BMAT Section 3 Question Types
BMAT Section 3 is made up of a choice of 3 questions, with candidates having to select one of these questions. These 3 Question choices are normally made up of the following categories:
Historical Quote/ Philosophy (eg. Voltaire, Darwin etc.)
Medical Ethics
Non-Medical Ethics
Science
The majority of prospective medical students select Medicine/Science or Ethics based questions, and this is completely understandable. It is important to select the question that you feel most comfortable answering, rather than attempting to excel at a potentially more challenging question as what you may view as challenging, other candidates may regard as much more straightforward.
BMAT Section 3 Past Questions
Historical Quotes
''A little learning is a dangerous thing.'’ (Alexander Pope)
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary to show that a little learning is not dangerous. To what extent do you think learning can be a dangerous thing?
‘'Our belief in any particular natural law cannot have a safer basis than our unsuccessful critical attempts to refute it.'’ (Karl Popper)
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary that science may not proceed by attempting to refute hypotheses. To what extent do you think this statement accurately reflects the nature of scientific method?
''Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself'' (Richard Feynman, 1964)
Explain why not fooling oneself is necessary for a scientist. Why might it be easy for scientists to make the mistake of fooling themselves? How might scientists guard against this mistake?
''The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.'' (Voltaire)
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary that medicine does in fact do more than amuse the patient. To what extent do you think Voltaire is correct?
''A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections - a mere heart of stone.'' (Charles Darwin)
Explain what this statement means. Argue that scientific enquiry benefits from personal wishes and affections. To what extent do you think a scientist should have 'a mere heart of stone'?
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." (Voltaire)
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary that to be certain about something is not necessarily absurd. To what extent do you agree with Voltaire?
"There is something attractive about people who don't regard their own health and longevity as the most important things in the world." (Alexander Chancellor)
Explain what this statement means. Argue that nothing is more important than one's own health and longevity. To what extent do you agree with Alexander Chancellor?
"When you want to know how things really work, study them when they are coming apart." (William Gibson)
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree with the assertion?
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science." (Charles Darwin)
Explain what you think is meant by this statement. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you think it is true?
“Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.” (Pablo Picasso)
Explain what is meant by this statement. Argue to the contrary. What are the real limits of technology?
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.” (Christopher Hitchens)
Explain what you think Christopher Hitchens means. Argue to the contrary that some assertions do not require evidence. To what extent do you agree with the statement?
‘You can resist an invading army; you cannot resist an idea whose time has come.’ (Victor Hugo)
Explain the reasoning behind this statement. Argue that, on the contrary, any idea can be suppressed with sufficient force. What do you think gives power to an idea?
‘He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander’. (Aristotle)
Explain what you understand by this statement. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree that someone cannot be a good leader without learning how to follow?
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary to show that a little learning is not dangerous. To what extent do you think learning can be a dangerous thing?
‘'Our belief in any particular natural law cannot have a safer basis than our unsuccessful critical attempts to refute it.'’ (Karl Popper)
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary that science may not proceed by attempting to refute hypotheses. To what extent do you think this statement accurately reflects the nature of scientific method?
''Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself'' (Richard Feynman, 1964)
Explain why not fooling oneself is necessary for a scientist. Why might it be easy for scientists to make the mistake of fooling themselves? How might scientists guard against this mistake?
''The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.'' (Voltaire)
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary that medicine does in fact do more than amuse the patient. To what extent do you think Voltaire is correct?
''A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections - a mere heart of stone.'' (Charles Darwin)
Explain what this statement means. Argue that scientific enquiry benefits from personal wishes and affections. To what extent do you think a scientist should have 'a mere heart of stone'?
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." (Voltaire)
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary that to be certain about something is not necessarily absurd. To what extent do you agree with Voltaire?
"There is something attractive about people who don't regard their own health and longevity as the most important things in the world." (Alexander Chancellor)
Explain what this statement means. Argue that nothing is more important than one's own health and longevity. To what extent do you agree with Alexander Chancellor?
"When you want to know how things really work, study them when they are coming apart." (William Gibson)
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree with the assertion?
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science." (Charles Darwin)
Explain what you think is meant by this statement. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you think it is true?
“Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.” (Pablo Picasso)
Explain what is meant by this statement. Argue to the contrary. What are the real limits of technology?
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.” (Christopher Hitchens)
Explain what you think Christopher Hitchens means. Argue to the contrary that some assertions do not require evidence. To what extent do you agree with the statement?
‘You can resist an invading army; you cannot resist an idea whose time has come.’ (Victor Hugo)
Explain the reasoning behind this statement. Argue that, on the contrary, any idea can be suppressed with sufficient force. What do you think gives power to an idea?
‘He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander’. (Aristotle)
Explain what you understand by this statement. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree that someone cannot be a good leader without learning how to follow?
BMAT Section 3 Past Questions
Medical Ethics
It is an obscenity that rich people can buy better medical treatment than poor people.
Explain the argument behind the statement. What assumptions does it make? Argue to the contrary, that patients are entitled to spend money on better healthcare if they choose to.
People injured whilst participating in extreme sports should not be treated by a publicly funded health service.
Explain the reasoning behind this statement. Suggest an argument against this statement. To what extent, if any, does the statement justify a change in public attitudes to personal risk taking?
Good surgeons should be encouraged to take on tough cases, not just safe, routine ones. Publishing an individual surgeon’s mortality rates may have the opposite effect.
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you think league tables should change a surgeon’s behaviour?
There is money to be made from not curing disease.
What do you think is meant by this statement? Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree that there is money to be made from disease?
When treating an individual patient, a physician must also think of the wider society.
Explain the reasoning behind this statement. Argue that a doctor should only consider the individual that he or she is treating at the time. With respect to medical treatment, to what extent can a patient’s interests differ from those of the wider population?
The option of taking strike action should not be available to doctors as they have a special duty of care to their patients.
Explain what is meant by this statement. Argue that it should be possible for doctors to go on strike as other workers do. To what extent should doctors’ duty of care to patients affect the conditions of their employment?
The health care profession is wrong to treat ageing as if it were a disease.
What do you understand by this statement? Argue that it is not wrong to treat the effects of ageing as if they were a disease. To what extent do you agree with the statement?
It is ridiculous to treat the living body as a mechanism.
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you think this apparent contradiction can be resolved?
You must be honest and open and act with integrity.
UK General Medical Council, Good Medical Practice 2006
Explain what is meant by the above statement. Why might honesty, openness and integrity be important in a good doctor? Under what circumstances might a good doctor be justified in being less than perfectly honest or open in the course of their professional practice?
Explain the argument behind the statement. What assumptions does it make? Argue to the contrary, that patients are entitled to spend money on better healthcare if they choose to.
People injured whilst participating in extreme sports should not be treated by a publicly funded health service.
Explain the reasoning behind this statement. Suggest an argument against this statement. To what extent, if any, does the statement justify a change in public attitudes to personal risk taking?
Good surgeons should be encouraged to take on tough cases, not just safe, routine ones. Publishing an individual surgeon’s mortality rates may have the opposite effect.
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you think league tables should change a surgeon’s behaviour?
There is money to be made from not curing disease.
What do you think is meant by this statement? Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree that there is money to be made from disease?
When treating an individual patient, a physician must also think of the wider society.
Explain the reasoning behind this statement. Argue that a doctor should only consider the individual that he or she is treating at the time. With respect to medical treatment, to what extent can a patient’s interests differ from those of the wider population?
The option of taking strike action should not be available to doctors as they have a special duty of care to their patients.
Explain what is meant by this statement. Argue that it should be possible for doctors to go on strike as other workers do. To what extent should doctors’ duty of care to patients affect the conditions of their employment?
The health care profession is wrong to treat ageing as if it were a disease.
What do you understand by this statement? Argue that it is not wrong to treat the effects of ageing as if they were a disease. To what extent do you agree with the statement?
It is ridiculous to treat the living body as a mechanism.
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you think this apparent contradiction can be resolved?
You must be honest and open and act with integrity.
UK General Medical Council, Good Medical Practice 2006
Explain what is meant by the above statement. Why might honesty, openness and integrity be important in a good doctor? Under what circumstances might a good doctor be justified in being less than perfectly honest or open in the course of their professional practice?
BMAT Section 3 Past Questions
(Non-Medical) Ethics
Anyone who has a serious ambition to be a president or prime minister is the wrong kind of person for the job.
What is the reasoning behind this statement? Argue to the contrary that without serious ambition to be a leader a person would not be suited to the job. To what extent is ambition required to succeed as a political leader?
Democratic freedom means there should be no restriction on what may be said in public.
Explain what you think democratic freedom means. Argue that there should be restrictions on what is said in public. To what extent do you agree that there should be limitations on what can be said in public?
There is no such thing as dangerous speech; it is up to people to choose how they react.
Explain the reasoning behind this statement. Argue to the contrary that there can be instances of dangerous speech. To what extent should a society put limitations on speech or text that it considers threatening?
What is the reasoning behind this statement? Argue to the contrary that without serious ambition to be a leader a person would not be suited to the job. To what extent is ambition required to succeed as a political leader?
Democratic freedom means there should be no restriction on what may be said in public.
Explain what you think democratic freedom means. Argue that there should be restrictions on what is said in public. To what extent do you agree that there should be limitations on what can be said in public?
There is no such thing as dangerous speech; it is up to people to choose how they react.
Explain the reasoning behind this statement. Argue to the contrary that there can be instances of dangerous speech. To what extent should a society put limitations on speech or text that it considers threatening?
BMAT Section 3 Past Questions
Science
Science only tells us what is possible, not what is right.
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary that science helps us to judge what is right. To what extent can decisions about what is right and wrong be informed by science?
The scientist is not someone who gives the right answers but one who asks the right questions.
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary that the right answers are more important than the right questions. To what extent do you agree that the right questions must be asked before science can progress?
Science has been a process of continuous advancement towards objective truth.
Explain what is meant by this statement. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree that science is a continuous process of advancement towards objective truth?
Science is not a follower of fashion nor of other social or cultural trends.
Explain what you think the statement means. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree with the statement?
The only moral obligation a scientist has is to reveal the truth.
What is the reasoning behind this statement? Present an argument to the contrary. To what extent do you agree that the only moral duty a scientist has is to reveal the truth?
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary that science helps us to judge what is right. To what extent can decisions about what is right and wrong be informed by science?
The scientist is not someone who gives the right answers but one who asks the right questions.
Explain what this statement means. Argue to the contrary that the right answers are more important than the right questions. To what extent do you agree that the right questions must be asked before science can progress?
Science has been a process of continuous advancement towards objective truth.
Explain what is meant by this statement. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree that science is a continuous process of advancement towards objective truth?
Science is not a follower of fashion nor of other social or cultural trends.
Explain what you think the statement means. Argue to the contrary. To what extent do you agree with the statement?
The only moral obligation a scientist has is to reveal the truth.
What is the reasoning behind this statement? Present an argument to the contrary. To what extent do you agree that the only moral duty a scientist has is to reveal the truth?