Practice Set 2: Team Working & Hierarchy Scenarios

Effective teamwork is fundamental to safe healthcare. The SJT frequently tests whether candidates understand how to work within a medical team, respect hierarchy appropriately, and — critically — know when hierarchy should be challenged. These questions account for a significant portion of the 69 SJT items you will face in 26 minutes.

UCAT SJT questions on teamwork often present tension between following instructions from a senior and doing what is right. The correct answer usually involves respectful but firm communication. You are never expected to blindly obey an instruction that could harm a patient, but you are also never expected to be rude, aggressive, or publicly confrontational.

Partial credit scoring means that even if you do not select the ideal response, choosing one that is close in appropriateness will still earn marks. For ranking questions, getting the first and last items correct is especially important. For appropriateness questions, understanding the spectrum from "very appropriate" to "very inappropriate" is key.