GAMSAT 2016 (2017 entry)

I thought I'd start this thread early as I'm sure there are a few people who are applying for GEM entry 2017 already thinking about entry exams.

GAMSAT Ireland registration deadline is on the 1st of Feb 2016 and the exam date is 19 March 2016. You can take the exam in Ireland or in England (London and Liverpool), but it will cost you extra to take the exam in England. The GAMSAT can be used for 2 years - so 2017 and 2018 entry. The acer booklet doesn't explicitly say that GAMSAT Ireland can be used in England/Wales (as far as I can see), but in the past students have used for entry to uni's in the rest of the UK. There is a booklet on the GAMSAT website which I will try to upload, but for some reason TSR doesn't let me upload websites or PDF's :colonhash:

I know there is a later GAMSAT, but I want to take the earlier one as I will be a lot more busy from next summer onwards and I know I won't be able to commit the time to study for it. I plan on only applying for one GAMSAT uni, maybe two if I do really well, but if I do badly I won't even bother retaking it I'll just apply to UCKAT uni's.

I will try to upload as many informative documents and websites as I can, I hope many people will contribute x

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Reply 1

PintoBeans

https://gamsat.acer.edu.au/files/GAMSAT_Ireland_Info_Booklet_16.pdf - GAMSAT Ireland 2016 information booklet

Reply 2

paniking_and_not_revising

I'm sitting the March one as practice but have a feeling with my nearly full time job, I'm not going to be ready for the exam at all.

How are you studying?

I'm reading through textbooks and doing A Level exams and MCAT questions.

Reply 3

Quilverine

Hello,
I think I may have to sit the GAMSAT next year, I'm hoping I get an offer this year but I'm not sure it will happen. I would sit the GAMSAT in Bristol which I think would be in September 2017 and I need to get some chemistry tuition in to have any hope of getting the 50 in S3 that everywhere seems to want. I got 62 : 81 : 45 back in 2013 which meant SGUL and Swansea rejected me with no interview. Good luck everyone.

Reply 4

PintoBeans

Original post by paniking_and_not_revising

Hi,

I have two essays due in Jan and early Feb so I'm going to be putting all my energy in those first. I'm only using online resources and my old bio, chem and physics notes from my GCSE and A - Level days. I do have a mountain of UKCAT books which I plan on selling off the second I've done the exam - I'm hoping to apply for 2 UKCAT uni's and 2 GAMSAT uni's depending on how the exam goes in March. I'll only be doing it once, as I really can't afford to do it many times, so if I flunk it will have to be UKCAT all the way.

Reply 5

PintoBeans

Original post by Quilverine

Hi,

Was it the 45 that got you the rejection because those look like excellent scores. I'm still trying to get around how they do the scoring, it's a little bit more complicated than UKCAT :/

Reply 6

Quilverine

Original post by PintoBeans

Hi,

Was it the 45 that got you the rejection because those look like excellent scores. I'm still trying to get around how they do the scoring, it's a little bit more complicated than UKCAT :/

Yes, it was the 45. Those unis don't ask for a science degree so you have to prove scientific prowess with a score of 50 in that section. I only had a good understanding of physics and human biology so the chemistry just destroyed me. For perspective - it's early degree level science and I did my GCSE chemistry 10 years before I sat the GAMSAT and 40% of that section is chemistry (40% for bio and 20% for physics).

A lot of people fall on their arse in S2, it's two essays in an hour, handwritten. Some people left the room crying after this bit. I cannot stress enough how important it is to practice this. It hurts. Physically. Most of my degree was word processed and getting back into the practice of writing sheets and sheets of A4 wasn't easy. I used 5 minutes ahead of each essay to think and write a plan- I then crossed the whole page through so it wouldn't be marked. It allowed me to be coherent and structured and aware of exactly how much time to spend writing each paragraph.

The first section is a bit like the UKCAT VR section.

My overall average met both cutoffs so I really regretted not getting some chemistry tuition beforehand. I went in with a cavalier attitude and nowhere near enough respect for how difficult the science section would be (I thought my physics and biology would be sufficient for 50). I really wish you the best of luck. It feels much more like a valid measure of aptitude than the UKCAT and I am still quite proud of what I achieved in the first two sections :colondollar:

Reply 7

paniking_and_not_revising

Original post by PintoBeans

I can only apply to Warwick and Newcastle but I'm aiming for Warwick (UKCAT) and Swansea, Nottingham and SGUL (GAMSAT).

What are you studying now?

Reply 8

PintoBeans

Original post by Quilverine

My overall average met both cutoffs so I really regretted not getting some chemistry tuition beforehand. I went in with a cavalier attitude and nowhere near enough respect for how difficult the science section would be (I thought my physics and biology would be sufficient for 50). I really wish you the best of luck. It feels much more like a valid measure of aptitude than the UKCAT and I am still quite proud of what I achieved in the first two sections :colondollar:

Ahh that sounds really frustrating! I really hope this is your year.

I've always thought GAMSAT was way more applicable as a med school exam than UKCAT, it's a shame it seems so much harder :hmpf:

Reply 9

PintoBeans

Original post by paniking_and_not_revising

I can only apply to Warwick and Newcastle but I'm aiming for Warwick (UKCAT) and Swansea, Nottingham and SGUL (GAMSAT).

What are you studying now?

I'm hoping to apply for St George's, Warwick, Nott's and King's :O Of course all that can change

I'm studying healthcare science, finishing in 2017. Still trying to build on my work experience, but struggling.

Reply 10

paniking_and_not_revising

Original post by PintoBeans

So you might plan to go straight into med after your first degree? ooh sounds tough.

Reply 11

Marathi

Feel free to pinch info from my thread for this year (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3022525), I'll be updating cut-offs for this year in there too once they are announced.

I will not be sitting the GAMSAT next year regardless of my score this year as I'll be focusing on my MA. Good luck to all those wishing to do it, it's a bloody tough exam.

Read a lot and do lots of practise questions.
Practise writing essays to quotes (handwriting them to build up wrist stamina!).
Read lots of science, watch lots of Khan Academy, do lots of practise questions.

Reply 12

PintoBeans

Original post by paniking_and_not_revising

So you might plan to go straight into med after your first degree? ooh sounds tough.

I spent 5 years doing various jobs before going to uni and unfortunately my degree doesn't open up many career avenues so might as well apply straight away

Reply 13

PintoBeans

Original post by Marathi

That's great advice, thank you x

Reply 14

paniking_and_not_revising

Original post by PintoBeans

I spent 5 years doing various jobs before going to uni and unfortunately my degree doesn't open up many career avenues so might as well apply straight away

Fair enough :biggrin:

Where they healthcare related jobs?

Reply 15

PintoBeans

Original post by paniking_and_not_revising

Fair enough :biggrin:

Where they healthcare related jobs?

I've only ever worked in admin ever since leaving college. I worked as a administrator in a GUM clinical for about a year, but had no clinical contact with any of the patients. I was hoping to maybe do some HCA work but I lack the clinical skills to join bank and can't make the commitment for full time work. I really need to be able to get some care work asap, especially if I want to apply to Warwick. I'm trying to some w/e with local GPs and hospices but it's so much harder than I thought, I'm considering just waiting until summer and trying to do something then as it's really racking my brain.

What do you study/studied if you don't mind me asking, and have you got your healthcare w/e sorted x

Reply 16

paniking_and_not_revising

Original post by PintoBeans

I want to do HCA work too.

It's really hard to get work exp at local GPs due to confidentiality so you might be better off contacting hospitals. I've got to hand in my application to the local hospital to volunteer next week. Have you tried hospitals? The local hospice were awful. Turned my application in September and they kept telling me they really needed volunteers and then last week they told me they no longer need volunteers after over a month of ignoring my calls and stuff.

I studied Law so very different from med. I did work experience in A&E when I was 16 and wasting my summer away after GCSEs but I didn't stay in touch with the doctors I met which I am kicking myself for now. They were so lovely and helpful with me even though I was a lazy brat who really didn't want to be there. Yeah I was immature at that age.

I'm working in an opticians now but I don't know if that counts as experience and my manager hates the fact that I'm a Law grad so I don't think he'd like me at all if he knew about my plans for Grad Med.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 17

deathbeforeimmortality

Hi. Will be doing the GAMSAT for the first time ever, in the UK but in September.

I will not be doing it this March in Ireland because I am currently doing my masters, but I will start preparation in January after my exam and slow down when my thesis comes around.

I did the UKCAT but got 615 so I didn't apply to medicine at all... so I will try my luck with GAMSAT and I will do the UKCAT again but this year much earlier :smile:

Reply 18

PintoBeans

Original post by paniking_and_not_revising

I applied to my local hospice too! They were so keen on trying to get volunteers, but when I turned up at the interview there were nearly 20 of us and only one position :eek:

When I was in sixth form the local trust offered 200 students over the two years an opportunity to work with doctors and i couldn't be bothered to fill out the application form even though I was interested. This kind of stuff always comes back and kicks you in the face :/

Reply 19

paniking_and_not_revising

Original post by PintoBeans

I applied to my local hospice too! They were so keen on trying to get volunteers, but when I turned up at the interview there were nearly 20 of us and only one position :eek:

Lol that sounds pretty awkward!

That sounds like an awesome opportunity! I hate it when stuff like this happens in all honesty. Makes me feel so stupid for missing opportunities. I had a lecturer at uni who would let her students shadow her in Court. I've still never sat in on a proper County Court case,

Right now, I can't even get the local hospital to contact me back. All this experience hunting is making me tired on top of work and studying.

In other news, I've spent all day studying and I feel like I'm getting nowhere. I'm so worried I won't be prepare for March. Everytime I learn something, I forget it a couple of minutes later.