Big problem..

[Surgeon]

Hey guys,

So as we are all very well aware, the UMAT day is rapidly closing in on us.

I've found myself in a very unfortunate situation in that my performance and scores have in fact deteriorated over these holidays.

I'm terribly nervous and afraid about the UMAT because I NEED to do very well so that I can get an interview because it's impossible for me to get a 99.95, even if I get four study scores of 50 this year (which isn't happening either!).

Whenever I'm doing UMAT practice, whether it be question bank, drills or a practice exam, my brain just goes into overdrive and I'm on the verge of hyperventilating. I'm afraid of stuffing it up!

I have no idea what to do so I thought I'd first ask for some advice on here and see what you guys think.

Thanks in advance!

[pi]

You're just putting way too much pressure on yourself. "Doing badly" on the UMAT doesn't mean the end of you medical dream nor does it mean the end of the world.

If your scores are deteriorating, I'd just stop. Take a break (like a few days of no UMAT whatsoever).

Not even all med schools need the UMAT for undergrad entry (JCU for example, Hamdog from the forums goes there and finds it awesome). As mentioned, I really think you need a quick rest, both in terms of taking a 3-4 day break from all UMAT prep/discussion and a rest for your body if you've been sleeping less that 8 hours a day for the holidays.

Holidays are a time to freshen up, if you don't feel fresh, you need to rest now. No point rocking up to UMAT day feeling absolutely crap.

A few questions to you, so we can help:
1) How much UMAT have you been doing recently in terms of hours per day?
2) When (what times) have you been doing this prep?
3) How much sleep are you getting in terms of hours per day?
4) Have you had any fun on these holidays (something extra that's not normal on school weeks)?


My answers this time last year:
1) Maybe ~3 for the last week (I'm lazy)
2) Between brekky and lunch, good study time. Plus the real UMAT is around this time too.
3) 8-10 hours
4) Of course! There's more to life than UMAT, and it's the holidays! Term 3 hols is when shit gets real imo.

[brenden]

I agree with VP, but if you can't handle doing no prep at all it might be worth trying guided meditation as you do the prac tests. Or even as you think about the UMAT to do some deep breathing. If you can learn to associate relaxation with the thought of the test (crazy thought, huh?) then you might just be in the perfect frame of mind to ace it on the day. Also, having these techniques might be worth putting into practice on the day of the exam, making you feel eustress (good stress) as opposed to distress. Five minutes of deep breathing/relaxation might prove beneficial in the scheme of things than going through all three sections with a blocked brain and an overly aroused body. I know the UMAT is generally taken very very quickly but something to think about =]

[Water]

This may be the answer you are looking for...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4

[Surgeon]

You're just putting way too much pressure on yourself. "Doing badly" on the UMAT doesn't mean the end of you medical dream nor does it mean the end of the world.

If your scores are deteriorating, I'd just stop. Take a break (like a few days of no UMAT whatsoever).

Not even all med schools need the UMAT for undergrad entry (JCU for example, Hamdog from the forums goes there and finds it awesome). As mentioned, I really think you need a quick rest, both in terms of taking a 3-4 day break from all UMAT prep/discussion and a rest for your body if you've been sleeping less that 8 hours a day for the holidays.

Holidays are a time to freshen up, if you don't feel fresh, you need to rest now. No point rocking up to UMAT day feeling absolutely crap.

A few questions to you, so we can help:
1) How much UMAT have you been doing recently in terms of hours per day?
2) When (what times) have you been doing this prep?
3) How much sleep are you getting in terms of hours per day?
4) Have you had any fun on these holidays (something extra that's not normal on school weeks)?

My answers this time last year:
1) Maybe ~3 for the last week (I'm lazy)
2) Between brekky and lunch, good study time. Plus the real UMAT is around this time too.
3) 8-10 hours
4) Of course! There's more to life than UMAT, and it's the holidays! Term 3 hols is when shit gets real imo.

1) 5-6 hours per day
2) Some in the morning, some towards the evening. (not one 6 hour session)
3) About 6 on average.
4) Yeah, twice

[Shenz0r]

I did 5-6 hours of UMAT almost every second day of the holidays, but I took breaks to just catch up with school work (which I have severely fallen behind in now to compensate for the extra UMAT study).

And lol 6 hours is not enough sleep on holidays. Try sleeping in on the weekends. It works wonders.

[Surgeon]

I did 5-6 hours of UMAT almost every second day of the holidays, but I took breaks to just catch up with school work (which I have severely fallen behind in now to compensate for the extra UMAT study).

And lol 6 hours is not enough sleep on holidays. Try sleeping in on the weekends. It works wonders.

I'd like to sleep.

The problem is, I can't.

My heart just starts rushing in the middle of the night and my brain starts working at a million miles an hour before I can finally fall asleep out of exhaustion.

Then I wake up 5-6 hours later and can't get back to sleep.

Been tired for like 2 weeks flat lol.

[Ravit]

You must learn to JUST CHILLLLL.
UMAT is to some extent a skill and emotion based test, if your exhausted and burnt out, how do you expect to perform well.
Just step back for a while and let yourself recover, I think everyone here knows UMAT is an important exam and we want to do well, but that doesn't mean we should compromise our health and well being for it. 

[Starlight]

I'm just going to add here: There's nothing wrong with postgrad medicine at the end of the day, I think that this year has probably been a struggle for you to get back on your feet and study due to being plagued with illness.

I think if you did a degree like science, you would have the drive to excel in your subjects and I think you could do potentially well on the GAMSAT admissions test because you certainly have the drive to do so.

Edit: There are quite a few people on here who have done the gamsat as well so they can give you a few tips and tricks

[paulsterio]

[pi]

^lol ATAR is more important than UMAT, stop trying to get the OP more stressed.

[golden]

I'm just going to add here: There's nothing wrong with postgrad medicine at the end of the day, I think that this year has probably been a struggle for you to get back on your feet and study do to being plagued with illness.

I think if you did a degree like science, you would have the drive to excel in your subjects and I think you could do potentially well on the GAMSAT admissions test because you certainly have the drive to do so.

Edit: There are quite a few people on here who have done the gamsat as well so they can give you a few tips and tricks

That was your 1000th post.

Surgeon whatever you do you're already ahead of MANY people.

[Surgeon]

^lol ATAR is more important than UMAT, stop trying to get the OP more stressed.

I think he's right, to be honest. Well in terms of importance for undergraduate medicine.

At Monash, there's no more interviews based on ATAR+UMAT unless you get 99.95. I'm not getting that so if I don't get an interview based on UMAT, JCU is my only option (I think) and I don't think my ATAR will be high enough for that.

I'm hoping that UMAT % for an interview goes down by a little this year because of the whole no interviews for UMAT+ATAR.

[pi]

He's wrong because if you go into the UMAT thinking like that, you're putting way too much pressure on yourself. And I know people in JCU with 97.xx, you'd want at least 99+ to feel good about getting a place at Monash, even with a good UMAT.

Re: sleep, have you (this is ironic given its a umat thread) seen your GP about it?

[Surgeon]

He's wrong because if you go into the UMAT thinking like that, you're putting way too much pressure on yourself. And I know people in JCU with 97.xx, you'd want at least 99+ to feel good about getting a place at Monash, even with a good UMAT.

Re: sleep, have you (this is ironic given its a umat thread) seen your GP about it?

To be quite honest, I would prefer an interstate place for independence reasons. Would love to live on campus with other med students. I think it would be awesome. (If anyone doing this is reading Tthis, please tell me about your experiences!)

I was aiming for 100th percentile on UMAT so if I did get that, it would have been comparatively easier to get into Monash even with a 94-96 ATAR (compared to the situation I'm in now).

I haven't seen a doctor, if I can keep up with the 5-6 hours a night without too much fatigue, I think it could come in handy. If I get worse, I'll see a doctor.