GAMSAT

The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test or GAMSAT is an international test used to select applicants for candidates applying to study medicine, dental medicine, podiatric medicine, pharmacy and veterinary science at the Australian, British (UK), and Irish (Ireland) universities for admittance to their Graduate Entry Programs. The test is designed to assess a candidate’s aptitude to carry out high-level intellectual studies in the medical and health specialized programs.

The test was started by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) jointly with the group of Graduate Medical Schools.

GAMSAT Purpose

GAMSAT assesses the nature and extent of skills and abilities obtained through prior learning and experience, including the mastery and use of concepts in basic science as well as the attainment of more general skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and writing. It evaluates a candidate’s ability to study and interpret the written material and information represented graphically as well as the ability to make logical conclusions and opinions.

GAMSAT Eligibility Criteria

Students who have completed their Bachelor’s degree or are in their final year of bachelor degree program are eligible to sit for GAMSAT. There is no limit to the number of times a genuine applicant may sit for GAMSAT.

GAMSAT Format

GAMSAT is held only once a year: in late March or early April in Australia, and in Ireland and around the middle/end of September in the UK.

The GAMSAT is a 5 hours and 30 minute tests, divided into 3 parts:

Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences
Written Communication
Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences

Part 1-Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences
The Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences tests the rational, subjective, objective and critical thinking skills of the candidates. It tests whether the candidates can understand and interpret the ideas and hidden meanings and draw conclusions in socio-cultural settings. Different types of text are given based on academic, socio-cultural, personal or interpersonal topics.

No. of questions: 75
Type of questions: Multiple-choice
Duration: 100

Part 2-Written Communication
This part tests a candidate’s writing skills. It requires a candidate to express his ideas and perceptions towards a given topic, in writing clearly. This part involves two tasks:

The first task deals with social and cultural issues
The second tasks deals with personal and social issues.

Written Communication is evaluated on two parameters- Quality of thinking about an issue or subject and control of language which includes, the use of grammatical structure, syntax and semantics and written expression.

No. of questions: 2
Duration: 60

Part 3- Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences

This part has three subjects- 40% Chemistry, 40% Biology and 20% Physics questions. Questions are presented in the form of text, graph, diagram, table, or mathematical form and are taken from the first year university subjects of biology and chemistry and year 12 physics. This part tests the reasoning and problem solving skills of the candidates within a scientific context.

No. of questions: 110
Type of questions: Multiple-choice
Duration: 170

GAMSAT Registration and Fees

You can register for GAMSAT online only through the official website.

Create an online account with your email address.
Fill in the online registration form.
Pay the required fees online by credit card-MasterCard, Diners or Visa, AMEX and even MasterCard debit card.

After successful registration, you will receive a confirmation email and a checklist.

Contact Details:
GAMSAT Office at ACER:
Postal address:
Private Bag 55
Camberwell
VIC 3124
AUSTRALIA
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.gamsat.acer.edu.au
Phone: 61 (0)3 8508 9097
Fax: 61 (0)3 9277 5757

Results and Scoring

Candidates get individual scores as well as total combined or overall score. The results and scores are sent via email. You need to login to your account using your email address and access the results.

The Total Combined Score is computed as weighted average scores of 3 parts. The scores are expressed on a scale of 0 to 100. The overall GAMSAT Score is computed using the following formula:
Overall/Total Score = (1 x Part I 1 x Part II 2 x Part III) / 4

Along with the overall and individual scores, a chart is also given so that you can calculate an approximate percentile ranking for your Overall Score.

Test Day Essentials

Admission Ticket- Will have your personal information
Identification document- Can be a valid passport or driver’s license
Stationery: Pencils (medium soft HB), eraser and pens (blue or black)

Test Centers

Test centers outside Australia

Besides Australia there are test centers in other countries :Wellington, New Zealand, Dubai, London, Singapore and Washington DC. An overseas fee is charged in addition to the registration fee.

GAMSAT Australia

Test centres in Australia
There are many test centers in Australia. Candidates can sit for GAMSAT at any of these testing centers. They are required to select the test center convenient for them. There is a test center in each of the capital cities of Australia, and one in Townsville.

Australian (AU) Universities (and their programs) that accepts GAMSAT Scores are-

    Australian National University- Medicine
    Deakin University- Medicine
    Flinders University-Medicine
    Griffith University-Medicine
    The University of Melbourne-Medicine, Dentistry, Optometry
    Monash University-Medicine
    The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle School of Medicine-Medicine
    The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney School of Medicine-Medicine
    The University of Queensland-Medicine
    The University of Sydney-Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy
    The University of Western Australia- Medicine, Dentistry, Podiatric medicine
    The University of Wollongong- Medicine

GAMSAT Ireland

Test centres in Ireland
Dublin, Cork, and Limerick

Test centres outside Ireland-
London, Dubai, Singapore, Washington DC and Melbourne, Australia
**An overseas fee is charged in addition to the registration fee if you pot for the test center outside Ireland.

Ireland Universities (and their Graduate programs) that accepts GAMSAT scores are-

    Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland- Medicine
    University College Cork - Medicine
    University College Dublin- Veterinary Medicine, Medicine
    University of Limerick - BM BS Graduate Medical Program (GMP)

GAMSAT UK

Test centers in the UK
Bristol, Cardiff, London, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield

Test centers outside the UK
Dubai, Brisbane and Melbourne

UK Universities (and their Graduate-entry programs) that accepts GAMSAT scores are:

    University of Exeter-Medicine
    The University of Nottingham- Medicine
    Plymouth University- Medicine, Dentistry
    St George’s University of London- Medicine
    Swansea University- Medicine
    Liverpool University- Medicine
    University of Cardiff- Medicine