If you plan your study phase for GAMSAT, there are multiple ways by which you will be benefited. One of the prominent benefits is that planning a prior study phase will help the candidates know what needs to be studied. This perhaps means you can rightly judge which of the topics need to be payed extra attention.  Not just this, you will be able to set targets for GAMSAT and aim at fulfilling all your set targets of cracking the test. In this regard, the candidates should know what is best to be studied during the preparatory phase. Ones you plan your study phase, it is likely you will not waste time searching and preparing for unimportant topics. In fact, the students should certainly opt to attend to new and fresh questions and enhance their overall knowledge.

When you plan a study phase for GAMSAT in advance, it is likely you keep track of time. This perhaps means that you know the importance of time and prepare yourself accordingly. Equal hours of practice for the GAMSAT sections is likely to reduce the pressure and help you prepare successfully. This is evidently possible by allotting equal time to learning how to prepare for GAMSAT and taking advantage of the preparatory phase. If you plan in a proper manner, you can surely prepare yourself successfully on the d-day.

Planning for GAMSAT is surely to stress you at the first instance since you know you will need to prepare comprehensively. In this regard, the students should know that preparing for GAMSAT will help them collect wide range of information. In fact, if you plan to sit the test it is surely going to add to your overall knowledge. So, do not stress your self with long hours of practice rather be focused and prepare well. Above all, you should remember that you will have to fulfill your aim and reach a good level of success. In this regard, learn how to plan your study phase to prepare for GAMSAT and aim to reach your dream medical school in no time.

Most of the Physics-related questions in GAMSAT, as collected from ACER booklets and previous examinations, are not fully conceptual, rather they are logical reasoning based. But even so, a candidate should have a basic knowledge on general Physics before appearing for GAMSAT. ACER designs questions based on 10+2 Physics level. The questions are given in relation to background passages, often containing diagrams, tables or flow charts. Correlating the passages with the multiple choice questions requires strong logical reasoning abilities. A basic knowledge in general physics will help a candidate to come to a right conclusion in minimum time. Since GAMSAT is a timed examination, so utilising every minute effectively is crucial.

As mentioned earlier, candidate from non-scientific background may be afraid of the BIG books on physics. But to their rescue, many made-easy tutorials on general physics topics are now available in the market. There are tutorials that take away the burden off the candidate. And they will greatly help you while you are brainstorming through the tough questions, lots of mathematics and equations. They explain all the essentials of general physics, but in a much simple and lucid way.

Now, when all the equipments are ready, it’s time for putting in these to create a highly efficient product, i.e. strategy. For performing well in any section of GAMSAT, one must have a clear strategy to follow up their preparation. For Physics-related questions, quick deduction of figures and equations is highly essential. Practicing lots of GAMSAT type questions from various recognised sources like – ACER, Prepgenie, etc, will actually give you a hang of solving questions in minimal time period. There is nothing better than practicing – an old proverb.

I hope, by now, all my friends have got an idea about GAMSAT physics requirements. Physics is not a monster by itself; it’s us who think of it as something really scary. Believe me; it’s all in the mind not in reality. Even Physics can be of great fun, if approached properly and understood well. Always have a positive attitude while going through the study tutorials because that’s what GAMSAT wants from you. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a good study tutorial and start playing this exciting game.

For candidates from non-science background, some unique made-easy books are available. These books cover all the basic chapters of Human Physiology along with other common topics in Biology. These books aim at making the candidates conversant with Biology concepts that are dealt with in the 1st year of university studies. Some good examples are –

• Ross and Wilson: Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Illness by Anne Waugh and Allison Grant.
• IGCSE Study Guide for Biology by Dave Hayward
• A2: Further Studies in Biology by Margaret Baker, Bill Indge and Martin Rowland

Sometimes, to get a better understanding you can also refer to animations and videos which make things easier to understand. A few websites which contain such types of animations are –

• YouTube
• Mc Graw Hill Higher Education
• Harvard Life Sciences

Now, let’s concentrate on those candidates who already posses some basic Biological Science concepts and are looking for further development. As mentioned earlier, there are suitable resources for everyone sitting for GAMSAT. The books of a bit higher standard focus on individual topics with a greater number of schematic representations, tables and texts. Candidates with Biological-Science background can correlate them with their basic knowledge and gain more knowledge on individual topics. A few good books are –

• Anatomy And Physiology by Rod R Seeley, Trent D. Stephens and Philip Tate.
• Access to HE: Anatomy & Physiology by Lin Shaw.
• Microbiology by Lansing M Prescott, John P. Harley and Donald A. Klein.

Besides, from my personal experience, I would advice GAMSAT aspirants to go through lecture notes of some reputed universities like Harvard, Queensland University and the like. They generally carry an excellent compilation of classroom lectures by renowned professors. Sometimes, these lecture notes often carry some unique animations it the University websites. Animations and videos can help you understand many difficult areas with ease, since it makes you visualise the whole phenomenon.

GAMSAT Biology is not at all scary. The key is to get the right combination for you is to pick up the books that suit your level of understand. Remember, it’s not about how much the book can supply you but how much you can receive from that book. Once you develop a decent background in Biology basics, you can always jump to the next level. I wish you all the best for GAMSAT 2010.

Let’s start to minimise the time-lose at the beginning of GAMSAT exam. For this, we need to refer to the graph from the previous article, mentioned above.

Due to no mental as well as physical activity in the previous 30 minutes before the starting of the GAMSAT, a candidate faces blockages in mind-body co-ordinations. As a result, after receiving the question paper, the candidate couldn’t reach his/ her full potential or pace for answering it, immediately. Have you noticed the activities that a football player does before joining the field? At least 30 minutes prior to joining, he starts warming up so that his muscles get relaxed and synchronised for stamina and stress. Like way, a GAMSAT candidate needs to practice some mental activities during the pre-30 minutes before exam starts. For example, we can just think about a topic and start writing an article in a scrap paper. In this way, both our mind and hands are active and the mind-body co-ordination remains active. We can also, think about some numbers and try to create a mathematical problem in a scrap paper. Now if we get the GAMSAT questionnaire, our mind-body co-ordination is absolutely ready to work on it immediately, like a well-oiled machine.

Similarly, during the last 30 minutes of the exam, let’s try to figure out some possible time-saving strategy. First thing, we should have full confidence in our work till that point of time. We should not entertain any suspicion about our work. Second thing, work in your normal speed on new questions. Don’t rush or panic about the number of questions remaining unanswered. Just keep your head cool during the entire stretch of GAMSAT.

One last factor that could add up some advantage in time-saving is practicing GAMSAT-MODEL questionnaire continuously for hours. GAMSAT time-allotment is 5 and ½ hours. So, if we get used to work at peak concentration for this time –period, our system will obviously run out of gas at the last stretch, as a machine. To overcome this obstacle, we need to stretch our stamina for an extra yard. This extra yard is basically maintaining your stamina at peak level during the last stretch of examination. Practicing GAMSAT model questionnaire continuously at peak speed for 6 hours will definitely stretch us for that whole extra yard, making a big difference in the result.

By now, all GAMSAT aspirants reading this article have got the idea to develop crucial strategies for saving time during the examination. We all know the proverb- Time and tide waits for none. So, let’s start working on it.

Just think about the particular day of GAMSAT. In the morning we are already quite tensed and high on adrenaline when we leave for the examination centre. After reaching the centre about half an hour before the official entry permit, we sit somewhere trying to recollect on every possible chapters, topics, questions etc. At this stage, though, our mind is very active but due to no physical activity our reflex actions get minimised. Then, after the entry bell strikes, we hurry into the test centre and sit on our respective seats and wait anxiously for the examiner to arrive. Believe me, this is the most boring as well as depressing period of the GAMSAT test day. It is just like, you are hung up in the air and not being able to land on the ground. Your mental concentration breaks considerably during this period. In addition, a comment from other fellow aspirants which comes to your ears also distracts your attention. Then comes the BIG moment- when the examiner distributes the GAMSAT questionnaires to the candidates. As soon as you get the question paper, your natural instinct will be to go through the paper and to mark the questions which you feel comfortable enough to start with.

But the irony is, no matter how much you try to set up your normal pace and start answering, the output will be much less than your expectation. It is because your concentration level is at the bottom at this moment. With time the level increases to the optimum, respective to individual candidates. You can look into the graph, given below, for a detailed understanding.

During this log-stage, you will be doing much less work than you normally achieve in standard conditions.

Once the optimum concentration level is reached, you will be answering the questions in your standard pace.

Now, during the last 30 minutes of GAMSAT, you generally feel a peculiar suspicion about your work till then. It may be about the correctness of the answer you have marked or about the correct choice of alternatives in multiple choice questions or even about any spelling and grammar mistake in vocabulary section. These thoughts decrease your attention span and distract you with unimportant stuff. As a result, much less work is done than what should have been in the ideal environment (Please refer to the graph given above).

In this article, I have tried to point out the various factors contributing to time-loss during GAMSAT. I hope my points will prove useful to young aspirants who, in turn, will think about these loopholes during their next GAMSAT.

1. GAMSAT Sample Questions in Humanities: Section I of GAMSAT deals with reasoning based questions from poems, passages, diagrams and cartoons. Preparing for this section can be quite complex, specially because of the absence of a specific syllabus. But then there is little to worry as PrepGenie will lessen your burden to a great extent. PrepGenie provides you with free GAMSAT sample – Humanities questions which includes multiple choice questions on poems, passages and cartoons. PrepGenie also help you work on different type of questions based on diagram, dialogue, comments and proverbs. And the greatest part of it all is that you can get detailed explanations of all the questions. They will show you the best way and the most logical way to reach to the correct conclusion.
2. GAMSAT Sample Questions for Written Communication: Written communication is regarded as the most effective way to judge the thought process of a candidate. If you are stressed about how you will tackle the challenge of writing two essays in such a short span of time then the only way out is extensive practise. PrepGenie Sample GAMSAT essay topics will give you the scope to enhance your writing skills. There are two sets of quotes on two different topics, very much in the original GAMSAT style, to give you the taste of what you are up against. If you want to know how well you have written the sample essays, all you have to do is mail your essays at support@prepgenie.co.nz and you will get an authentic feedback. Yes, preparation for GAMSAT could not have got simpler!
3. GAMSAT Sample Questions for Biology: The GAMSAT sample questions of Biology designed by PrepGenie has the best stuff. The questions have been built keeping in mind the question pattern followed in GAMSAT. It provides 15 questions which cover some of the most important topics in GAMSAT and helps you to develop your reasoning ability.
4. GAMSAT Sample Questions for Chemistry: Since Chemistry is a subject which demands learning the basics rather than memorising, the GAMSAT sample questions of PrepGenie offers you a brief preview of what to expect in the GAMSAT. It provides 3 passages which covers the most important topics in Chemistry.
5. GAMSAT Sample Papers for Physics: Since the students feel that Physics constitute of 20% of the GAMSAT test, they tend to neglect the basics. But PrepGenie pays balanced attention to all the sections for it feels that the candidates should be aware of the basics. It consists of 15 questions which cover all the topics like Laws of Motion, Oscillations, Optics and Atomic Nucleus and Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body.

The GAMSAT sample papers provided by PrepGenie caters to a wider need base of GAMSAT aspirants. A whole lot of information supported by basic tips forms the basis of GAMSAT sample papers. So what are you waiting for? Rush and get the best from PrepGenie.

Well, you will also have to know the importance of the two degrees in GAMSAT. Your knowledge of a single subject might not be desirable in the long run. If you are clear with the basics of the sciences, then you need to work on the essays. A science degree without the basic idea of how to design an essay might place you in a state of panic on the D-day of GAMSAT. If you are an arts student then you will be required to put in extra effort for the science section of GAMSAT. You can in no way afford to miss on the last section and pay  more heed to the areas you are more confident of. In this regard you will realise for yourself that both the subjects of study are interconnected.

Another aspect that GAMSAT seeks to analyse is the logical understanding of the aspirants. This perhaps means that candidates holding an arts degree have a strong reasoning base essential for the medical schools under GAMSAT. Moreover, the creative skills of an arts student assist him/her to broaden and generate new ideas. The study of arts is one way to develop your critical thinking and analytical skills. The depth of writing and reading that one undergoes at the time of degree level studies comes in handy for GAMSAT. You will undoubtedly have a wider collection of words for an effective written communication. Nonetheless, you will have to remember that GAMSAT is an entrance exam for medical studies. You cannot but think of making an entry into the universities under GAMSAT without keeping some knowledge of Science. The moment you plan to sit GAMSAT you are clear of your aim to pursue a career in medicine.

It is for sure that by now you must have got a basic idea of how the two degrees compliment each other. The pie chart below will let you know the performance level of different degree holders:

As indicated by the pie chart the GAMSAT level of performance is high for students from the science background. It amounts to half of the entire performance in the diagram. On the other hand, the performance of arts students amounts to somewhere around 30%. The rest 20% goes in favor of students from Legal, Engineering and Technology studies. In this regard, you can see for yourself that students from the arts background hold a somewhat equivalent position to that of science students. Though not as good as science candidates it is certainly a great achievement on the part of the arts candidates. Hence, it is for you to know that degree as such does not guarantee success in GAMSAT. It is ultimately your capability and determination that will help you crack GAMSAT.

Tips for The D-Day

1. Check-List And Dress Code: Make a check-list beforehand and this should be the first thing you should look into while packing your exam kit. When you are stressed out, it is but human to commit the dumbest of things. Believe me when I say that this is the best ways to avoid missing out on crucial items. GAMSAT is a long run exam so remember to pack a good lunch. Wear comfortable clothes in which you can last for more that 5 1/2 hours.
2. Arrive At The Test Venue In Time: Plan out you travel to the test venue very carefully so that you reach the venue by 8.15 a.m., local time. It is best if you take out some time and visit the venue before the D-day and make yourself aware of possible routes and the actual location, This will save you a lot of apprehension on the day of exam.
3. Avoid Discussions And Be Optimistic: Try and remain calm and confident before GAMSAT begins. To do so avoid any sort of long drawn discussion with fellow candidates. This may lead you into a confused state and further increase your anxiety. Keep your mind relaxed and focus on what appears worthy to you. An optimist is somebody who lives in the best of all possible worlds. The moment you loose on hope you will land in the world of pessimist. Keep the fire moving !! Always learn on maintaining a positive attitude. It is often preferable to know that failure at GAMSAT is not the end of hope. A next chance will be a surety to success.
4. READ THROUGH THE INSTRUCTIONS AND QUESTIONS CAREFULLY: Ones you seat yourself comfortably in the exam hall just focus on GAMSAT. Last minute cramming will not help with the made-up stories. Often in a tensed state we miss on minute instructions that otherwise may prove to be valuable. Whatsoever, your priority should be to collect a clear understanding of the instructions. Once done with the instructions scan through the GAMSAT questions in the allotted reading time.
5. MAINTAIN TIME AND GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT: Keep a constant look on your watch and attend to the questions you are sure of. The moment you get stuck move on to the next. What you should stress upon is to make an intelligent and logical analysis when working on the multiple choice questions. Now, when dealing with the GAMSAT essays conceptualize in your brain the basic points on which you would form your essay. Do not panic and affect your overall performance if you feel you made a mistake in a particular section of GAMSAT. Calm down and move ahead!!
6. WHAT AFTER GAMSAT IS OVER: Let GAMSAT not bother you much after you get over with it. Eat well and enjoy every moment.GAMSAT is a grueling experience as it has been designed to check your stamina. Learn to handle the pressure and overcome unwanted fear of GAMSAT. While there is still time to go, carry on smoothly with your GAMSAT practice session.

SO GOOD LUCK AND ALL THE BEST!!!

Today, the study of medicine can lead one to an immensely successful career. Not just this no matter what profession you tend to adopt, it all contributes to making a better human race. The qualifying techniques of judging the best out of a lot has gained prominence. Now, the aspirants of medical entrance exams like Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) and Undergraduate Medical and Health Sciences Admissions Test (UMAT) are required to prove their mental and logical abilities. This doesn’t imply deviating the aspirants from their basic subject knowledge. Today, one can clearly view how nearly half the medical entrance questions are framed on judging the logical and mental abilities of the aspirants. The U.K graduate entry level program into medicine is supporting methods or rather to say has created trends to bring forth the worthiness of the candidates.

GAMSAT for instance has 75 questions set in the reasoning and logical interpretation section of the paper. Among many reasons, it is argued that it is now not sufficient that the aspirants or better to say our future doctors merely excels with knowledge and technical competence. It is advisable to have a strong social skills and awareness. We expect our doctors to listen to the patients carefully and also communicate comfortably at all levels. Adding to the expectations we want our doctors to be caring, empathic and diligent. We personally want them to be flexible and cope up with changes as required. The need to select students with cognitive abilities and personal attributes to become ‘good doctors’, has led the Australian entrance test authorities into in co-operating such reasoning ability tests. Such practices are convenient method of judging the behavioural and also reflect attitudinal abilities of the aspirants. The main aim of GAMSAT and UMAT in inheriting such section is just to form a socially diversified body of aspirants who would take the clinical skills to an essential level of humanistic qualities like good communication, good teamwork and also sustaining to the ethical values.

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) which evaluated from the MOSS Test very well explains the adoption of logical and reasoning sections. In 1920, the US school dropouts raised from 5%-50%. This gave rise to the preparation of a test that would evaluate the readiness of a medical student. This phase saw the development of test with topics related to visual memory, logical reasoning, science related definitions and lots more. In 1940, MCAT underwent a few changes and included quantitative abilities and understanding modern societies as their subtests. The phase of 1970 renamed understanding modern societies as general information. Today after reviewing all its sections the MCAT has four sections including Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, Writing Samples and Biological Sciences. This implied that mere theotrical knowledge would be short-lived and what helps is to know the practical abilities of the aspirants in dealing with the tough situations they may have to face occasionally.

Likewise, the effectiveness of GAMSAT assessment helps in delivering a lot of most skilled doctors to the renowned medical schools. In this reference one can see how intakes of medical students have tremendously increased in U.S. A student with non-scientific background is nowhere at disadvantage. Rather judging the aspirants on the logical and mental ability aspects helps the entrance institutions in providing a set of most efficient doctors. Rather, GASMAT collects all praise for inducting the most desirable candidates by analyzing their mental abilities that helps the scientific field in the long run.