Introducing The UCAT Debrief

LWritten by Lavya Bassi, Head of UCAT · 2 March 2026

Hi everyone, Over the next few months, you’re preparing for one of the strangest exams you’ll ever sit.

Not the hardest in content.

But one of the hardest psychologically.

The UCAT doesn’t test how much you know. It tests how clearly you think when the clock is pressuring you.

So I’ve decided to start something new.

Every week, I’ll be sending out The UCAT Debrief - a focused, strategic newsletter breaking down what actually matters in UCAT preparation.

Not recycled advice. Not generic “just practise more” suggestions. Not motivational fluff.

But the patterns I’ve seen over the last four years coaching students - and the lessons I learned myself sitting the exam.

For those I haven’t met yet, my name is Lavya. I scored a 99.90 ATAR, was named a VCE Premier’s Top All-Rounder (Top 25 in the state), and currently study Medicine at Monash University (MD4). I sat the UCAT in 2022 and achieved a 99th percentile overall, including:

VR – 670 DM – 870 QR – 900 AR – 870

Since then, I’ve worked with students across multiple cohorts and now serve as Head of UCAT at Eduvid.

Outside of academics, I have served as the Pre-Clinical Vice President of MUMUS (2024), Secretary of MUMUS (2025), and am an Officer Cadet in the Australian Army.

None of that is to impress you.

It’s to tell you that I take performance seriously.

And UCAT preparation deserves to be treated seriously.

More practice does not automatically mean more improvement. UCAT punishes inefficient effort. It rewards:

Pattern recognition
Emotional regulation
Timing discipline
Strategic sacrifice
And clarity under pressure

The purpose of The UCAT Debrief is simple:

To help you think sharper.

Each week, we’ll break down one concept - whether it’s decision-making traps, timing psychology, burnout management, section strategy, or what medical school actually looks like beyond the exam.

Short. Practical. Applied.

If you read it properly and implement it, your preparation will become more structured.

The first edition drops this Friday.

We’re starting with something I learned the hard way during my own preparation.

See you then.

Lavya Head of UCAT