What is GAMSAT

The Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT ® ) is a standardised exam coordinated by the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) designed to ‘assess the capacity to undertake high-level intellectual studies in the medical and health professional programs’. It is a test required for applications to all but one Graduate Entry Medical course in Australia, as well as various other dentistry, optometry and podiatry courses. In essence, the exam is designed to assess your analytical and critical thinking skills as well as how you organise and communicate your ideas in order to select candidates for Graduate Entry Medical Studies.

Prepare for The GAMSAT ® Exam

GAMSAT ® Exam is made up of three sections:

• Section 1: Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences

  47 MCQs, 70 Mins (including 6 mins reading time)This section utilises the multiple choice format and tests your interpretation and understanding of concepts in a cultural and social context. It involves responding to various different types of texts, from fiction and poetry to cartoons.

  Visit our Section 1 Guide to learn more on how to prepare.

• Section 2: Written Communication

  2 Written Responses, 65 Mins (including 5 mins reading time)The only section of the GAMSAT ® Exam that does not use the MCQ format. This section involves two 30-minute writing tasks, candidates will be expected to type their responses. For each piece of writing you are provided with a distinct set of prompts (generally quotes) that relate to a common theme to use as the basis of your response. The two pieces are usually differentiated on the basis of their focus – The first task typically deals with socio-cultural issues while the second task tends to deal with personal and social issues.

  Visit our Section 2 Guide to learn more on how to prepare.

• Section 3: Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences

  75 MCQs, 150 Mins (including 8 mins reading time)This section is multiple choice and tests your reasoning and problem solving skills within a scientific context. The questions are based on three discipline areas along the following ratios:

  • Biology – 40%
  • Chemistry – 40%
  • Physics – 20%

  You are advised to have a level of basic knowledge equivalent to first year university levels of biology and chemistry along with a Year 12 level of physics.

  Visit our Section 3 Guide to learn more on how to prepare.

Medical Schools that require the GAMSAT ® exam include:

Canberra

• Australian National University (ANU)

New South Wales

• University of Notre Dame Sydney (UNDS)
• University of Sydney (USYD)
• University of Wollongong (UoW)
• Macquarie University (MU)

Queensland

• Griffith University
• University of Queensland (UQ)

South Australia

• Flinders University

Victoria

• Deakin University
• University of Melbourne (UniMelb)

Western Australia

• University of Notre Dame Fremantle (UNDF)
• University of Western Australia (UWA)

In addition, the GAMSAT ® is required for the following courses:

University of Melbourne

• Doctor of Dental Surgery
• Doctor of Optometry

University of Sydney

• Doctor of Dental Medicine

University of Western Australia

• Doctor of Dental Medicine
• Doctor of Podiatric Medicine

Monash University is the final Medical School to provide a Graduate Entry Medical Program. However, the GAMSAT ® Exam was removed as an admissions criteria in 2017, and is no longer required. Note however that domestic applicants for the Graduate Entry Medical Program at Monash University must have completed one of the approved bachelor degrees at Monash University – that is to say that external domestic applicants are no longer accepted.