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Uk gamsat 2014!

Hi!

Is anyone sitting the UK GAMSAT 2014 this year? I need a study buddy! I am thinking of applying for the gradmed course, I know it's very expensive but I am desperate to do well! I am sitting the Ireland GAMSAT 2014 in london on 22nd March, but not feeling good about it as I have not prepared at all, so definitely going to be sitting the UK GAMSAT 2014 this september again!

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Reply 1
Anyone there?
Reply 2
Doing it in September. So far I've been trying to get to grips with organic chemistry again. Been using the "Organic Chemistry for Dummies I", and associated workbook. They're on amazon if you can't find them from a real bookshop. The khanacademy videos (google it) are very good.

You really need to have a look at the pagingdr forums. It's for Australians but their GAMSAT information is (unsurprisingly) very detailed.

You can find some GAMSAT sample papers by googling "GAMSAT sample paper" or similar.

Need to have a look at Physics soon, so going to have a look at an old A level textbook.

Section I looks tricky, but is essentially just reading and processing information. Not much really you can do for this apart from read more, expand vocabularly. Looking at the sample papers, there seem to be a few questions where the answer could conceivably be either one of two options.

Section II will be a sod. I can't remember the last time I had to hand write a work of any length. Not quite sure how to prepare for that.
Reply 3
Original post by Gambrinus
Doing it in September. So far I've been trying to get to grips with organic chemistry again. Been using the "Organic Chemistry for Dummies I", and associated workbook. They're on amazon if you can't find them from a real bookshop. The khanacademy videos (google it) are very good.

You really need to have a look at the pagingdr forums. It's for Australians but their GAMSAT information is (unsurprisingly) very detailed.

You can find some GAMSAT sample papers by googling "GAMSAT sample paper" or similar.

Need to have a look at Physics soon, so going to have a look at an old A level textbook.

Section I looks tricky, but is essentially just reading and processing information. Not much really you can do for this apart from read more, expand vocabularly. Looking at the sample papers, there seem to be a few questions where the answer could conceivably be either one of two options.

Section II will be a sod. I can't remember the last time I had to hand write a work of any length. Not quite sure how to prepare for that.


Wow thank you soooooooooooooo much for this. Never heard of pagingdr forums so going to have a look at that soon! Ive got the organic chemistry dummy book :smile: but Still could do with a study buddy! what do you think about these gradmed course?
Reply 4
GAMSAT ------ taming the beast! :eek:
Reply 5
Don't know what your background is, but you may find it useful to get some GCSE/A level chemistry texts. I found them useful, anyway.

I think I'll only be applying to Swansea-everyone I've met from there raves about how brilliant the course is. It's also close to all my friends, and it's relatively cheap (in terms of up front payments anyway).
Reply 6
Original post by Gambrinus
Don't know what your background is, but you may find it useful to get some GCSE/A level chemistry texts. I found them useful, anyway.

I think I'll only be applying to Swansea-everyone I've met from there raves about how brilliant the course is. It's also close to all my friends, and it's relatively cheap (in terms of up front payments anyway).



Hey...Yep Im using A-level books for all biology, chemistry and physics...

Swansea....just one...you are paying for UCAS application and you get 4 choices so you might as well write down other three options :smile: and you can always use the other three options interview as practice for your Swansea interview?
Reply 7
Funding. Cheaper to study in Swansea. It's also got the advantage of being very clear about how much to pay up front in an easy to find place on their postgrad medicine website.

I'm not overly worried about biology. From what I can make out, the GAMSAT is heavily weighted towards chemistry, specifically organic chemistry. Biology questions seem to be along the lines of "Consider this graph concerning the link between the reproductive cycle of the Patagonian horsefly, and the concentration of cobalt in the soil. Now answer these 'orrible questions on it". I'll have a read through an A level text in the next few months, I think it may be worth going over DNA bases and all that stuff again.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 8
I'm taking the GAMSAT in September, going to Swansea Open Day to see what it's like :smile: I can't afford GRADMED so I'm just going to try and study really hard in the next 6 months!
Reply 9
Original post by inversus
I'm taking the GAMSAT in September, going to Swansea Open Day to see what it's like :smile: I can't afford GRADMED so I'm just going to try and study really hard in the next 6 months!


Oh I wanna come to the open day too! When is it?

I have a BSc psychology, MSc psychology and MSc clinical neuroscience! My goal is to become a neurologist hence my reason for wanting to study medicine !

I can't afford Gradmed too, I don't understand why they charge so much! :frown: but I'm working full time so hoping to pay them in instalments but I'm just wondering if it's really worth it! It's a lot of money to waste if it's not worth it... But then again, we tend to learn so much more in a classroom with teachers than studying alone?
Reply 10
Griffiths review is essential. I've been told the Gold Standard has everything you need, but I prefer to learn from a range of texts so didn't buy it; too expensive.

From speaking to current GEMs they all advise the Griffiths and are highly suspicious of the stupidly expensive courses.
I am planning to sit the GAMSAT in September.

As someone from a non-science background I bought the GAMSAT Gold Standard book (had 25% off at Amazon at the time so £75) and so far it has proved invaluable with regards to content, especially regarding the sciences. Before this, as I hadn't studied any science for nearly a decade, I read through Chemistry and Biology for Dummies to get back to basics with GCSE science which definitely helped when I started to go through the Gold Standard. I also love Khan Academy on YouTube, Sal is a star and explains things really well.

I think I will get the Griffiths review as 90% of the students I met at the Nottingham Open Day swore by it and it's quite cheap at £35 or so.

Aside from this I am going to start the practice exams soon (starting with the one included in Gold Standard, then the ACER ones) and try to focus on areas of science which I am weakest at.

I am planning to go to Nottingham or perhaps St. Georges. As I don't have any A Levels in science and a degree in a non-science related subject my options are quite limited.

As Zorg says the students at Notts were also sceptical of the Gradmed and similar courses claiming they preyed on peoples fears and insecurities of the exam.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 12
I'm also going to give the GAMSAT a go this year. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do it, but having only managed a 667.5 in my UKCAT last year and a mediocre BMAT score I thought I better prepare for it, in case I fluff my UKCAT again this year.

I did Biology and Physics at A-Level a few years ago, and a Chemistry A-Level after an engineering degree so hopefully I'll be able to scrape a competitive S3 score after a bit of revision. I bought the Griffiths GAMSAT Review and I've started relearning all of the core topics it listed from old textbooks, Khan Academy and S-cool. I don't think it's a particularly good way of preparing for S3 though, as I've already starting forgetting what I learnt last week. I might just keep doing past papers over and over again and hope that they have similar questions again this year. Does anyone know of a better way of preparing for S3?
Hey, thought I would join this chat too! I am planning to take the GAMSAT in September, veryyyy scared as haven't done any science since GCSEs, and am now finishing my 4th year of uni... Have started learning a-level chem but having to put the last bits of my degree first before going all out with GAMSAT studying. Last final is on the 12th May, then I get to put my BA behind me, cannot wait!

Shall we start a GEM 2015 entry thread? Or is there one already that I haven't seen?
Reply 14
Original post by buttoned.up

!Shall we start a GEM 2015 entry thread? Or is there one already that I haven't seen?


There's two already floating around in the medicine community sub forum....
Original post by CEW19
There's two already floating around in the medicine community sub forum....


Yep...an error from me, woops!
Reply 16
Does GAMSAT require human biology only or biology in general? I am just starting GAMSAT prep, and some of the A-level specifications provide 2 options for biology - Human Biology, or Biology (general). Thanks in advance!
Original post by msha
Does GAMSAT require human biology only or biology in general? I am just starting GAMSAT prep, and some of the A-level specifications provide 2 options for biology - Human Biology, or Biology (general). Thanks in advance!


From what I've seen the biology questions tend to be more interpreting of graphs and deductions from figures. Or it's a physics or chemistry question masquerading as biology.

Probably worth looking at inherited characteristics and all that bobbins though. Stuff like if two parents have recessive genes for gingerness, what are the odds of the baby being ginger. I've not really done biology since GCSEs in 1996, and somehow I still remembered how to do that.
I didnt think I will have to sit that test again in my life, but here I am, back to square 1.

Despite being a science grad (pharmacist) my worse section was section 3, my best was section 2 I loved it. I really want to get into medicine and I have no choice but to smash the GAMSAT because I am useless at the UKCAT, and I disapprove of it. :s-smilie:

Last year I only gave it 6 weeks of study (last minute decision), I am gonna try and do 8 weeks this time round. My physics was abysmal. So i might concentrate on that. (AND not staying over the night before the exam at the most annoying person's house in the universe!!)

I am definitely booking a hotel to stay over. Drinking no coffee.

Last time I used alot of different books along with ACER past papers.

Where can I get the Griffith review book? and is it better than the gold standard book? In terms of telling you areas to target or specific tips. I really want this and i can see no other way for me into medicine other than the GAMSAT...so i am prepared to pay anything.


Does anyone have a list of what all the cut off scores were for 2014 entry, I only applied to SGUL last year. I am hoping to apply to at least 3 if everything goes to plan.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Ama2007
I didnt think I will have to sit that test again in my life, but here I am, back to square 1.

Despite being a science grad (pharmacist) my worse section was section 3, my best was section 2 I loved it. I really want to get into medicine and I have no choice but to smash the GAMSAT because I am useless at the UKCAT, and I disapprove of it. :s-smilie:

Last year I only gave it 6 weeks of study (last minute decision), I am gonna try and do 8 weeks this time round. My physics was abysmal. So i might concentrate on that. (AND not staying over the night before the exam at the most annoying person's house in the universe!!)

I am definitely booking a hotel to stay over. Drinking no coffee.

Last time I used alot of different books along with ACER past papers.

Where can I get the Griffith review book? and is it better than the gold standard book? In terms of telling you areas to target or specific tips. I really want this and i can see no other way for me into medicine other than the GAMSAT...so i am prepared to pay anything.


Does anyone have a list of what all the cut off scores were for 2014 entry, I only applied to SGUL last year. I am hoping to apply to at least 3 if everything goes to plan.



Griffith book available at http://www.gamsatreview.com/ . I've not got it for myself yet, but I've only read good things about it.

I'm a pharmacist as well. Ha! My brain's obviously atrophied from several years of sticking labels on boxes though, because I'm finding organic chemistry quite tricky. To be fair though, I found it tricky the first time around.

I bought Organic Chemistry for Dummies. It's written in American, but is very good. I've also gone back to A level and GCSE books as well. And general googling-this site seems good for basic chemistry http://www.chemguide.co.uk/index.html#top

No idea about section 2. I've not hand written an essay in years. Not sure where to start there.

Section 1 looks OK so far (sort of). It's basically just reading and that. I might have a look through a book of poetry analysis closer to the time.

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