Non Science Graduate Help: Basic Study outline

[Lawyer to Doctor]

Hi, I’m hoping to sit GAMSAT this September 2010. I have a Law Degree and Bar Exams/BVC, but no science experience except for some poor GCSE.

Can someone please help with a basic study outline? For Chemistry, do I just need to study Organic Chemistry? I have read it makes up a large percentage of section 3 and it's all people seem to talk about. I have some A-Level texts books and Organic Chemistry for Dummies, also similar for Biology.

I have about 7 months to study for GAMSAT, is this enough time, for someone from a non science background, to study and learn what is required for GAMSAT?? Has anyone else done this??

I am 30 years old and will be 32 when I start Medical School in 2011, any advice from people in similar age groups would be appreciated.

[dalek]

Hi Lawyer to Doctor, I would thoroughly recommend peter griffiths gamsat review - it gives a great
outline of everything you need to cover - well worth the price!. On top of that, I would recommend
getting A level books for biology, chemistry and physics.
I did Chemistry, Biology and Maths A levels over 10 years ago, then got the GGR and the A level guides
(I actually just went through a GCSE physics books as the A level book was very detailed!). I studied
almost every day for 6 weeks and that was enough. I think 7 months is more than enough Best of luck!

[chris5656]

Dont bother with any of those expensive sets of notes. Get an A level chemistry text book and A level Biology text and skim to pick up key principles (especially organic chemistry). In the exam be confident and dont waste time on any questions - guess and move on.

[Dr. Cool]

I'd also recommend Griffiths review, as well as HJ's website: revisegamsat.com

You'll need some general chemistry too. Make sure you can work with acid-base stuff - logs seem to come up everywhere, so be comfortable with them. Obviously focus on organic chemistry. Chemistry (organic included) is the only absolute must, as a lot of the biology is about reading data from the question, and the physics can sometimes be done with spatial reasoning alone.

Half the battle is not panicking then falling apart on the day i.e. putting AN answer down for all the questions, and being confident about the following question not matter how much of a guess the last was.

Bear in mind though, it’s often said that you can get away with bare minimum knowledge. True, but it’s a risky strategy and there’s really no need for that when you have 7 months. That and, if you start a GEP course with the minimum GAMSAT knowledge, it’ll just make an already intense course.. uhm, more intense.

[Lawyer to Doctor]

Hi Lawyer to Doctor, I would thoroughly recommend peter griffiths gamsat review - it gives a great
outline of everything you need to cover - well worth the price!. On top of that, I would recommend
getting A level books for biology, chemistry and physics.
I did Chemistry, Biology and Maths A levels over 10 years ago, then got the GGR and the A level guides
(I actually just went through a GCSE physics books as the A level book was very detailed!). I studied
almost every day for 6 weeks and that was enough. I think 7 months is more than enough Best of luck!

Hi Dalek, thank you for th reply, I will try and get the griffiths book when I can, I have started to go through so A Level Chemistry books first, then move on to Biology etc, with chemistry I have got a bit bogged down with how much general and organic chemistry to study, I'm gussing my best bet is try for an equal ammount of both, I'm quite a novice at chemistry if I'm honest so really starting from scracth.. It's good to hear you did it in six weeks though, are you studying medicine now???

Thanks again for your help,

[Lawyer to Doctor]

I'd also recommend Griffiths review, as well as HJ's website: revisegamsat.com

You'll need some general chemistry too. Make sure you can work with acid-base stuff - logs seem to come up everywhere, so be comfortable with them. Obviously focus on organic chemistry. Chemistry (organic included) is the only absolute must, as a lot of the biology is about reading data from the question, and the physics can sometimes be done with spatial reasoning alone.

Half the battle is not panicking then falling apart on the day i.e. putting AN answer down for all the questions, and being confident about the following question not matter how much of a guess the last was.

Bear in mind though, it’s often said that you can get away with bare minimum knowledge. True, but it’s a risky strategy and there’s really no need for that when you have 7 months. That and, if you start a GEP course with the minimum GAMSAT knowledge, it’ll just make an already intense course.. uhm, more intense.

Hi, I would like to thank you also for your helpful reply, I'm going to try and study as much as I can to try and make it stick, I don't think that I personally, could answer the questions without gaing some knowledge and you are correct n saying it will help me in the long run by learning at least some basics.

Did you use the practice guides that you can buy for GAMSAT? How did your GAMSAT go ? Thanks for all the advice, it is really helpful.

[Lawyer to Doctor]

Hi Chris, thanks for the help, I am doing just that, I've armed myself with some A level books and just trying to sort a study plan out, what to start with first etc, chemistry seems a bit of a mine field, but thinking positive I will do it. Have you passed the GAMSAT or waiting to take it etc ?

[dalek]

With chemistry, I got an A-level book and went through that, focussing on inorganic, then
got the 'dummies guide' to organic chemistry - which I worked through (although missed
out the very technical bits). I think that gives a good basis. There's probaby more organic
than inorganic in the exam. Also make sure you get hold of all the ACER past papers and
work through those at least twice. My revision was basically 6 weeks of A-level books,
the dummies guide, the past papers and the griffiths guide. I'm coming from banking, so
was just squeezing in a couple of hours a day. If you just make a schedule, make sure
you cover everything and then leave a some time at the end to go through past papers
or bits you're not sure of. You can definitely do it in 7 months.
I'm starting at st georges in September :-)

[chris5656]

Hi Chris, thanks for the help, I am doing just that, I've armed myself with some A level books and just trying to sort a study plan out, what to start with first etc, chemistry seems a bit of a mine field, but thinking positive I will do it. Have you passed the GAMSAT or waiting to take it etc ?

I passed the GAMSAT and im now in my 2nd year at Penisula. I would also reccomend the ACER past papers, I found them really usefull. The main reason I did not go for anything like Griffiths is I did not have the time (6 weeks from deciding to apply for medicine to the GAMSAT test date). I am also from a non-science background - I did an economics degree before coming here. I spent most of the 6 weeks preparing from the A level chemistry, but there is no way my knowledge was up to a level standard when i took the test. I just time managed well and had a 'nothing to loose' attitude on the day. Good luck.

[Lawyer to Doctor]

With chemistry, I got an A-level book and went through that, focussing on inorganic, then
got the 'dummies guide' to organic chemistry - which I worked through (although missed
out the very technical bits). I think that gives a good basis. There's probaby more organic
than inorganic in the exam. Also make sure you get hold of all the ACER past papers and
work through those at least twice. My revision was basically 6 weeks of A-level books,
the dummies guide, the past papers and the griffiths guide. I'm coming from banking, so
was just squeezing in a couple of hours a day. If you just make a schedule, make sure
you cover everything and then leave a some time at the end to go through past papers
or bits you're not sure of. You can definitely do it in 7 months.
I'm starting at st georges in September :-)

Hi, thank you so much for the very good advice you're giving me, well done with getting St Georges, It's one of the places that interests me, so I will be applying their too. It's interesting how lots of people, from non science backgrounds are crossing over to medicine, I'm from a legal degree. I'm going to get hold of the practice papers as soon as I can and have a go at them, I have put together a schedule that I'm going to stick too and I need to find some work experience also.

How did you find the other sections of GAMSAT, the essays etc ?

Once again thank you for your help, it's really appreciated.

Michael.