What does HPAT assess? 

How to prepare for the HPAT?

The purpose of HPAT is to assess the skills and abilities developed over the course of your education and life experience that are considered by the universities to be important to the study and practice of medicine and the health sciences. To operate most effectively in these career areas, graduates will need to be flexible; to have good thinking skills (critical and analytical); to be able to respond quickly to new situations and problems; and to have a well-developed ability to understand and respond to patients’ needs and individual situations. For these reasons, HPAT has been developed as a test that is not based on learned academic curriculum or study of particular subjects, but as a test of your response to a stimulus that will not necessarily be familiar.

Preparing for the HPAT requires a strategic approach because it tests skills (not knowledge) like logical reasoning, problem solving, and interpersonal understanding. Here is a guide to help you prepare effectively:

Overview of the HPAT Ireland

The HPAT is divided into three sections:

1. HPAT Section 1 – Logical Reasoning & Problem Solving
   • Data interpretation, pattern recognition, and critical reasoning.
2. HPAT Section 2 – Interpersonal Understanding
   • Understanding emotions, attitudes, and intentions in social situations.
3. HPAT Section 3 – Non-Verbal Reasoning
   • Visual and abstract pattern recognition.

It is a multiple-choice test, with each section timed separately.

Step-by-Step Preparation Plan

🔹 Step 1: Understand the Format

• Download the official HPAT Ireland Information Booklet from ACER's website.
• Familiarise yourself with the types of questions in each section.
• Know the timing: The test takes around 2.5 hours, plus reading time.

🔹 Step 2: Gather Resources

Choose your NIE HPAT Preparation Resources.

Established in 1999, the National Institute of Education (NIE) is a leading provider of HPAT preparation in Ireland and internationally. Their HPAT preparation course is designed to develop the skills, strategies, and mindset required to maximise your admission potential. NIE was the first provider to become a Government Registered Training Organisation, and its long-standing reputation is built on excellence in education and teaching.

Expert Teaching Staff

NIE's team includes fully qualified educators with direct academic backgrounds in each of the HPAT’s three sections. The teaching staff is supported by a diverse group of professionals, including:

• Teachers accredited by the Department of Education and Training
• Health care professionals
• Social workers
• Academics
• Practising clinicians

This ensures a well-rounded, interdisciplinary approach to HPAT preparation.

A Unique Approach to Learning

With nearly 30 years of experience in teaching, researching, refining, and delivering preparation for medical entry exams, NIE treats every student as an individual. NIE HPAT preparation resources provide self-directed learning to help students progress efficiently—without compromising their other academic commitments.

NIE’s courses are specifically tailored to maximise preparation time, focusing on realistic practice through hardcopy materials. Unlike many online-only programs, NIE believes high-quality, tangible resources lead to better outcomes.

Why Choose HPAT NIE?

NIE remains the only HPAT provider that offers:

• Unique printed books for each HPAT exam section
• Teachers accredited by the Department of Education and Training
• Subject-specific expert tutors for each section of the HPAT
• A 30-year legacy in medical admissions test preparation, including HPAT, UCAT (formerly UMAT) and GAMSAT
• Specialised interview training for HPAT, UCAT, and GAMSAT candidates.

What’s Included in the NIE HPAT Course?

• Six HPAT books containing over 800 pages and 1,250+ carefully designed HPAT practice questions.
• Four books are shipped in hard copy (dispatched daily from Dublin).
• Two extra electronic resources, which offer immediate access to the HPAT Starter and Update Manuals as a printable PDF upon enrolment.
• Unlike many prep providers, NIE does not rely on restrictive online-only access or charge recurring membership fees. Once you receive the materials, you own them for life—offering complete flexibility and integration into your study schedule.

HPAT Preparation Books 

We send HPAT books worldwide from Dublin (Ireland).

🔹 Step 3: Develop Section-Specific Strategies

✅ Section 1: Logical Reasoning & Problem Solving

• Practice with logic puzzles, critical thinking questions, data analysis, and arguments.
• Tip: Don't assume prior knowledge—base answers strictly on the given information.
• Skill: Eliminate wrong answers quickly.

✅ Section 2: Interpersonal Understanding

• Read fiction, short stories, or articles with emotional or psychological depth.
• Practice identifying tones, motivations, and relationships.
• Tip: Look for subtle cues in the language; read between the lines.

✅ Section 3: Non-Verbal Reasoning

• Practice visual patterns, rotations, sequences, mirror images.
• Use pattern-based puzzle books or apps like IQ games and Ravens Matrices.
• Tip: Train your eyes to spot symmetry, odd-one-out, and progressions.

🔹 Step 4: Practice Under Exam Conditions

• Use a timer and replicate real conditions.
• Sit full-length practice exams to build stamina and timing discipline.
• Review your mistakes in detail—identify patterns in what you miss.

🔹 Step 5: Review and Reflect

• Keep a mistake log: note types of errors, why you made them, and how to fix them.
• Review explanations for all answers, even those you got right (especially in reasoning).