GAMSAT 2016 (2017 entry)

GAMSAT is all about strategy guys! Focus on being able to sit the exam well rather than trying to learn all of the content! If anyoen needs anymore advice or questions answered just get in touch via private message on here!

Kind regards,

The Graduate Medicine Guide Team

Reply 541

DRCUK

1

Hi All
So im looking at sitting the GAMSAT march17, can anyone provide more details of what to expect in the different sections of the exam? Im looking at leaving nursing to do this but due to family, mortgage and kids, I can only really look at Liverpool, limiting my chances but only way I can keep the wife onboard! Would folks recommend private tutors or any revision materials?

Reply 542

DRCUK

1

Just wondering what the views are on the numerous resources to help prepare for the GAMSAT? I do not have a science background and have never sat an exam like this, just dont know where to start, how to prepare or what to expect?!

Reply 543

Marathi

12

Original post by DRCUK

Just wondering what the views are on the numerous resources to help prepare for the GAMSAT? I do not have a science background and have never sat an exam like this, just dont know where to start, how to prepare or what to expect?!

To start with look at the free practise questions that you can download from the ACER website to familiarise yourself with the content. It can be quite overwhelming at first, especially S3 for someone with a non-science background (I was in the same position).

Regarding third party materials I'd start with the Griffiths GAMSAT Review as it's dirt cheap and lists all the topics of the various science sections, as well as giving decent advice for S1 and S2 and includes a practise exam.

With regards to learning/revising science you CAN do it for free with Khan Academy on youtube, but sometimes KA can lack examples which prove useful for making sure you've actually learnt something. Personally I loved the Gold Standard book as it's all self contained and just covers past GAMSAT topics meaning you're not revising unnecessary material (sometimes). Other's use AS/A2 (Physics, Chem, Bio) in a week series by Letts.

About Personal Tutors, I used one for a few sessions to help my organic chem but just to find I was clarifying what I already knew, which was reassuring but not necessary. If you can afford them it could help but it might be better finding someone with GAMSAT experience so they don't start teaching you things that are irrelevant to the exam.

Hope this helps!

Reply 544

DRCUK

1

Thanks Marathi. Feeling way out of my depth with it but a focused mind can achieve great things eh! Just hope now till March is long enough to dust off the grey matter haha

Reply 545

VARRRDAQ

3

Original post by DRCUK

Thanks Marathi. Feeling way out of my depth with it but a focused mind can achieve great things eh! Just hope now till March is long enough to dust off the grey matter haha

The best thing you can do to get a feel for what the exam entails is to actually do the official ACER papers (under timed conditions).

You will realize with the Science section, it is very reasoning-focussed, and relies less on knowledge recall. This is not to say you don't need to revise for it, you absolutely do, but you don't have to worry about rote-learning things but rather focus on getting the concepts drilled in so that you can apply the knowledge to any question they throw at you. Once you feel comfortable with the concepts, you are half-way there :smile:

Reply 546

Joe_norvill

3

Anyone interested in joining a study group in Manchester, in final month leading up to GAMSAT? PM me.

Reply 547

kimsiclez

12

This is a bit of a random question, one that I'm not even sure anyone will know the answer to, however I am curious!

Does anybody know if the same GAMSAT paper is used for all corresponding tests that day? For example, my friend in Melbourne will be sitting GAMSAT there on the 14th and I am sitting it in London. Obviously due to time difference she will sit it before me hence I am assuming they will be different papers but I wondered if anyone could confirm this? It's an odd request, but one that did pop into my mind!

Reply 548

Zak1995

7

Hey guys, first time posting on TSR, despite stalking numerous threads for years!
First off, wishing the best of luck to everyone sitting the GAMSAT!

Getting to the point, I'm currently having trouble with the organic chemistry questions; not so much the physical and inorganic chemistry however.
I just can't seem to find an approach or trend in how the questions are set, something I've done with section 1 and the biology and physics of section 3.

So, could anyone please provide me with any tips and possible tricks on how to tackle the questions, what to look for, or even how to revise for them in the first place; although I assume practice questions would be the answer. Is rote learning even useful for the organic chemistry questions? If so, what should I learn? Have already tackled stereo-isomerism and chirality, along with learning basic functional groups. Extremely stressful considering how close the GAMSAT is!

Reply 549

Marathi

12

Original post by Zak1995

Have already tackled stereo-isomerism and chirality, along with learning basic functional groups. Extremely stressful considering how close the GAMSAT is!

This covers some of the common themes in the org chem content. Alongside assigning R and S configurations, as well as Z and E configurations. How reactions occur in acidic, neutral and basic conditions. The difference in stability between primary, secondary, and tertiary molecules. They like to ask questions about the relationships between alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes so I'd definitely familiarise yourself with those.

Reply 550

Marathi

12

Original post by kimsiclez

This is a bit of a random question, one that I'm not even sure anyone will know the answer to, however I am curious!

Does anybody know if the same GAMSAT paper is used for all corresponding tests that day? For example, my friend in Melbourne will be sitting GAMSAT there on the 14th and I am sitting it in London. Obviously due to time difference she will sit it before me hence I am assuming they will be different papers but I wondered if anyone could confirm this? It's an odd request, but one that did pop into my mind!

In the past with discussion with Australian candidates it seems as though the papers are vastly different.

Even people sitting in the same exam room as you may have slightly different papers as each test includes 'trial' questions which marks don't count, however, you are not informed as to which these questions are. It's not uncommon for candidates post-exam to ask others about a certain question to learn that not everybody else was given that question.

Reply 551

kimsiclez

12

Original post by Marathi

In the past with discussion with Australian candidates it seems as though the papers are vastly different.

Even people sitting in the same exam room as you may have slightly different papers as each test includes 'trial' questions which marks don't count, however, you are not informed as to which these questions are. It's not uncommon for candidates post-exam to ask others about a certain question to learn that not everybody else was given that question.

Interesting to hear, thanks very much!

Reply 552

liam__

7

Original post by kimsiclez

This is a bit of a random question, one that I'm not even sure anyone will know the answer to, however I am curious!

Does anybody know if the same GAMSAT paper is used for all corresponding tests that day? For example, my friend in Melbourne will be sitting GAMSAT there on the 14th and I am sitting it in London. Obviously due to time difference she will sit it before me hence I am assuming they will be different papers but I wondered if anyone could confirm this? It's an odd request, but one that did pop into my mind!

The paper is the same for everyone, however the questions are in different orders for different people (there is a space on the answer sheet where you write the number of the question booklet you have). However, you could feasibly call your friend who could tell you what the questions were and the answers. This would obviously be in breach of the rules and you'd run the risk of being disqualified for cheating.

EDIT: Yeah, what Marathi said about trial questions was true. Different numbered papers will have different ones, but I believe all of the scored questions are the same regardless of the paper.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 553

OE062

Original post by asarev

Anyone wants to join a study group in London for the last month to Gamsat?

Posted from TSR Mobile

I'm interested!

Reply 554

Zak1995

7

Original post by Marathi

This covers some of the common themes in the org chem content. Alongside assigning R and S configurations, as well as Z and E configurations. How reactions occur in acidic, neutral and basic conditions. The difference in stability between primary, secondary, and tertiary molecules. They like to ask questions about the relationships between alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes so I'd definitely familiarise yourself with those.

Hey Marathi, thanks for the reply, much appreciated!
Any resources you would recommend form covering these topics?

Also, anything anyone would recommend for someone struggling to grasp the concepts even? When I watch explained solutions for some of the ACER questions, I'm absolutely clueless throughout half of them?

Reply 555

liam__

7

Original post by Zak1995

Hey Marathi, thanks for the reply, much appreciated!
Any resources you would recommend form covering these topics?

Also, anything anyone would recommend for someone struggling to grasp the concepts even? When I watch explained solutions for some of the ACER questions, I'm absolutely clueless throughout half of them?

Khan Academy, Bozeman Science, Chemguy, or just try and search on youtube.

Reply 556

amegiraffe182

8

Hi! Just wondering whether someone who's sat the gamsat before would know how different the actual exam is from the practise questions, like will the topics be completely different in section3 for the real thing ?😬

Reply 557

VARRRDAQ

3

Original post by amegiraffe182

Hi! Just wondering whether someone who's sat the gamsat before would know how different the actual exam is from the practise questions, like will the topics be completely different in section3 for the real thing ?😬