Deciding to take the GAMSAT will require you to invest not only money but also the time you can’t take back and energy that must be focused on a single goal – to pass and get a high score in the test. The exam is an integral step to the path in getting into Med school, but it’s not an easy task, and many are not able to make the cut. So preparing for the exam will not only be having a study schedule but also creating a strategy that minimizes stress and anxiety in order to perform well on that day. Here are some tips to have an effective study program:
- Design Your Plan
At the onset, when you sign-up for the exam, you will be blitzed with information from ACER along with practice exams and advice on how to pass. The first gradready GAMSAT tip you’ll get is to take a deep breath and plan an attack, which makes good sense as you don’t want to get burn out in the middle of your preparation. What you want to do is to read through the exam details so that you’ll have an understanding of what you need to study on. Next is to ascertain your strengths and weaknesses so you’ll have an idea of what to work on. Then you’ll make a schedule on what you need to study for that time.
- Gather Resources
You will need to get the concept lists, this will give you an opportunity to assess where you stand on a certain concept. If you are knowledgeable on the concept that you’ll need to work, you won’t be overwhelmed, and you can make a study plan based on what you need and the time you require in order to cover those topics. Videos, books, online materials, etc. are all useful materials in your preparation. You must, however, know what suits best for you in order to get the most out of the material.
- Start with the Basics
Starting with the basics will help you manage the information overload you might encounter when you start your preparation. Many of the complicated concepts in GAMSAT are founded by the basic principles, which can be overwhelming if you don’t get the fundamentals down at the start.
- Practice
This is the part where there are no shortcuts nor buts – practice. There’s a difference between gaining knowledge from studying and applying them under exam conditions. Practicing will help you get acclimatized with the environment and situation of the exam so that you’ll be able to gauge your progress.
There will be a lot of things in the GAMSAT that you won’t really use in your career later on as a doctor, but the discipline in not losing focus and the endurance for those long nights of studying will prepare you for the life of a med student. You will need to embrace and cope with the challenges and don’t get yourself to get carried away by grand expectations. You just need to make the most of the moment at your own pace and enjoy the experience of pouring yourself into a single objective.
