GAMSAT help

[mandy]

Hiya guys,

This year I will be studying the Bachelor of Biomedicine at Melbourne University. I want to do Medicine at Melb after this course, so I'd have to do the GAMSAT exam. I just have a few questions regarding this entire process. Help me please

1. When can I do the GAMSAT?
2. How many times can I attempt the GAMSAT?
3. What happens if I never reach the required marks to proceed into Med? What happens to me then?

Thank you guys!

[stonecold]

I am having a crises with this.  I am seriously considering a gap year + repeating the UMAT right now.

The GAMSAT essays look terrifying, and I plain stink at a lot of that section 1 stuff.

You can sit the GAMSAT in the second last and last year of your undergrad degree, which is a benefit.

I don't believe there is a limit to the number of times you can sit the GAMSAT, however I am under the impression that results are only valid for 2 years.

As for what you said last, this is my fear also, which is why I am considering the gap year, so I can remain eligible for Monash.

You will probably need to do honours and other post grad studies to get a decent job with biomed.  Or you can opt for other health related degrees such as optometry, dent, physio etc.

[dptjandra]

My understanding is you can do it from 2nd year onward (I'm not sure about the rules of doing it in first year, but you'd be stupid to do that anyway seeing as you will not have learnt the material required until end of first year!)

You can attempt it as many times as you like, but your score is only valid from 2 years before when your course commences.  To illustrate: say you take the 'normal' route of doing biomed for 3 years and then MD.  Your GAMSAT from either 2nd year or 3rd year would be valid.  But say you did an honours year, then your GAMSAT from 3rd year (2013) or the honours year (2014) would be valid, but not the 2nd year (2012) one (because that was done 3 years before the year (2015) that your course begins.)  Hope that makes sense.

If you never reach the required mark to be granted an interview at Melbourne, hopefully you'll have the mark required for an interview at another university for medicine, or else you will probably have to consider another career path (I'm not 100% sure, but I think I read somewhere that Melbourne MD is only accessible from a Bachelor's degree - someone should correct me if i'm wrong).

[stonecold]

Yeah, Melbourne MD requires a 3 year undergrad degree 'or equivalent' to apply.

And the prerequisite subject also need to be met.

[mandy]

Just the thought of having to complete the GAMSAT is terrifying, and I really don't think I will do well. I didn't do well at all for the UMAT, so the chances of me doing well in the GAMSAT are even more slim

Just say I finish my Biomed course and still haven't made it into Medicine, can I keep doing the GAMSAT then (as in, while not studying anything)?

Also, what health related course would have the lowest GAMSAT requirements?

[Massofbubbles]

I am having a crises with this.  I am seriously considering a gap year + repeating the UMAT right now.

The GAMSAT essays look terrifying, and I plain stink at a lot of that section 1 stuff.

You can sit the GAMSAT in the second last and last year of your undergrad degree, which is a benefit.

I don't believe there is a limit to the number of times you can sit the GAMSAT, however I am under the impression that results are only valid for 2 years.

As for what you said last, this is my fear also, which is why I am considering the gap year, so I can remain eligible for Monash.

You will probably need to do honours and other post grad studies to get a decent job with biomed.  Or you can opt for other health related degrees such as optometry, dent, physio etc.

If I was in your position I'd probably take a gap year, redo the umat, redo methods (or do another subject), work, travel, and at very least get guaranteed entry at melb. A year is nothing in the scheme of things..

[stonecold]

I am having a crises with this.  I am seriously considering a gap year + repeating the UMAT right now.

The GAMSAT essays look terrifying, and I plain stink at a lot of that section 1 stuff.

You can sit the GAMSAT in the second last and last year of your undergrad degree, which is a benefit.

I don't believe there is a limit to the number of times you can sit the GAMSAT, however I am under the impression that results are only valid for 2 years.

As for what you said last, this is my fear also, which is why I am considering the gap year, so I can remain eligible for Monash.

You will probably need to do honours and other post grad studies to get a decent job with biomed.  Or you can opt for other health related degrees such as optometry, dent, physio etc.

If I was in your position I'd probably take a gap year, redo the umat, redo methods (or do another subject), work, travel, and at very least get guaranteed entry at melb. A year is nothing in the scheme of things..

Yeah, this is what I am probably going to do.  It seems like the best option to sure up a med spot somewhere in Melbourne.

[Massofbubbles]

Hiya guys,

This year I will be studying the Bachelor of Biomedicine at Melbourne University. I want to do Medicine at Melb after this course, so I'd have to do the GAMSAT exam. I just have a few questions regarding this entire process. Help me please

1. When can I do the GAMSAT?
2. How many times can I attempt the GAMSAT?
3. What happens if I never reach the required marks to proceed into Med? What happens to me then?

Thank you guys!

If you don't get into Melbourne's MD, you can always apply for med at a different uni (other unis weigh the gamsat and gpa differently). Otherwise you could do honours and try the gamsat for a third time.

[vexx]

If you are so afraid start studying now, learn how to write the essays, learn how to do the section 1 & practice consistently over 1-2 years & ensure you know your science and practice it well.
You can sit the GAMSAT three times if you want during your degree to apply for entry when you finish, you can always do it two more times afterwards if you go on to do honours - that's 5 times = plenty to get at least a decent score to get into med. You'll get in if you want to.

[stonecold]

If you are so afraid start studying now, learn how to write the essays, learn how to do the section 1 & practice consistently over 1-2 years & ensure you know your science and practice it well.
You can sit the GAMSAT three times if you want during your degree to apply for entry when you finish, you can always do it two more times afterwards if you go on to do honours - that's 5 times = plenty to get at least a decent score to get into med. You'll get in if you want to.

So there is a September GAMSAT too?

I am confused.  :S

[Massofbubbles]

What I'm afraid of is that people say the gamsat is more about the application of your knowledge than the knowledge itself. It makes me a little scared that no matter how much I study it'll still be too hard..

[mandy]

Do the GAMSAT people know how many times you have done the test?

For example, person X could have done the test 4 times with their highest score being 98% (I don't know how GAMSAT is scored, I'm using percentages because I don't know any better lol). Person Y, on the other hand, could have done the test once and scored 96%. Would person Y have a better chance at being accepted into MD because of their score being almost as high as person X's on the first attempt?

....Did that even make sense?

[Massofbubbles]

Do the GAMSAT people know how many times you have done the test?

For example, person X could have done the test 4 times with their highest score being 98% (I don't know how GAMSAT is scored, I'm using percentages because I don't know any better lol). Person Y, on the other hand, could have done the test once and scored 96%. Would person Y have a better chance at being accepted into MD because of their score being almost as high as person X's on the first attempt?

....Did that even make sense?

Nah, the university just uses your highest gamsat score - only from the previous two years though, I think - no matter how many times you've done it.

[simpak]

Curiosity q, what is the level of intensity of mathematics/physics on the gamsat?

[vexx]

If you are so afraid start studying now, learn how to write the essays, learn how to do the section 1 & practice consistently over 1-2 years & ensure you know your science and practice it well.
You can sit the GAMSAT three times if you want during your degree to apply for entry when you finish, you can always do it two more times afterwards if you go on to do honours - that's 5 times = plenty to get at least a decent score to get into med. You'll get in if you want to.

So there is a September GAMSAT too?

I am confused.  :S

we are allowed to sit the GAMSAT UK which is in melbourne in september of second year.

Curiosity q, what is the level of intensity of mathematics/physics on the gamsat?

no specific maths, only year 12 physics is required.