Every year, in March and September, the Australian Council for Educational Research (Acer) puts on its top event. They test students across Australia to determine who will be able to enrol in graduate medical studies. This exam, the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test or GAMSAT is a make-or-break deal. Students practice writing essays and hone their science skills for years ahead of sitting this exam.
The GAMSAT is no ordinary test. It doesn't probe for what you know; it wants to learn how you think about what you know. Unlike any high school exam - or, for that matter, semester finals at university, the GAMSAT doesn't call for you to demonstrate how well you remember concepts. It expects you to demonstrate your mastery of concepts by applying them obliquely.
To wit, you've written essays before but always in response to a prompt. GAMSAT's Section II, the writing portion, won't be that helpful. You'll have topics to write about, not situations. And you likely remember enough of your university-level biology and chemistry; probably high school physics, too. But the GAMSAT won't ask you any anatomy questions or to rattle off the chemical formula for glucose.
So what does the GAMSAT expect of you? And how can you prepare to earn a top score? Read on to find out where to turn for help in five of Australia's biggest cities.
Find a GAMSAT Tutor in Sydney
Most students preparing for the GAMSAT know they lessen their chances of scoring well if they practice exam concepts on their own. That's why so many enlist a GAMSAT tutor. Some Sydney students rely on recommendations from around their university campus. Maybe their professors or the student council can direct them to a tutor. Perhaps they see an advert on the campus library bulletin board or even in their department office.
Most university students in Australia are digitally savvy, though. Rather than scramble around for a solid lead on a GAMSAT tutor, they'll turn to their favourite search engine. Simply typing in GAMSAT tutor Sydney returns pages full of hits. Gumtree returns a page of listings but most of the hits are from tutoring services. A few are from commercial GAMSAT courses like GradReady and the Institute of Medical Education (IME).
These commercial ventures have a lot to offer, particularly GradReady. Their website offers many free GAMSAT resources; you can also gather some good information by reading through their blog. However, both GradReady and IME, and the other top names in commercial GAMSAT prep, Gold Standard GAMSAT charge a hefty fee for their services.
Much has been said lately about how expensive it is to study medicine. GradReady and the other outlets' schedule of fees don't help dissuade anyone from the notion that high prices are the norm for medical education. Unfortunately, the debate over the high cost of medical studies rages on but you don't have time to wait until it's resolved. You have to find a GAMSAT tutor in Sydney at least a year ahead of concluding your Bachelor studies.
Top GAMSAT Prep Outlet in Melbourne
GradReady and other such services' high prices might convince you to see how well you can manage on your own. We're not saying that it's absolutely hopeless for you to forge ahead without any help. But before you decide that that's your only recourse, consider how medically inclined Melbourne is.
The University of Melbourne is Australia's top facility for medical and dental studies. According to 2022 data from the QS University Rankings, Melbourne Medical School is ranked Number One in Australia and 17th in the world. By contrast, the University of Sydney comes in second in Australia and 19th in the world. What are the chances that you might find a medical student with GAMSAT teaching experience? One who has the time to guide your GAMSAT prep?
The idea is not so farfetched. After all, it was a group of medical students at the University of Melbourne who, after completing their studies, created GradReady. They wrote the curriculum and, to this day, teach the classes. As you're in Melbourne already, why not take a stroll on campus, around the library or in the Faculty of Medicine building? You might find a few students keen to help you with GAMSAT preparation.
No worries if you don't have time for campus strolls and tutor interviews, though. You could always resort to online searches. From what we found online, you have many GAMSAT tutoring initiatives to choose from in Melbourne.
GAMSAT Tutoring in Brisbane
As in Melbourne, so too in Brisbane. The University of Queensland ranks #3 in Australia and 31st in the world. In fact, the Mayne Medical School, though not quite as old as the Melbourne school, houses the Museum of Medical History. That would be something well worth touring. And while you're there, you might ask some of their volunteer staff if they know anyone who could help you with GAMSAT preparation.
If you'd rather search online for a GAMSAT tutor in Brisbane, you might try University Tutor. This is a website that hosts private tutor profiles as well as adverts from commercial outlets like GradReady. You can distinguish the independent tutors by their profile pictures. The tutoring companies use their logo as an avatar.
When you look over these Brisbane tutor profiles, take care to note whether they tutor the full GAMSAT preparation. Some tutor profiles specify that they specialise in a specific section, maybe science or essay writing. Unfortunately, the listings won't tell you upfront that a tutor has experience teaching only one GAMSAT aspect. You have to read their entire profile to find out what they specialise in.
If indeed, you're concerned about GAMSAT science concepts, perhaps Luke would be a great tutor for you. Chemistry, biology and physics are his beat; he will also help you hone the maths skills you'll need. He has vast experience tutoring science and maths concepts but he's never sat the GAMSAT.
Of all the subjects you could enlist a tutor for, GAMSAT prep is the only one with (informal) prerequisites. Ideally, any GAMSAT tutor you consider should have sat the exam and scored well on it. Tutors need that experience to tell you what to expect when you test. Also, they should have experience teaching GAMSAT concepts. Lucky for you, there are loads of GAMSAT tutors in Brisbane who fit that bill.
Perth Prepares with a GAMSAT Tutor
On the QS Rankings, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane take up the top spots with two universities apiece. Immediately after them comes Perth's University of Western Australia. Why wouldn't it? It's Western Australia's oldest medical school, renowned for its research. As for clinical teaching... Well, the school has turned out an astounding 11 Rhodes Scholars.
No wonder undergraduates want to study medicine there! If you're such a one, be sure to start your GAMSAT preparation at least a year in advance. You'll need at least that much time to read everything you can get your hands on, as Acer recommends.
That begs the question: if GAMSAT preparation entails extensive reading, what do you need a tutor for? Your Superprof GAMSAT tutor would tell you that you also have to work on your chemistry, biology and physics skills. And you have to have a masterful command of English writing. Even if your science skills are the best and you write fairly well, you still need a few sessions with a GAMSAT tutor, That way, you know you've got things in hand.
GAMSAT Prep in Adelaide
Dr David could tell you all about the benefits of GAMAST preparation with an experienced tutor. He's been tutoring GAMSAT students for over 15 years. He sat the exam in 2006 and scored in the 100th percentile. Now a practicing physician, he tutors GAMSAT students in what spare time he has, usually on the weekends.
With such a busy schedule and adverts in all of these featured cities (and three more besides,) you can expect Dr David to deliver GAMSAT lessons online. That's no cause for disappointment. In fact, it might be best to touch base with your GAMSAT tutor that way. Doing so saves both of you time and money.
Even Superprof GAMSAT tutors in Adelaide offer lessons via webcam. GradReady and other commercial outfits do, too. With the array of teaching tools and resources available online, GAMSAT preparation has never been more streamlined.
Online tutoring services don't discount the University of Adelaide medical school, though. As other GAMSAT students around Australia might, you too could tour the campus to see if any medical students double as GAMSAT tutors. They might be a bit busy with their studies but maybe they could point you to the GAMSAT tutor that helped them score well.
Whether online, in a class setting or one-to-one, you need a GAMSAT tutor. One who has been through the ordeal you face and scored well on it. One who has experience teaching GAMSAT concepts. In Adelaide, you have many tutors to choose from.
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