GAMSAT

What Is GAMSAT?

GAMSAT was originally developed as a test for Medical School applicants in Australia, where Medicine was a Graduate Entry course. It has since been adopted by a number of GEM courses in the UK.

The test evaluates the abilities and skills that you’ve gained through prior experience and learning. It covers basic science, as well as the general skills of problem-solving, critical thinking and writing.

Which Graduate Entry Medical Schools Require GAMSAT?

The UK Medical Schools which currently require GAMSAT for their Graduate Entry courses are:

• Dundee/St Andrews – ScotGEM
• Nottingham
• St George’s
• Surrey (UCAT or GAMSAT)
• Swansea
• Worcester (UCAT or GAMSAT)

What Is The Format Of GAMSAT?

GAMSAT is a day-long test, divided into three sections:

1. Reasoning in humanities and social sciences. 62 multiple choice questions in 100 minutes. (Reading time 8 minutes, writing time 92 minutes.)
2. Written communication. 2 questions in 65 minutes. (Reading time 5 minutes, writing time 60 minutes.)
3. Reasoning in biological and physical sciences. 75 multiple choice questions in 150 minutes. (Reading time 8 minutes, writing time 142 minutes.)

There is no break between sections 1 and 2. There is a lunch break of one hour between sections 2 and 3.

The GAMSAT is a digital test, and you need to take it at a test centre.

When Should I Take GAMSAT?

GAMSAT is usually offered twice a year, in March and September.

If you want to sit the GAMSAT exam in March, your choice of UK test centres is limited to London, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool or Derry. Registrations for the March sitting typically open in November and close in late January.

The September GAMSAT exam is available at more UK test centres. Registrations for the September sitting open in May and close in mid July.

How Much Is GAMSAT?

GAMSAT costs £271 to sit in the UK. If you register late, you’ll have to pay a fee of £65.

It costs €344 to sit the test in Ireland and $518 in Australia.

When Do I Get My GAMSAT Score?

You will receive an email when your GAMSAT score becomes available through your online account.

For the March sitting, results are usually released in May. For the September sitting, you can expect results in November.

Candidates receive a score for each of the three sections, as well as an overall GAMSAT score. The overall score is a weighted average of the three section scores.

Can I Resit The GAMSAT Test?

There’s no limit to the number of times that you can sit the GAMSAT exam. This means you could sit it in March and then resit it in September, if you need to – and again the next year.

If you take the GAMSAT test more than once, you can choose which results to use in your GEM application.

How Should I Prepare For GAMSAT?

The best way to prepare for GAMSAT section 1 and 2 is to read as widely as possible. Keeping abreast of the latest medical news is a good idea – but your prep could also include reading novels and poems, as well as periodicals. When you do this, try to find the meaning in what you’re reading and practise forming opinions and judgements from the text.

To prepare for GAMSAT section 3, it’s wise to work through preparation materials that you can find online (or from the test provider ACER). Practise answering example questions during your GAMSAT preparation to hone your skills. You should also look into some A-Level Physics, plus first-year university Chemistry and Biology texts.