GAMSAT has become popular among students and graduates in the UK and Australia. It is the standardized medical entrance test occurs once in every year. The main attraction is that GAMSAT welcomes non science and ESL candidates to study medicine. GAMSAT stands for Graduate Australian Medical School Admission Tests. ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research) conducts this test.
How GAMSAT differs?
Even science students find MCAT to be a tough test. It tests your knowledge in scientific theories and principles. An overall survey says that MCAT is very hard for the non science candidates. Generally, MCAT is difficult than GAMSAT but the MCAT study material will be sold cheaper than GAMSAT in the market.
MCAT tests your knowledge in biology, physics, chemistry and organic chemistry. Candidates have to study the 4 one year science courses such as biology, physics, chemistry, and organic chemistry. GAMSAT requires your concentration on biology and chemistry. There won’t be many questions related to Physics in GAMSAT. The questions are more related to test your thinking ability.
MCAT occurs in the United States and it helps selecting candidates for the American medical schools. GAMSAT occurs in the Australia, UK and Ireland and selects the potential candidates for medical schools in those countries.
MCAT occurs twice in every year. GAMSAT occurs only once in every year. GAMSAT gives opportunity for the non science students as well. Section 1 tests the knowledge of humanities and social studies. GAMSAT gives equal chances for the non science students to do the exam well.
These are the ways that GAMSAT differs from MCAT.
Reasons for many candidates choose GAMSAT:
The reason behind this may be GAMSAT is much easier than MCAT. Also the science questions on the GAMSAT are the type you can figure out with no prior subject knowledge.
Time is the problem. Most people taking these tests run out of time. Candidates rushed in the MCAT science sections as well. The time pressure is more on MCAT than GAMSAT. This was the opinion shared by the former candidates who have sat both GAMSAT and MCAT. So work on your timing by actually taking practice test under test conditions.
GAMSAT gives opportunity for the non science and ESL students to study medicine. I would like to help you sharing this resource. It would help you to prepare well for your GAMSAT UK. These resources helped me a lot and hope it would help you too!
Mary Anita is a GAMSAT candidate. She spent one whole year to know and collect more information about GAMSAT. Now she is preparing for her second attempt. Also she is a part time freelance writer. She would like to share the information that she has gleaned about the GAMSAT here. She is here to help with useful tips on GAMSAT preparation.