GAMSAT – The De Facto Requisite For Australian Medical Entrance

The University of Sydney, Deakin University, The University of Melbourne. Have you always dreamed of getting admitted in one such prestigious university? Have you wanted to become a doctor ever since you first played with your toy-doctor kit? If the answer to these questions is an assertive YES, then your first step would be to crack GAMSAT. The Graduate Australian Medical School Admission Test, more popularly known as GAMSAT is a common medical entrance test developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in conjunction with the Consortium of Graduate Medical Schools. It helps in scanning students who will gain a passport into the graduate-entry medical, dentistry and pharmacy programs. Following is an exhaustive list of Australian universities that participate in this program:

• Australian National University
• Deakin University
• Flinders University
• Griffith University
• Monash University, Gippsland
• The University of Melbourne
• The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle
• The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney
• The University of Queensland
• The University of Sydney
• The University of Western Australia
• The University of Wollongong

GAMSAT tests the tenacity of students who would have a long and demanding course that requires both physical as well as mental strength once they get through the test and the interview. GAMSAT Australia is offered only once in a year. The registration process is a simple one and can be done online. GAMSAT tests the analytical faculties of the candidate. When you become a doctor, you are not simply faced with easy choices between  GOOD and BAD. Sometimes you have to weigh your options and choose the lesser of two evils and this requires sharp analytical abilities.

As a doctor you will have to interact with people from various walks of life. Your prospective patient may be a babbling toddler or a cynical wizened adult. A doctor has to bridge the gaps and communicate with his patients on a personal level in order to understand their medical condition more accurately. There has to be a level of comfort for the patient to confide in the doctor. Hence, communication is an essential tool. GAMSAT is a test of your communication skills and your ability to express your thoughts in a concise form.

The question papers for GAMSAT are prepared keeping a strict professional standard in mind. Questions are framed and developed by a team of ACER writers who are experts in their specific field of knowledge, in consultation with university faculty members. These questions are then trial- tested and reviewed before being finally approved. Issues of race, gender, religion are kept in mind while formatting the questions and every effort is made to minimize biased notions. The GAMSAT Policy Committee has even established an Ethics Committee to examine and report on any controversial issues relating to the content and conduct of GAMSAT.

A good, grounded knowledge of bare facts coupled with sharp reasoning skills will equip you to face the challenge more effectively. Equip yourself with the right set of tools available and give it a balanced approach and then nothing will be able to come between you and your dream medical college.