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by
Elliot Dolan-Evans,
29 October, 2025
Read 209 times
This article contains useful GAMSAT® revision tips and tricks for those of you who are tackling the GAMSAT exam again, so that you will hopefully be able to overcome it!
Every year, there are around 10,000 people who sit the GAMSAT®. These candidates are competing for approximately 3,000 medical school spots. Based on this data alone, I can safely say that the majority of attendees at every GAMSAT® exam have sadly been disappointed. This is the cruel reality of the GAMSAT® and of medical school admissions generally, and these figures demonstrate the harsh competition to get into medical school. On the other hand, these numbers may help to reassure you that you are not alone in having to retake the GAMSAT®.
Revising for the GAMSAT® can be an excruciating process for anyone. Whether it is your first or your tenth, it is a very trying time, emotionally, physically, intellectually and spiritually. The most crucial aspect of studying for the GAMSAT is planning. Planning study by month, by week, by day, and often by hour, is typically necessary to ensure you are well covered on the diverse sections in the GAMSAT® and have had the opportunity to undertake sufficient question-based practice. As such, planning is an excellent place to start your GAMSAT® revision. I would recommend one of the very first things you do is to set goals using the SMART algorithm (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound goals), which will help frame the rest of your study. Goals help you stay focused and monitor your progress. At the beginning of the day, write a list of all the things you must complete in the day. As you sit down in each session (which should be ~45 mins each), write on a post-it exactly what you want to achieve in that time (for example, “complete 30 Section 3 Multiple Choice Questions”). Key to making this skill a successful one is being realistic and setting goals that are actually achievable (the “A” in SMART”)! Don’t try and be ambitious; if you have heaps to do, don’t rush it, just take a bit more time to do it.
Importantly, your planning should consider the vital necessity of looking after yourself! It is extremely easy to burn out from GAMSAT® study and be overwhelmed by the content –therefore, it is essential that you make time for sport, hobbies, friends and family.
Integrating the general points of advice above into some more consumable ‘take-home’ points, I would recommend these as some of the first things you should think about when sitting down to revise for the GAMSAT®:
As discussed, an obviously vital component of any approach to GAMSAT® revision. “But how do I plan?” I hear you ask! From some of my recent tutoring students, here are some broad examples of what your revision plan for the GAMSAT® might look like, assuming that you are starting your study three months out from the big test and you have some basic background in the natural sciences (your background is important for goal setting!):
Don't forget to look after yourself. When you are sitting down to your GAMSAT® revision planning, do not solely consider the time spent studying. Ensure that you are also scheduling in break times (even down to hourly, daily, weekly and monthly breaks) – this is to give yourself something to look forward to, as well as some breathing space for your brain to properly absorb what you are trying to study! It would also be a very good idea to contact family and friends and let them know you are undertaking some serious study over the next few months and would love to catch up with them as a break in the near future. Trust me, your support network is going to be vital to get you through this exam (as well as through medical school)!
Once you have suitably planned your study, you will need to curate some resource materials to assist you in your endeavours! Take a look at the different sections in the GAMSAT® Exam and read what the requirements are for each section; this will help you understand what resources would be most useful for you in your upcoming GAMSAT® revision study regime. Some of these resources will no doubt be GAMSAT®-type questions, as such a resource is a vital component of GAMSAT® study, including MCQs and essay stimuli. Find tests online by googling the topic, or use the free GAMSAT preparation materials from preparation courses. ACER also sells booklets of practice questions to GAMSAT® candidates.
