Gem 2009

[CallOfTheWild]

Any eager beavers out there thinking of 2009 entry already like me?? I've applied for GAMSAT in Bham, Ive just finished my degree at Aberdeen Uni doin Biomedical sciences I passed it with a 2.2. not the best I know but am hoping some of the GEM places will accept me! I have over a years experience as an auxiliary so that will hopefully stand me in good stead.

[aapl]

I wouldn't say you are early in thinking of 2009 entry. I don't want to be harsh but your 2.2 would restrict you from applying to most medical schools apart from St. George's and Nottingham, unless you have mitigating circumstances. However, if you perform good score 62 or over in GAMSAT then you are guaranteed an interview for both. I would also ring up all medical schools to find out if they would consider you for their 4/5y course.

Also have a read of this;

Medschoolsonline - Medical school with a 2.2

[Ven]

I'm as eager as they get!! :-D Have you started revising for the GAMSAT? I'm gonna be applying for both St Georges & Nottingham's GEM and Peninsula's 5 year. When I rung the admissions office at Peninsula, they said that they don't really bother with your degree or A-Levels as they have evidence of your academic ability from meeting the GAMSAT cut-off. So, definitely consider it if you are struggling to meet the requirements of other unis. But I think Peninsula's cut-off is slightly higher than the other 2 unis.

[aapl]

Well, I'm starting at George's this September. I started revising in June last year but only really got into it in July.

[Ven]

hey aapl, congratulations on your place at SGUL for this September. My strategy is to review (re-learn in some cases) bio, phys & chem from A-Level textbooks/revision guides (as I had done all 3 A-Levels a few years ago) and rely on the Griffiths Gamsat Review to get me through Sections I & II. I also managed to get some ozimed practice papers from ebay, which should be good practice. Would all this be sufficient?

Could I just ask though, how did you find the exam last September, what your academic background was, & any tips for this years exam? Hope you don't mind.

Venkat

[Confuzzled_M.D]

I feel left out now..not doing GAMSAT anymore because St Georges asked for a years work experience and told me my chances of getting in without that would be crap even if i did great in GAMSAT..not that this relates to this threat or anything but I just had to say it..cuz im being odd.

[Ven]

hey confuzzled, I don't have a years work experience either. I only worked as a HCA in hospital for 7 months this year and so, I rang them up to see this was fine. They said that as long as I could make up the deficit with other voluntary work, it would be fine. I've been volunteering in a temple in Birmingham and elderly person's home for the last year or so, and they said that this would be okay to compensate for it.

I guess as long you have some long term work experience in a non-medical setting combined with a few months in a medical setting, it would be okay. What work experience do you have/planning on getting at the moment? Maybe its something that you could put down on the ucas form as "going to do over the year" or something?

Venkat

[aapl]

I've just finished doing a degree in biomed and got a 2.1. I also just finished two years of voluntary work in a hospital doing various things from serving tea to helping with physio. Shadowed doctors in the same hospital on a regular basis as well as local GPs.

With regard to GAMSAT, I though the verbal reasoning was quite hard and it would have helped if i had more practice with it. I tended to concentrate revision on the science since it's half of the mark but you have to be careful in that for notss and george's you need at least 55 in section iii, and 55 in either section i or ii and 50 in the other.

[Ven]

wow, thats really good. and its also quite varied, so it must've looked good on your PS. I'm trying to get some experience with disabled children at the moment to try and make my PS stand out.

Thanks for the advice on the GAMSAT. How much do you reckon the cut-off will vary this year compared to last year for St Georges? Last year it was like 55 but I was told that it would be higher this year.

Also, what books and materials did you use for your GAMSAT revision, aapl?

Venkat

[Imhotep]

I, too, am starting at St. George's in September and I only started volunteering in August last year (in a hospice a few times a week), as I only made my final decision that medicine was the right choice for me (after lots of procrastination) in June and it took ages to get my CRB back.

I didn't think I had much of a chance, but thought it would make a good 'practice' year and so gave it a shot anyway. In the St. George's Information Booklet (http://www.sgul.ac.uk/dms/52B0D910FF...7D8516DFC3.doc) it gives you details on scoring for work experience and, although you can only get the maximum (5) for over a year of experience, from my reading you can get 4 for less as long as you can show at interview what you've learnt.

So, there really is no harm in trying and you can use your GAMSAT score for 2 years.

Stephen