Replacing the UMAT with a new medical school entry exam appears to have benefited men and people from privileged backgrounds, researchers say.

Known as the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT), the new assessment is one hour shorter than the UMAT and is billed as being more efficient because candidates can receive their results instantly after marking.

It is also structured differently, involving five subtests covering verbal reasoning, decision-making, quantitative reasoning, abstract reasoning and situational judgement.

But a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia has found the new test has resulted in an even lower proportion of women getting through to interviews.