The Student Room Group

Graduate Entry Medicine: 2016 Entry

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Original post by aspiringmedic123
Hey Guys,

I have a query. Does your academic referee HAVE to have known you for a certain number of years as an official requirement for medical school application?

I had to move universities for my second year due to extenuating circumstances. I haven't even had much interaction with any of my lecturers so, I'm struggling find a academic referee atm :frown:.


I don't think so - mine only knew me for a year but still gave me one 2 and 3 years later. Might be worth calling the universities to make sure though.
Original post by aspiringmedic123
Hey Guys,

I have a query. Does your academic referee HAVE to have known you for a certain number of years as an official requirement for medical school application?

I had to move universities for my second year due to extenuating circumstances. I haven't even had much interaction with any of my lecturers so, I'm struggling find a academic referee atm :frown:.


Not at all, my academic referee only joined the university during my last year
Hey guys i am doing GAMSAT for first time and was wondering what advice people who have done it before have? also what reading materials do you suggest.. I've not been able to do any of this before been really busy with my final year at uni please could someone help would really mean a lot
Reply 4883
Thank god this cycle is over, good luck all 😬
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by danni998
Hey guys i am doing GAMSAT for first time and was wondering what advice people who have done it before have? also what reading materials do you suggest.. I've not been able to do any of this before been really busy with my final year at uni please could someone help would really mean a lot


Loads of practice. I ignored a lot of the pay for resources and used a lot of MCAT resources (for both reading, essay and the science) plus first year university textbooks. Biology by Campbelk and Reece, Organic Chemistry by Wade, Chemistry by Blackman. All of these you can find online for free. There are s lot of data analysis questions, if you're not naturally good then practise graduate numerical tests to get better and watch the scales (lines for log).

I got 3 sets of MCAT resources: Princeton Review, Berkely Review and Examkrackers.

I also practiced writing essays for a couple of months beforehand as it was a long time since I had written one.

Hope this is some help.
Original post by danni998
Hey guys i am doing GAMSAT for first time and was wondering what advice people who have done it before have? also what reading materials do you suggest.. I've not been able to do any of this before been really busy with my final year at uni please could someone help would really mean a lot


Practice essay writing! MY section 2 was my lowest mark by far and I know it's because I didn't practice it enough.

I totally recommend The Meaning of Things by A.C. Grayling for good quotes and interpretations of a lot of the kind of questions they ask on the paper.
Original post by CharlieGEM
Loads of practice. I ignored a lot of the pay for resources and used a lot of MCAT resources (for both reading, essay and the science) plus first year university textbooks. Biology by Campbelk and Reece, Organic Chemistry by Wade, Chemistry by Blackman. All of these you can find online for free. There are s lot of data analysis questions, if you're not naturally good then practise graduate numerical tests to get better and watch the scales (lines for log).

I got 3 sets of MCAT resources: Princeton Review, Berkely Review and Examkrackers.

I also practiced writing essays for a couple of months beforehand as it was a long time since I had written one.

Hope this is some help.


Hi thank you it really is I am really worried because I am terrible with essay questions and not used to them so i'm stressing like mad
Original post by Tortious410
Practice essay writing! MY section 2 was my lowest mark by far and I know it's because I didn't practice it enough.

I totally recommend The Meaning of Things by A.C. Grayling for good quotes and interpretations of a lot of the kind of questions they ask on the paper.


Hi thank you for the advice I know I am really worried about section 2 because I am terrible with essays and not done them in so long I am just seriously scared how did you find the gamsat anyways
Original post by danni998
Hi thank you it really is I am really worried because I am terrible with essay questions and not used to them so i'm stressing like mad


To be honest I didn't really get to the level of adding a ton of quotes but I did use some of the other quotes supplied in the question. The MCAT essay section is really similar and some of the stock answers are really good. Probably why I only got 68 instead of 70 something in section 2 but then I was always going to be much better at the science section anyway.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by CharlieGEM
To be honest I didn't really get to the level of adding a ton of quotes but I did use some of the other quotes supplied in the question. The MCAT essay section is really similar and some of the stock answers are really good. Probably why I only got 68 instead of 70 something in section 2 but then I was always going to be much better at the science section anyway.


hey thats still a really good mark well done!!! im just worried because i suck at essays so don't know what to do how did you find the gamsat test if you don't mind me asking
Original post by danni998
Hi thank you for the advice I know I am really worried about section 2 because I am terrible with essays and not done them in so long I am just seriously scared how did you find the gamsat anyways


There are usually loads of practice essay questions floating around to practice with. My tip would be don't evaluate them right after you write them, wait a day or so, then you can properly see where did good/could have done better.

http://www.medstudent.org/threads/gamsat-style-essay-questions.57513/
Original post by Natha_Lite
There are usually loads of practice essay questions floating around to practice with. My tip would be don't evaluate them right after you write them, wait a day or so, then you can properly see where did good/could have done better.

http://www.medstudent.org/threads/gamsat-style-essay-questions.57513/


thank you :smile:
Original post by danni998
hey thats still a really good mark well done!!! im just worried because i suck at essays so don't know what to do how did you find the gamsat test if you don't mind me asking


Well despite not arriving in the best condition on the day (virtually no sleep, more than a bit fed up) I got 67, 68 and 79 for 73 overall. I have done worse exams to be honest. The 5.5 hours is what makes the day a bit of a marathon.
Original post by CharlieGEM
Well despite not arriving in the best condition on the day (virtually no sleep, more than a bit fed up) I got 67, 68 and 79 for 73 overall. I have done worse exams to be honest. The 5.5 hours is what makes the day a bit of a marathon.


wow its still really good I would be really happy with that score!!
Reply 4894
Original post by Shellfish002
They sent out some rejections for Birmingnam today if anyone's interested.


Hey, sorry to hear! Good luck with your other uni's though and there's always next year (I say as I apply for my 4th time...)Was this post interview? And if so, what date was your interview?
Offer for Exeter!


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Original post by lyra1987
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Original post by lyra1987
Offer for Exeter!


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Original post by lyra1987
Offer for Exeter!


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Well done!!

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Original post by lyra1987
Offer for Exeter!


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Congratulations!!

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