argue to the contrary that medicine does in fact do more than amuse the
patient.
• In the plan: an prompt followed by an example
– Emergency surgery – e.g. stent in coronary artery
– Faster healing – e.g. orthopaedic gamma nail
– Prescribing medication – e.g. HIV
• On the paper
Contrary to Voltaire’s statement, there are many instances in which
medicine does more than amuse the patient. This is often true of
medical procedures that have been scientifically proven to physically
improve patients’ well-being faster, or more dramatically, than nature.
This is certainly the case in emergency procedures, such as the insertion
of a stent into one of the coronary arteries of the heart in order to
relieve an acute blockage to blood flow. It is also true of procedures
which speed up healing, like the insertion of an orthopaedic gamma nail,
which can realign a fracture of the lower limb with much faster and more
consistent results than could realistically be expected to occur naturally.
Argue objectively [4]
• Argue objectively: your personal opinion is not
relevant – yet!
– Relevant later: ‘to what extent you agree’
– Phrases like ‘I think’ and ‘in my opinion’ are not
appropriate at this stage.
• Tailor your language accordingly.
– Words for objective arguments e.g. therefore,
however, in light of, consequently, for example, for
instance
• You may well get asked to ‘argue for’ a
statement.
– Simply apply the above methodology, but note
arguments ‘for’ rather than arguments ‘against’.
To what extent do you agree? [1]
• The final part prompts expression of an
opinion.
– Ask: ‘to what extent do you agree that…’ followed
by a paraphrasing of the statement/quotation.
• How?
– Previous part: just put forward some objective
arguments ‘for’ or ‘against
– To conclude the extent to which you agree, you
could begin by counterbalancing those
arguments.
– Now, you will be well positioned to make a wellbalanced conclusion.
• Appreciate that there are merits to both sides.
To what extent do you agree? [2]
• The worked example
‘The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while
nature cures the disease.’ Voltaire
To what extent do you think Voltaire is correct?
• Think of arguments in favour – already provided
arguments to the contrary.
– ‘Amusing’ in this context can equate to ‘listening to’,
or ‘sympathising with’, a patient
– There is an art to this
– Nature can cure many ailments (e.g. common cold)
• Weigh these against our previous arguments to
the contrary.
– In some conditions, the emphasis is on ‘amusing’ the
To what extent do you agree? [3]
• Writing up the counterbalancing arguments and the conclusion:
Nonetheless, Voltaire’s standpoint is not without merit. In this
context, ‘amusing’ the patient can be taken to mean ‘offering
sympathy’ or ‘reassuring’ them.
There is clearly an art to this and it is extremely valuable in
medicine. For example, in the case of the common cold, there is
little a doctor can do to help medically. But the doctor can reassure
the patient that there is nothing seriously wrong, and that they will
be well again soon.
Overall, there are some times when the best thing a doctor can do
is to ‘amuse’, or ‘reassure’, a patient while nature takes its course. At
other times, though, medical procedures or prescriptions must be
administered to prevent an illness progressing.
Perhaps we can conclude that the best doctors are those who
combine the ‘art’ of sympathy and reassurance with the ‘science’ of
swiftly applying necessary physical procedures.
(144 words)
• Note
Timing: step-by-step approach
• To be continued…