When should I start studying for the GAMSAT?

A few months in advance, at least. However, the exact answer to the question “When should I start studying for the GAMSAT^®?” entirely depends on your circumstances. In this blog post, we will take you through some considerations to help you plan your GAMSAT study.

GAMSAT^® is THE exam for aspiring medical school students, and the competition seems to be getting tougher every year. If you're wondering when to start studying for the GAMSAT^®, then you're already taking the right first step.

The GAMSAT^® seems to be getting increasingly difficult and competitive every year, with unpredictable changes to what the examiners want you to focus on. A small proportion of all those who sit the GAMSAT^® will get to go through a medical school interview, and then secondly, a smaller percentage achieve a medical school student place.

As I often recount to my students, the year just prior to when I sat the GAMSAT^®, one of my future colleagues didn’t do any study or preparation for the test, showed up on the day, went home at lunch time to ‘have a few beers’, and successfully got into medical school. Not too sure how competent a physician they are today! For most people, this is a pipe dream, and most students will study themselves to the bone before sitting the exam. It is worth noting that the GAMSAT^® is not a suitable test to determine the future efficacy or ability of future doctors, which numerous research papers have demonstrated. However, the GAMSAT^® is currently here to stay. This blog will aim to help answer the question of when you should start studying for the GAMSAT^®.

GAMSAT Study Timeline Consideration #1: Have a Study Plan

Although the dream of entering a medical school may be a few years away at the time you decide on sitting the GAMSAT^®, it is very important to meticulously plan for that fateful day in March or September. The GAMSAT^® is not your standard test, and many candidates will attest to having a radically different GAMSAT study plan for this particular exam.

Cramming for the GAMSAT^® is not effective, as you're expected to show a strong aptitude in reasoning and problem-solving. It is useless to memorise theorems or the Krebs cycle (I can attest to that!); reading textbooks straight won’t help (I can also, sadly, attest to that); and just appearing at the exam without any preparation would be simply disastrous.
 

GAMSAT Study Timeline Consideration #2: Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses

The GAMSAT^® is a massive exam held over approximately 8 hours. It tests you primarily on problem solving (i.e. you’re given all of the information, and then asked to select the correct question in MCQ format) and on essay writing. You're expected to have a knowledge level of approximately first-year university for biology and chemistry, year 12 for physics and a well-rounded, mature understanding of the humanities.


When planning your GAMSAT^® study, you need to carefully consider the amount of time you will need to prepare effectively. For instance, if you never studied chemistry at school and you’re preparing for the GAMSAT with a non-science background, you may need to allow more time for this. Work, family, and other responsibilities would mean planning long-term and starting a few months out from the test. On the other hand, if you're freer or have expertise in the sciences already, you may be more fortunate in being able to spend more time on your weaker areas. There are other blogs that I have written about exactly how to plan for the GAMSAT^® but here we are talking about the timing. If you’re not sure what your strengths and weaknesses are, take our free GAMSAT practice test which mimics the official ACER exam in detail.
 

GAMSAT Study Timeline Consideration #3: Recognise Your Own Circumstances

I started my own studying for the GAMSAT^® in November of the previous year, immediately after my exams in my undergraduate course that year. I consider this to be quite a big lead-in time for GAMSAT^® study; however, due to my own circumstances, it was necessary. In the months leading up to the GAMSAT^®, I was on full-time placement, working a casual job (late night hotel work), and working on my Honours thesis. I knew that I wouldn’t have the time to cram a lot of study in a short period (which you definitely shouldn’t try to do anyway!), and so I played the long game.

You can best prepare for demonstrating a strong aptitude in reasoning and problem solving in the exam by making time to not only get yourself to the required level of knowledge for the test, but also practicing more MCQs and essay questions than you think are enough. We have a database of free GAMSAT questions and materials. Just saying.

For those who are freer, or who have expertise in the sciences already, you may be more fortunate in starting your studies at least after the Christmas break (for the March edition). Your main concern would be practicing the application of your knowledge and enhancing your problem solving abilities. You would also want to focus on humanities and English comprehension.

As for the rest of us, remember that memorizing facts or natural science concepts ad nauseam for months before the test is not the most effective study technique. Instead, practice, practice MCQs and essay writing, and then practice some more. This is the only things that will help you to develop the exact skills essential for success in the GAMSAT^®.

 

Conclusion

 

So, when shoud you start studying for the GAMSAT^®? It all depends on your situation, and you need to find an option that works in your life and gives you the most confidence when you walk into the examination room. Don't take the GAMSAT^® lightly, but don't be scared either - with the right preparation, you can succeed.

Looking for more information on how to prepare for the GAMSAT^®? Check out our GAMSAT podcast for information on how to prepare for the GAMSAT^® and many other topics of interest to aspiring medical students!