So, you’ve decided to sit the GAMSAT® but you realise you have no idea how to prepare. It can be quite easy to feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, Reddit provides a wealth of resources for those looking to
prepare for the GAMSAT. In this blog, we will explore what we see as the top five Reddit GAMSAT® preparation tips.
GAMSAT Reddit Tip #1 Use a variety of resources.
We’ve scoured Reddit
r/GAMSAT thread, and one thing most high-scoring redditors have in common is their use of a wide range of resources. It is essential, however, to use the resources that work for you. Don’t be afraid to pick-up and put-down resources as they rise and fall from their usefulness.
Redditors cite science workbooks,
GAMSAT textbooks, opinion pieces from creditable newspapers and many others to help them hone their skills at each respective section. Many enlist the help of GAMSAT® preparation courses and private tutors as well, when reasonable. Study groups with peers are often cited as quite useful if formed with the right mindset and people and helps students diversify their study habits and potentially identify weakness that they otherwise would not have identified by themselves.
GAMSAT Reddit Tip #2 Establish a timeline.
It can be easy to lose sight of time with the GAMSAT®. It can go from being one year away to being one week away in the blink of an eye, which is why many redditors encourage drafting a timeline as soon as possible. The earlier the better but don’t be discouraged if you’re reading this blog a bit further down your own unwritten timeline. High-scoring redditors use this timeline to structure how they studied leading up to the GAMSAT®.
One redditor divided the 3 months they had up to the GAMSAT® into two 1.5 month halves, dedicating the first half to familiarising themselves with the basic content and the hidden syllabus, and using the second half for the more heavy grinding. GradReady’s
GAMSAT study syllabus can also help you create a study plan that fits you well.
GAMSAT Reddit Tip #3 Focus on the sections that will see the most improvement.
It is incredibly difficult to score perfectly and evenly across all three sections and as such, many redditors recommend focusing on the ones that they think will give them the biggest score boost. One area that redditors agree is an easy area for improvement in the beginning is understanding the basic concepts and literacy of the GAMSAT®. This includes familiarising yourself with basic undergraduate chemistry, organic chemistry, graphical interpretation, exponential and logarithmic relationships, timed and structured essay writing, and other skills that will otherwise be a severe detriment if lacking.
For example, if you find section 1 being difficult to improve on through study, then it may be ideal to reduce the amount of time dedicated to this section and reallocating that time towards something else that will invite more improvement – like section 2 perhaps. Similarly, if you find certain sections easier than others, it may also be easy to fall into a pitfall of dedicating too much time to that section for diminished returns. Many recommend focusing on identifiable and improvable weakness over difficult to improve strengths. This is where a
GAMSAT practice test will come in handy – to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses.
GAMSAT Reddit Tip #4 Practice, practice, practice.
There seems to be no way around this one, and Reddit agrees. High-scoring redditors dedicate a significant amount of time to practice questions and essays as soon as they are comfortable with their foundational knowledge. The questions for the GAMSAT® are mostly self-contained and so most redditors recommend familiarising yourself with the question structure and developing an approach to the questions that one can bring into the exam to maximise efficiency and minimise confusion.
Many redditor described that they dedicated a certain time each week to
GAMSAT practice questions and did their best to meet that time allocation when possible. Some redditors study plans encompass periods ranging from a couple days a week, to certain hours of everyday dedicated to studying, depending on their situation. It’s important to do what works for you and not to exhaust yourself with study.
GAMSAT Reddit Tip #5 Take care of yourself.
Finally, the GAMSAT® is as much a battle of attrition as it is a battle of wits. You have a literal big day ahead of you when you sit down for that exam, and so it’s best to go into it with a strong and healthy mental state. Many redditors recommend tapering off their rigid study habits on the weeks leading up to exam in order mitigate the stresses associated with the GAMSAT®. Many talked about reframing their mindset and expectations of the GAMSAT to stay mentally healthy before and during the GAMSAT® and well after they get their results.
Remind yourself that the GAMSAT® and the interviews do not define yourself as a person or your capability to become a future doctor. It may be useful to think of it as just a hurdle to overcome and if you stumble once or twice, don’t linger on those emotions. Address them healthily and use them to improve. Most people in medicine have sat the GAMSAT® several times and sometimes it’s good to remind yourself of that. You’ve made it all the way here so just tell yourself “you CAN do it, you ARE smart enough” and keep your chin up and keep trying. Determination beyond failure is something that redditors value above many things for the GAMSAT®, so don’t be afraid to try again if you can.
Conclusion
The perfect preparation does not exist and there is no silver bullet for scoring high in the GAMSAT® or getting into medicine. If you spend enough time in Reddit or anywhere else, you will see a lot of contradictions in people’s approaches despite similarities in their progress and performance.
What’s important to take home is that everyone studies and prepares differently, and it may be best to use this blog as an example of things that you could do to help in your journey into and through medicine. If one strategy doesn’t work for you, don’t be afraid to drop it and try something else, even if others see success in that strategy. But the key to effective GAMSAT® preparation is almost always to practice, practice, and practice. Make sure to use various resources such as GradReady’s
GAMSAT quote generator to consolidate your prep.
