GAMSAT 2012

What is GAMSAT?

GAMSAT is a standardized exam which is designed, marked and developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) for graduate-entry programmes (medicine, dentistry, optometry) open to graduates of any discipline.

IMPORTANT DATES:

GAMSAT 2012

Testing Date March 24, 2012     Registrations November 3, 2011 - February 1, 2012 by 5:00 pm AEDT     Late Registrations February 10, 2012 by 5:00 pm AEST

Applications to Medical Programs

Opening date       Domestic and international* Medical, Optometry and Dental programs early May 2011     Closing dates       Domestic and international graduate Medicine and Dentistry and Dental Surgery applications June 10, 2011     Domestic and international graduate Pharmacy applications late August 2011     Domestic and international graduate Optometry applications October 31, 2011

* The number of places available for international applications in 2012 is available at the ACER website.

The closing date for receipt of Medicine, Dental Surgery and Dentistry applications – including hard copy documents – from international students at the Graduate Medical Admissions Centre (GMAC) at ACER will be late June 2011.

GAMSAT is available to any student who has already completed a Bachelor degree, or who will be enrolled in their penultimate (second-last) or final year of study for a Bachelor degree, at the time of sitting the test, who believes he/she has achieved an appropriate level of intellectual maturity and subject knowledge to meet the demands of the test. GAMSAT is designed to assess the capacity to undertake high level intellectual studies in a medical or dental course. It is offered once a year only. The test date in Australia and Ireland will be March 24, 2012. The test date in the UK will be in September, 2012 (GAMSAT UK). For more information about the exam dates or any other modifications, please go to the following websites: GAMSAT UK, GAMSAT Ireland and GAMSAT Australia.

GAMSAT evaluates the nature and extent of abilities and skills gained through prior experience and learning, including the mastery and use of concepts in basic science, as well as the acquisition of more general skills in problem solving, critical thinking and writing. If your first degree is in a non-scientific field of study you can still sit GAMSAT and be chosen for admission to the graduate-entry programmes. A science background is not a prerequisite and academic excellence in the humanities and social sciences is encouraged and recognised. However,it must be stressed that success in GAMSAT is unlikely without knowledge and ability in the biological and physical sciences. The Gold Standard offers programs for individuals with both science and non-science academic backgrounds (GAMSAT Courses).

GAMSAT scores

Your GAMSAT results will be available in September for GAMSAT in the UK. GAMSAT Australia and GAMSAT Ireland results will be available in May. An email will be sent to you explaining how to access your results online. Under no circumstances will results be released over the telephone or by fax. This is to protect candidate confidentiality. Results will be provided to the Central Applications Office (CAO). You will receive a score for each of the three sections, together with an Overall GAMSAT Score. The Overall Score is a weighted average of the three component scores. Each of the four GAMSAT scores is expressed on a scale of 0 to 100. These are not percentage marks.

Note: The Overall Score is calculated to several decimal places. It is not possible for candidates to replicate this process. Scores are rescaled by ACER to make them directly comparable from year to year. Candidates will not be provided with any additional information on scores or the scoring process. All information remains the property of ACER and no right of inspection will be deemed to be vested in a candidate.

The following information is used with permission from GAMSAT Scores

GAMSAT Scores in Australia, UK and Ireland

GAMSAT scores are interchangeable and can be used to apply to any university that requires the GAMSAT. You may sit GAMSAT UK, Australia or Ireland to apply to universities in any of these countries. You must ensure that your scores have not expired if you are using a score from a previous sitting of the GAMSAT (i.e. GAMSAT scores cannot be more than two years old). Otherwise, you choose the GAMSAT score that you wish to submit for consideration for admissions.

Since there is no limit to the number of times you can sit the GAMSAT, you may even choose to sit the exam twice in one year: for example, GAMSAT Australia or Ireland in March and then GAMSAT UK in September. Note that one can sit GAMSAT UK either in the UK or in Melbourne, Australia.

Any two tests on different examination dates will have, essentially, the same format; however, the questions are different for each exam.

Cut-offs and/or average GAMSAT scores for specific medical schools/programmes can be found in the following related sites: Australian Medical Schools, UK Medical Schools, Irish Medical Schools.

Average, Good and High GAMSAT Scores

Please keep in mind that the percentile rank indicates your test performance relative to all the students who sat the same test on the same day. It records the percentage of students whose scores were lower than yours.

*Please note, a "good" score may be good enough for admittance to one particular medical school but below the cutoff of another. Consult the websites of the medical institutions to which you intend to apply.

An average GAMSAT score is often around 56-58 and a high GAMSAT score is over 63. Please keep in mind when evaluating the statistics provided and the graphic: this data is meant to give you a general idea of the process. The numbers can vary somewhat from one exam sitting to another. And as mentioned previously, you cannot replicate the scoring system at home since there is no formula provided to convert raw scores into official GAMSAT scores.

When are the scores released?

The next test date for GAMSAT Ireland and GAMSAT Australia will be March 24, 2012. The next test date for GAMSAT UK will be September, 2012. GAMSAT results are released within 2 months of sitting the exam. Candidates are emailed login information to access their personal results report. Should there be any changes to the exam dates or any other modifications, get the up to date information here: GAMSAT UK, GAMSAT Ireland and GAMSAT Australia.

The preceding information was adapted with permission from The Gold Standard GAMSAT Textbook. To learn about the book, the DVDs or the Complete Package, click here: GAMSAT books.

GAMSAT Australia Test Centres

In Australia, there is a GAMSAT testing centre in Townsville and in each of the capital cities of Australia (Sydney · Melbourne · Canberra · Brisbane · Adelaide · Perth · Hobart · Darwin). GAMSAT test centres outside Australia include Wellington, New Zealand; London, UK; Singapore and Washington, DC. There are no additional GAMSAT Australia test centers. There are supplementary fees for international locations. Space is limited and allocated on a first come basis, so please register early. If your chosen centre is no longer available, ACER will book your exam at the nearest available testing centre.

GAMSAT UK Test Centres

GAMSAT UK Test centres are located in Bristol, Swansea, London, Nottingham and Sheffield in the UK (September). As described above, students applying to medical schools which accept the GAMSAT in the UK, Ireland or Australia can sit GAMSAT UK. A testing centre is also available in Melbourne, Australia. Space in Melbourne is limited and allocated on a first come basis, so please register early. Students in the UK can sit GAMSAT Ireland in London (March) to apply to any medical school that requires the GAMSAT in any of the UK, Ireland or Australia.

GAMSAT Ireland Test Centres

GAMSAT Ireland test centres are located in Dublin, Cork and Limerick. For an additional fee, it is possible to sit GAMSAT Ireland in the UK (London); in Melbourne, Australia; Singapore or Washington, DC. Space at international locations is limited and allocated on a first come basis, so please register early.

Washington and Singapore

Washington, DC in the US and Singapore are the only international testing centers where you can sit the GAMSAT outside Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland. Space at international locations is limited and allocated on a first come basis, so please register early. Currently, there are no GAMSAT test centers in Africa nor elsewhere in Europe, Asia or America besides the testing centers already described above. ACER is not expecting any change in this policy but if you are hoping otherwise, email ACER directly.

Free GAMSAT Practice Test

Last year, students asked us to combine GAMSAT sample questions into a practice test. We went one further and created a free sample test with instant online access and including many features such as automated scoring of multiple choice sections; worked solutions containing forum links for further discussion; and finally, 1 hour of science review videos. To learn more or to register: Free GAMSAT Practice Test.

From our textbook to our classroom courses, and from our videos to our Essay Correction Service, surf our site and find out why The Gold Standard is known as The Only Prep You NeedTM.

• Gold Standard GAMSAT Reviews.