GAMSAT

yahooy · 10-06-2008, 01:40 PM

Hi everybody, I've searched high and low but cant find any ive preparation courses in the London area for this years GAMSAT. Have I totally missed something? Are there any being held soon?

aapl · 10-06-2008, 03:11 PM

GRADMED GAMSAT prep course in London at Imperial college.
GAMSAT - Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test

Another in London
Exams ~ Dr Prep - Specialist preparation for UK medical school entry

yahooy · 11-06-2008, 07:16 AM

Thank you

Dr Nick · 11-06-2008, 08:19 PM

Be very very careful with Gradmed. It can be good if it's a long time before the exam. Did it this year. There were about 20 of us. Out of the 8 of us that I know of, the highest after mine was 58, with mostly 55's. None of us found it that good. If you have any questions on it let me know.

superdoc1 · 11-06-2008, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Nick

Be very very careful with Gradmed. It can be good if it's a long time before the exam. Did it this year. There were about 20 of us. Out of the 8 of us that I know of, the highest after mine was 58, with mostly 55's. None of us found it that good. If you have any questions on it let me know.

Hey Nick,

Do you mean the long course is better than the intensive one?

Thats mad about the results...I really didn't think that'd be the case. I was thinking of doing that last year too but it cost too much

Dr Nick · 12-06-2008, 03:12 PM

Hey, I dont know about the long course. I did the intensive one...3 weekend. But it finished two weeks before the exam which gave no time for revision and wasted 3 weekends when we could've been studying. I emailed dogs abuse to the course organisers. I was lucky cause I had the work done and was ready to do the exam by the end of January but only for that the GRADMED course would've destroyed me. That said, the practice q's were great and if we had time to do them they would've given us a great advantage over everyone else.

Mad Max · 12-06-2008, 06:06 PM

I bought the gradmed notes and questions from someone. i was thinking about attending the classes though. Do you think it would be worth it Dr Nick. I figure I should have organic chemistry covered by then, so I was also considering only doin ghte biology weekend. What do you guys think?

(Sorry to hijack the thread)

Dr Nick · 12-06-2008, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Max

Do you think it would be worth it Dr Nick)

Hey max,

When is the course and when is the exam?

If you have about a month after the course finishes then I'd recommend the intensive course.

For biology, I'd get the Leaving Cert or A-level revision books and learn it well. Especially the endocrine system.

For physics I didnt do anything as I have a decent background there. Maybe try getting the full LC/Alevel book and cover the main points only (forces, circuits, capacitance). The revision books I found dont explain stuff as well as you need to actually understand physics. You're better off getting a bigger book and learning less sections out of it.

For chemistry - organic chemistry for dummies all the way. It saved my life and is the most important thing to know for the exam, in my opinion.

If you've all that covered then you may find the intensive course helpful and definately great for the support you get from the classmates - if you keep in touch with them. We had a great laugh together and it chilled me out about the whole thing.

Whatever you do, the biggest downfalls I think anyone could make are 1) not doing enough practice tests and 2) stressing out. I did plenty of practice exams, under the strict conditions of the exam. Take a whole day for the exam and dont even bother marking it til the following day. It's a test of stamina and takes lots of practice. If the GRADMED course finished about a month before the exam and you have the bulk of your revision done then you'll have time for practice tests and yea I'd do the GRADMED. But dont rely on it to teach you anything, just to help you revise what you already know.

Dr Nick · 12-06-2008, 06:43 PM

God I didnt realise how long that rant was!

Mad Max · 13-06-2008, 07:22 PM

Ok thanks Dr Nick. I've already bought the Organic Chemistry for dummies book. I've just completed an AS level in chemistry. Flicking through a few of the practice questions it seems that an A2 standard of knowledge is what to aim for, which shouldn't be too hard.
I've also read Griffiths gamsat review which was ok. Whilst everyone emphasises the importance of practice, study must be just as important, right? To break it down crudely, I'm thinking something like a 75:25 ratio of study to practice at the beginning, slowly progressing to 25:75 ratio in the weeks leading up to the exam. Does this sound sensible?
The live prep courses do seem a little fishy though. I'd only be interested if the main focus is preparation for the exam rather then merely learning science.

10-06-2008, 01:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
yahooy Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 8	Live prep courses in London area?? Hi everybody, I've searched high and low but cant find any ive preparation courses in the London area for this years GAMSAT. Have I totally missed something? Are there any being held soon?

12-06-2008, 06:43 PM	#9 (permalink)
Dr Nick Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 63	God I didnt realise how long that rant was! __________________ GAMSAT '08: 63 RCSI UCD UL UCC Destined for fame...but pacing myself

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GAMSAT

10-06-2008, 03:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
aapl Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 87	GRADMED GAMSAT prep course in London at Imperial college. GAMSAT - Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test Another in London Exams ~ Dr Prep - Specialist preparation for UK medical school entry

11-06-2008, 07:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
yahooy Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 8	Thank you

11-06-2008, 08:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
Dr Nick Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 63	Be very very careful with Gradmed. It can be good if it's a long time before the exam. Did it this year. There were about 20 of us. Out of the 8 of us that I know of, the highest after mine was 58, with mostly 55's. None of us found it that good. If you have any questions on it let me know.

12-06-2008, 03:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
Dr Nick Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 63	Hey, I dont know about the long course. I did the intensive one...3 weekend. But it finished two weeks before the exam which gave no time for revision and wasted 3 weekends when we could've been studying. I emailed dogs abuse to the course organisers. I was lucky cause I had the work done and was ready to do the exam by the end of January but only for that the GRADMED course would've destroyed me. That said, the practice q's were great and if we had time to do them they would've given us a great advantage over everyone else.

12-06-2008, 06:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
Mad Max Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 25	I bought the gradmed notes and questions from someone. i was thinking about attending the classes though. Do you think it would be worth it Dr Nick. I figure I should have organic chemistry covered by then, so I was also considering only doin ghte biology weekend. What do you guys think? (Sorry to hijack the thread)

13-06-2008, 07:22 PM	#10 (permalink)
Mad Max Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 25	Ok thanks Dr Nick. I've already bought the Organic Chemistry for dummies book. I've just completed an AS level in chemistry. Flicking through a few of the practice questions it seems that an A2 standard of knowledge is what to aim for, which shouldn't be too hard. I've also read Griffiths gamsat review which was ok. Whilst everyone emphasises the importance of practice, study must be just as important, right? To break it down crudely, I'm thinking something like a 75:25 ratio of study to practice at the beginning, slowly progressing to 25:75 ratio in the weeks leading up to the exam. Does this sound sensible? The live prep courses do seem a little fishy though. I'd only be interested if the main focus is preparation for the exam rather then merely learning science.