GAMSAT is a testing process used by universities in Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom to select candidates applying for studies in medical fields. It covers medical student applicants and those applying for dentistry, podiatry, optometry, and veterinary science.
To apply for GAMSAT, you must hold a recognized bachelor’s degree and be prepared to sit the test at an approved testing center. These centers are located in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States.
Having successfully achieved the GAMSAT score required by your chosen university, you may subsequently get called forward for an interview. Even though your academic background is non-scientific, you can still take the GAMSAT.
GAMSAT Format
Most previous GAMSAT applicants state that their preparations took between three and four months. This timescale is the same as the universities tend to recommend for you to prepare. A crucial first stage of understanding how you should prepare for GAMSAT is knowing the testing format.
You will complete the GAMSAT over an eight-hour session, with a one-hour lunch break at the midpoint. The test is broken down into three sections.
Section I covers the Humanities and Social Sciences. This section consists of 75 questions, and you have one hour and 40 minutes to complete it.
In Section II, your written communication skills are put to the test. You are required to write two essays, and these have to be completed within one hour.
The final part of the test, Section III, consists of 110 physical science questions. You have two hours and 50 minutes in which to complete this section.
Your score is calculated based on your responses to the questions in all three sections. However, Australian universities apply double weighting to Section III questions.
Your GAMSAT Study Schedule
Allocating sufficient time to prepare for GAMSAT is crucial. An excellent way to ensure you do this is to create a study schedule. Before you do this, you should complete some practice questions relating to each of the GAMSAT sections.
The results of these questions will inform you where your strengths and weaknesses lie. You can then schedule your time accordingly. Your study schedule should run from the current time to the day of the test. Don’t forget to include other commitments such as work or family time. You will also need to factor in some downtime, as you will want to avoid burnout before the test.
Preparation for GAMSAT Section I
Section I is made up of Humanities and Social Sciences questions. The format of this section is multiple-choice, and it is designed to test your comprehension and interpretation of qualitative data. In Section I, subjects you will likely encounter include anthropology, graphic media, cartoons, poetry, literature, and non-fiction.
Reading from a wide range of media is the first step in preparing for this section. You should also be familiar with techniques used to analyze information in the humanities and social sciences.
Look at the various types of written and graphical information contained within GAMSAT Section I. You can then go online and search for articles relating to these subjects and formulate specific answers.
For instance, you could take a quote from a book, then search for an article that discusses how the writer has achieved a certain pace or invoked certain feelings within the reader. You can then go back and analyze the quote or passage from what you have just learned.
Preparation for GAMSAT Section II
Section 2 is the written communication element of GAMSAT. This section will assess your ability to write clearly, logically, effectively, and to a deadline.
You have to write two essays in the section, which need to be completed within one hour. Therefore, ideally, you should allocate 30 minutes to each essay.
The subject of your first essay is usually based on a cultural or social issue, such as crime, war, technology, and so on. In this essay, you are required to argue a particular point. Therefore, you should practice writing authoritatively so you can make strong points.
Your second essay is likely to require your personal opinion on a particular social issue. This issue could be comedy, love, or ideas such as the concept of beauty. In this essay, you have the opportunity to express your opinion and write creatively.
Your preparations for the section should include brushing up on English language basics, including spelling, grammar, and constructing sentences and paragraphs. Once you have brushed up on your basics, You should then focus on constructing arguments and presenting viewpoints within a structured essay format.
Preparation for GAMSAT Section III
GAMSAT Section 3 is based on the physical sciences and relates to problem-solving within a scientific context. To succeed in this section, you must possess a good general knowledge of biology, chemistry, and physics.
Your preparations for the section should include graph and diagram interpretation. You should also understand scientific processes and principles and be able to solve problems relating to these. Practice using scientific information And reasoning to formulate questions that interrogate various types of scientific information.
Conclusion
Studying for GAMSAT is a significant undertaking. To ensure you maximize your chances of success, you should prepare efficiently and effectively. Hopefully, this article will help you on your way and put you on track for GAMSAT success!
