G is for GAMSAT

Preparation Handbook

Gayan Kathriachchige
2011
 ‘What lies behind us and what lies before us are small compared to what lies within us’- Ralph Waldo Emerson 
‘Champions are made from something, They have deep inside them, a desire, a dream, a vision, They have to have
last minute stamina, They have to be a little faster, They have to have the skill and the will, But the will must be
stronger than the skill’ –Muhammad Ali  ‘I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I
succeed ‘-Michael Jordan‘Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen’-
Michael Jordan  ‘I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying’ -Michael Jordan 
‘I know what is within me, even if you can’t see it. I will become, what I know, I am’-Michael Jordan  'Do what you
want, say what you feel, because those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter' – Dr. Seuss  'It's
nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice'-Anonymous  'Whatever you be, be the best one'-
Anonymous  'Whatever is meant to be will be'- Anonymous  'Believe in the glory of your dreams'- Anonymous
 'I came, I saw, I conquered'- Julius Caesar  'If you admire somebody then go ahead and tell em’, because people
never get the flowers while they can still smell em'- Kanye West  'Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, his hands
can’t hit, what his eyes can’t see'- Muhammad Ali  ‘Follow your dreams and you will make the seemingly
impossible possible’-Anonymous  ‘Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be
trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others'
opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.’ –Steve Jobs  ‘I am the
greatest, I said that even before I knew I was’ -Muhammad Ali  ‘I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't
quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."’-Muhammad Ali  ‘I'm so fast that last night I turned
off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark’-Muhammad Ali  ‘If they can make
penicillin out of mouldy bread, they can sure make something out of you’-Muhammad Ali  ‘It isn't the mountains
ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe’-Muhammad Ali  ‘Everybody has a plan until they
get punched in the face’- Mike Tyson  ‘What doesn’t kill you just makes you stronger, what doesn’t break you,
makes you’- Anonymous  ‘If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is
always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place.’-Nora Roberts  ‘There are only two ways to
live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle’-Albert Einstein
 ‘Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change’ - Ralph Waldo Emerson  ‘If I have seen
further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants’ - Isaac Newton  ‘The only difference between try and triumph
is a bit of umph’-Anonymous  ‘Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live
in the world they’ve been given, than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an
opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary…IMPOSSIBLE
IS NOTHING’-Adidas  ‘If you don’t take a chance you don’t stand a chance.’- Anonymous  ‘While most are
dreaming of success, winners wake up and work hard to achieve it’ –Anonymous  ‘There's only one way to
succeed in anything and that is to give everything.’- Vince Lombardi  ‘Believe in yourself. You must do that which
you think you cannot ‘- Eleanor Roosevelt  ‘The depth of commitment, the quality of service, the devotion to
excellence - these are the tools that honor is built on.’- Anonymous  ‘All blame is a waste of time. No matter how
much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you’ - Wayne Dyer
 ‘The heights by great men reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their
companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.’- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow  ‘Our greatest glory consists
not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall’– Confucius  ‘In the confrontation between the stream and the
rock, the stream always wins - not by strength but by perseverance.’- H. Jackson Brown  ‘I am the master of my
fate, I am the captain of my soul’- ‘Invictus’  ‘He who has begun, is half done’- N.A.S  ‘You don’t get what you
deserve, you get what you get’- House MD  ‘There will always be a happy ending, if it’s happy, then it’s not the
end’- Anonymous  ‘You're focusing on the problem. If you focus on the problem, you can't see the solution. Never
focus on the problem!’- Patch Adams  ‘Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up and knows it must outrun the
fastest lion or else it will be eaten. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up and knows it must be able to outrun the
slowest gazelle, or else it will starve. Whether you’re a lion or a gazelle, when the sun rises, you better be running’-
Anonymous  ‘Don't hate us, don't hate the game, Cuz the game don't hate you, The game don't even know you,
You got to know the game, And remember, only the players change, The game stays the same’ –Wu Tang Clan 
‘Stay hungry. Stay foolish’- Whole Earth Catalogue  ‘Carpe diem’- Latin for ‘Seize the moment’  ‘To live in the
world without becoming aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without
touching the books.’- The Secret Teachings of All Ages  ‘Well begun is half done’- Aristotle  ‘The world ain't all
sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place. It will beat you to your knees and keep you there
permanently if you let it. You, me or nobody is going to hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit, it is
about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That's
how winning is done. Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be
willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or
anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you!’- Rocky Balboa  ‘Every underdog has their day’- Anonymous 
‘History shows us that people who end up changing the world- the great political, social, scientific, technological,
artistic, even sports revolutionaries, are always nuts- until they are right- and then their geniuses- John Eliot 
G is for GAMSAT Gayan Kathriachchige
©2011
FOREWORD

Dear Future Doctor,

My name is Gayan Kathriachchige and this is my story. Three years ago I started a Bachelor of
Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne and decided that by the end of it I would gain entry into
the post-graduate MD course. That was the first thing I did right. Making the decision that medicine is
what I wanted to do, defined the mindset that I needed to achieve this goal. Achieving a place in
postgraduate medicine required jumping several hurdles. Ultimately it comes down to your
performance in GPA, GAMSAT and your interview. Out of these I found that the GAMSAT seemed to
be the biggest hurdle, and realised that it would be the differentiating factor in the selection process. I
sat the test in 2010 and achieved a score that was probably enough to get me into a medical school
somewhere across the country. That year I worked hard on trying to understand what the GAMSAT was
about, how it worked and how you were meant to tackle it. I was happy with how I went but still had
another try to boost my score, and I desperately wanted to stay at the University of Melbourne. In 2011 I
sat the GAMSAT again and lifted my score by several marks. Surprisingly, this year I found that I didn’t
have to work as hard, but instead I worked on refining my skills. I received an offer at the University of
Melbourne for the Doctor of Medicine (MD) course- a large part of this was due to my performance in
the GAMSAT.

There is no doubt that the GAMSAT is a difficult exam. But the reality is that it can still be done well,
and thousands of students across the country do well in it each year. How will you become one of
them? The key is preparation.

This handbook is designed to prepare you for the GAMSAT examination. It is not designed to provide
you with all the content you need to study for the GAMSAT, but rather serves as a guide to where you
should direct your study effort. I will assume that you are familiar with the exam format as described in
the ACER GAMSAT Information Booklet. This book is based upon the personal knowledge I gained
during my two attempts. It will take you through each section and outline key areas to focus on and
ways to improve your skills. I hope it helps you navigate you through your preparation and I wish you
the best of luck in the GAMSAT and achieving your dreams.

Thankyou

Gayan Kathriachchige

Doctor of Medicine (MD) Student

This handbook is dedicated to my parents, my friends and every individual who helped me
achieve my dream.

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CONTENTS

5 KEY PRINCIPLES................................................................................................................3

SECTION I- REASONING IN THE HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES..................4

SECTION II- WRITTEN COMMUNICATION....................................................................5

Background Information Matrix................................................................................6

Sample Essay Structures and Essays..........................................................................7

Mental Blocks.............................................................................................................12

SECTION III- REASONING IN THE BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES..........12

Recommended Areas to Study..................................................................................13

MCQ STRATEGY.................................................................................................................13

EXTRA ACTIVITIES TO DO...............................................................................................14

CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................15

RESOURCES........................................................................................................................16

REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................17

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5 KEY PRINCIPLES

1) COMMITMENT:

Preparing for the GAMSAT requires great commitment. I suggest you begin your preparation in
December of the summer holidays. If you are truly serious about medicine you will make GAMSAT the
centre of your universe for these few months. This doesn’t mean to stop everything else and not enjoy
your holidays- it does mean however that you need to make the sacrifices you know you need to make.
Dedicating just 3 months of your life to GAMSAT is minuscule when you think of the places it will take
you throughout the rest of your entire life.

2) CONSISTENCY

Across the 3 months or so you dedicate to GAMSAT you must be consistent in your efforts. GAMSAT is
not an exam you can cram for, rather it requires sustained practise over time. This practise needs to be
consistent as you your skills only develop if you keep using them. Each and every day you should be
doing at least one activity in your preparation. If you go a few days without doing some preparation,
your skills will already begin to fade. Make a timetable to ensure this doesn’t happen.

3) PRACTISE

For most of us, practise is the only way that we can get better at anything. GAMSAT is no different.
Your preparation must comprise of practising questions and writing essays, over and over again. Even
doing the same questions again will improve your skills, as long as you don’t just remember the
answers. Therefore it is essential that you find a GAMSAT Preparation Course to receive practise
questions.

4) GENUINE HARD WORK

Your GAMSAT preparation requires a genuine hard work ethic. This doesn’t refer to ‘studying hard’, but
relates more to ‘studying smart’. When you sit down to study you need to make sure that is what you
actually do. Make sure that 100% of that time is spent studying. Also ensure that you are doing things
properly, looking at fine details and being critical about yourself. If you can’t do that then you are
wasting your time- come back and try again later. Make sure you take adequate breaks too, and enjoy
them fully- work hard, but play hard too.

5) BELIEF AND INSPIRATION

I have always been someone who has believed that success does not just come from hard work and good
marks, but also from your mentality. Half of your GAMSAT effort will about the attitude you have in
facing it. This comes from the belief you have and the inspiration that drives you. Many of you will
already know why you want to do medicine and how bad you want it- never forget these values during
your GAMSAT preparation period.

BREAKDOWN OF GAMSAT SECTIONS AND TIMING

SECTION NO. OF TIME TIME PER

QUESTIONS READING WRITING Q/ESSAY
I: ‘Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences’ 75 MCQs 10 min 100 min 1.3 mins
II: ‘Written Communication’ 2 Essays 5 min 60 min 30 mins
III: ‘Reasoning in the Biological and Physical Sciences’ 110 MCQs 10 min 170 min 1.5 mins

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SECTION I- REASONING IN THE HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Section I of GAMSAT involves reading a stimulus and answering questions based on the information
provided. It can be likened to an advanced level of reading comprehension. The answer is in the
information somewhere, but finding it isn’t easy. What they are testing is your ability to be critical, to
analyse information and determine underlying facts. Here are a few pointers on how to approach
Section I:

- READ carefully. The importance of this cannot be stressed enough and your ability to do so will
determine how well you go in this section. Work on being an active reader instead of a passive
reader- absorb the material and understand it as you go. Practise by reading long passages of
text, preferably texts that you wouldn’t usually read.
- MCQ STRATEGY is essential. Improve your odds by being smart about the options presented to
you. (See MCQ Strategy)
- BE EFFICIENT in reading the questions and manage your time wisely. If a question looks too
hard then it is likely to be one designed to test if candidates waste their time on it, or move on
and skip it. It is well known that ACER does this regularly. If it looks too hard, skip it, you will
be able to gain more marks by spending that time on other questions.
- SUMMARISE paragraphs as you go so you know where to look back when you’re reading the
questions.
- SIMPLIFY questions and answers by paraphrasing them- sometimes the answer is obvious but
worded differently in the options than it is in the text.

Here is a table of likely question types and some key factors that need to be considered when answering
them:

QUESTION TYPE KEY FACTORS TO CONSIDER

Passages - Read first and last sentences of paragraphs to get a clue at the main ideas
- Summarise the main ideas of each paragraph
- Read efficiently, don’t spend too much time reading it thoroughly- for long
passages you may want to skim read and then read the questions to find which
areas you need to read again
Art Pieces - Look at what the artist is attempting to depict
- Relate colours, details and styles to any knowledge you know about art
- Try and gain and overall impression to its meaning and how it makes you feel
Poetry - Try to think of what the poet is trying to convey, not the words- the message
- Link emotions to the words- emotions may be easier to understand than the
literal meanings and we are all familiar with emotions
- Use the context of the poem to determine its meaning. The last line also usually
gives away the poems meaning
- Understand how similes, metaphors, imagery, personification and allusions
may be used in poems
Political Cartoons - Look for underlying messages, usually the meaning is not literal
- Understand the use of sarcasm, irony and satire in political cartoons
Data Tables - Introductory text will assist in understanding the tabular information
- Ask what do the numbers really mean?
- Look for footnotes, exceptions and links to other data presented
Graphs - Ensure to read the title and key carefully to understand the data- don’t assume
anything
- Note then units on each axis
- Determine trends in data (eg. increases, decreases, steady-state)

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SECTION II- WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

This section can make or break your GAMSAT success. Its timing intensity and broad scope means you
can either excel above most other candidates, or crumble under the pressure. To avoid the latter you
must prepare yourself. Luckily, this section should be the easiest to prepare for and the easiest to
improve on. The way to prepare effectively is as follows:

- WRITE essays- as many as you can. Try and find 30 mins of your day to dedicate to an essay,
everyday. The more you write, the better you will become- it’s as simple as that. Try and get
someone to read over these essays too, but at least criticise them yourself and see where you can
improve for tomorrow’s essay. Practise both Task A and Task B essays. Remember that the
examiner will only see two of your essays, so don’t worry if it feels like you’re repeating your
ideas- this is what practise is for.
- TIME yourself. Writing 2 essays in 1 hr means that each essay should take you half an hour.
Work on writing essays within this time limit. Many students won’t even finish writing both
essays- show the examiner that you can manage your time effectively by finishing both. (See
Sample Essay Structures)
- KNOW the difference between Task A and Task B. The GAMSAT Information Booklet states
that Task A topics will be from a socio-cultural basis, while Task B topics will deal with personal
and cultural issues. Although not explicitly stated, this means Task A essays should be more
formal and argumentative, whereas Task B’s can be more creative and general.
- CHOOSE only one essay topic. Although you will be given a choice of 5, focus your essay on a
single prompt- this will make your essay more focused. Identify the central theme of all the
topics. You may wish to touch on the other prompts in your response too.
- KEEP an open mind. Remember that examiners are looking for individuals who will one day
represent one of the most responsible sectors of society. They don’t want individuals with a
closed mind. Don’t put your personal opinions in your essays, always look at every aspect of an
issue and consider how different individuals in a population may perceive it. Feel free to take a
side and argue it, but don’t forget to mention the other side to balance your essay.
- USE inclusive language. Include the reader in your essay by using words such as ‘we’ and ‘us’-
this also shows your open-mindedness
- STAND OUT from the crowd. Many candidates will not prepare for this section and will be
forced to do the best they can on the spot. This means they won’t be specific and they will have
poor structure. Your essay will be defined by its structure and its content. This is your chance to
show the examiners how different you are from the pack. Use examples and quotes to define
yourself and ensure the examiner remembers your essay. Well written introductions and
conclusions are the key to achieving this- these are the parts that your examiner is likely to pay
most attention to.
- STRUCTURE is the backbone of your essay. Without structure your essay becomes a jumbled
mess of ideas. Make sure your structure is simple; you don’t have time to write a masterpiece,
they just want to see your ideas clearly. (see Sample Essay Structures).
- EXAMPLES are the key to showing your knowledge, your open-mindedness and your
uniqueness. Research examples from history, literature and news, and know them inside out.
Know about people who have changed the world and know how they did it. Being specific about
what you know is essential to showing your knowledge. You need to show that you know what
has happened in this world and how the world works in reality. (See Background Information
Matrix)

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- QUOTES can be used as a secret weapon to Section II if they are used properly. Learn some
good quotes from respectable individuals that will be applicable to many potential essay topics.
These are a good way to conclude your essay, and again show the examiner something different-
not many candidates will have quotes in their essays. (See Background Information Matrix)

Background Information Matrix

To assist you in your research and remembering examples and quotes, create yourself a ‘Background
Information Matrix’. This is a snippet of what it should look like:

THEME EXAMPLES QUOTES

Leadership - Martin Luther King - ‘As we head into the next century, leaders will be
- Barack Obama those who empower others’- Bill Gates
Courage - Rosa Parks: Montgomery Bus Boycotts - ‘Courage is going from failure to failure without
- Lance Armstrong losing enthusiasm’- Winston Chruchill
Success - Muhammad Ali: fought for religious and - ‘ Try not to become a man of success- but rather
racial recognition, defeated G. Foreman a man of value’- Albert Einstein
against the odds in’ Rumble in the Jungle’
- Steve Jobs
... ... ...

Themes are based on potential essay topics that will appear on the GAMSAT. Here is a list of common
GAMSAT themes you should put in that column, but be sure to add your own too.

- Failure
- War
- Peace
- Pride
- Love
- Anger
- Fear
- Poverty
- Health
- Environment
- Money
- Friendship
- Teamwork ‘Try to learn something about everything and everything
- Wisdom about something’- Thomas Huxley
- Medicine

Remember to find a broad range of examples and quotes- this will improve your chances of being
able to use them on the day. Be specific in your examples and try finding ones that others will not
(but ensure that the examiner will be able to relate). Print out or draw a template for your matrix
and keep it close so you can continuously add to it over time.

Memorising examples will not be enough; you need to use them in your practise essays so they
become second nature to you on exam day. Make sure your remember quotes accurately, who said
them and how to spell their names.

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Sample Essay Structures and Essays

I have provided the structure I used for my GAMSAT essays for both Task A and Task B. It is a
simple structure, but one that I found essential in organising my ideas. I have also produced sample
essays for both tasks based on these structures. I am not suggesting that they are perfect essays or
exactly what is expected in the GAMSAT- they are simply for you to see how the structure works in
context.

Key Points for both essays:

- There is no right or wrong way to write these essays, this is just the way that worked for me.
Some advanced students will be more creative or personalise their essay. Whichever way you
chose to do your essays, always start basic and work your way up,
- The times shown are for an ideal scenario. It is likely that when you begin practising you will
struggle to stick to these times, or even fail to finish your essays in the half an hour. As you
practise you will naturally get better at timing. Use the timings as guides to aim for as you write
your essay. Use your 5 mins of reading time to do your planning for both your pieces. You may
also not need 5 mins to proof-read your pieces- but always leave some time for this.
- Be as concise as possible with your essays, especially your examples. You don’t have room to go
into fine details, just present the main ideas.
- Don’t come on too strong with your ideas, remember to keep an open mind and treat the essays
as more expository pieces. Task A is slightly argumentative, but Task B is certainly not. They
won’t judge you on your opinions, but don’t be an extremist or present ideas that contradict the
responsibilities of a doctor.
- I generally found Task B’s harder to write. I didn’t always use the same structure, but rather
attempted to reflect the prompts I was given. You have to make the most of what you are given.
- Aim for writing 2 full pages at least, anything less is not enough. This will of course vary with
handwriting size.
- Ensure your handwriting is legible and neat. Although it isn’t part of the criteria, nice
handwriting leaves a good impression on the examiner and allows them to read through your
pieces with ease.
- Make sure your spelling is perfect, bad spelling will leave a bad impression.
- If you have a mental block or don’t understand the topic you must be able to ‘wing’ it from the
information you are given (See Mental Blocks)

ACER provides official criteria that will be the basis of how your essay is marked. Read through it
carefully and critique your practise essays upon these points.

SECTION II CRITERIA- ACER GAMSAT INFORMATION BOOKLET (2012)

CRITERIA FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Raters consider the following issues:
Thought and Content Organisation and Expression
(the quality of what is said) ( the quality of the structure developed and the
- what is made of and developed from the task language used)
- the kinds of thought and feeling offered in - the shape and form of the piece
response to the task - the effectiveness and fluency of the language

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TASK A- SOCIO-CULTURAL SAMPLE ESSAY STRUCTURE
PLAN TIME

- Identify the central theme of the topics and think about which themes are relevant from your
Background Information Matrix
- Choose one prompt (the one you have the most background information on and feel confident
in answering)
- Determine your stance/contention Reading
- Determine 2 main points ‘FOR’ and 1 point ‘AGAINST’ that you will discuss in your body Time
paragraphs (make sure they are specific points)
- Determine the examples/ quotes you will use to support your main points

TITLE

- Think of a short title for your piece. Make it creative if you can, but something simple will be
enough.

INTRODUCTION TIME

- Introduce the topic (make your first line general and impressive) 5 mins
- Describe the topic further in 2-3 sentences
- Signpost your main body ideas
- State our stance/contention

BODY PARAGRAPHS 1/2 (FOR) TIME

- Topic sentence 5 mins

- Describe main idea each
- Example (from Background Information Matrix) (10
- Link example to main idea
mins)
- Conclude

BODY PARAGRAPH 3 (AGAINST) TIME

- Begin by showing you are about to acknowledge the other side (eg. use ‘On the other hand...’,
‘Nevertheless...’, ‘However...’)
- Topic sentence 5 mins
- Describe main idea
- Example (from Background Information Matrix)
- Link example to main idea
- Rebut idea and establish that you still support your contention
- Conclude

CONCLUSION TIME

- Restate contention
- Summarise all main points
- Appropriate quote 5 mins
- Conclude (make our last line im ressive and eneral, look towards the future)

PROOF-READ TIME

- Read through your essay and see if every sentence makes sense 5 mins
- Look at spelling, grammar, punctuation etc.

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TASK B- PERSONAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES SAMPLE ESSAY STRUCTURE
PLAN TIME

- Identify the central theme of the topics and think about which themes are relevant from your
Background Information Matrix
- Choose one prompt (the one you have the most background information on and feel confident
in answering)
- Determine your stance, but remember you won’t force it too much in this essay Reading
- Determine 3 main points that will explore the topic Time
- Determine the examples/ quotes you will use to support your main points

TITLE

- Think of a short title for your piece. Make it creative if you can, but something simple will be
enough.

INTRODUCTION TIME

- Introduce the topic (make your first line general and impressive) 5 mins
- Describe the topic further in 2-3 sentences
- Signpost your main body ideas
- State our stance entl (Tr to entice the reader to continue; rhetorical uestions are useful)

BODY PARAGRAPHS 1/2/3 TIME

- Topic sentence 5 mins

- Describe main idea each
- Example (from Background Information Matrix) (10
- Link example to main idea
mins)
- Conclude

***UNLIKE TASK A, A REBUTTAL IS NOT NECESSARY, BUT ENSURE TO PRESENT BOTH SIDES IN
ALL THREE PARAGRAPHS***

CONCLUSION TIME

- Restate contention
- Summarise all main points
- Appropriate quote 5 mins
- Conclude (make our last line im ressive and eneral, look towards the future)

PROOF-READ TIME

- Read through your essay and see if every sentence makes sense 5 mins
- Look at spelling, grammar, punctuation etc.

Alternative Task B Structures

As Task B is more creative and flexible you may wish to attempt to stand out by utilising this opportunity.
For example, you may wish to start your piece with a personal story, then bring in your main ideas and
finish with the ending of your story. Only be creative if you know you are capable of making it sound well
and are comfortable with the topic. Otherwise, a well written essay in the standard Sample Essay Structure
will be more than enough.

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TASK A SAMPLE ESSAY

Prompt: ‘Those who live are those who fight’- Victor Hugo

LIFE TO FIGHT AND FIGHT TO LIVE

Life is not always easy. It pushes us, tests us and is sometimes simply unfair. In spite of this seemingly
dull prospect, many individuals will live enriched lives and reap success. These are the individuals who
fight against life’s adversities, not always physically- but mentally. Life demands a lot from us, but we
are able to guide ourselves through it if we take the right actions and fight for what matters. Victor
Hugo’s comment that ‘those who live are those who fight’ is a potent reminder of this notion. We see
this when people fight for their rights and beliefs. We see this when people fight for success. Fighting
on any scale is an action that allows us to continue living prosperously, rather than just simply existing.

Fighting for our rights and beliefs is a concept familiar throughout history and one that has changed
our world time and time again. Controversy and protest has shaped the world we live in today and
without this fight for justice, our lives would not be the same. For example, when Rosa Parks initiated
the Montgomery Bus Boycott in America, she was fighting for what she knew was right. Combined with
leaders such as Martin Luther King Jnr, Parks was able to address an issue to an entire global audience.
Now America is led by an African American president and the importance of tackling racial prejudice is
a well known global standard. Individuals who fight for their rights not only improve their own lives,
but are destined to improve those of many who will live after them.

Every day we struggle to reap success at whatever we do- this too is a sense of fighting. Whether it is in
our homes, offices or schools- we all know that we must fight to succeed. Accomplishing goals is
anyone’s aim, but the road to success is not always so smooth. Muhammad Ali showed the world how
to be a champion; both inside and outside of the ring. He was a fighter- both literally and
metaphorically- for success and personal recognition. Even when he was against the ropes, Ali showed
that that you have to re-invent ways to keep on fighting. The goals we set ourselves are not always easy,
but if we keep fighting to achieve them then initial impossibility slowly manifests itself into capability.

However, fighting is not always a positive action or solution. Some things in life are unchangeable no
matter how hard we fight to try and change them. Terminal illnesses such as some cancers or genetic
conditions are such examples. Even though many patients will fight to the very end, we must
understand and respect the time when fighting becomes impractical. We need to stop attempting to
prevent death and instead look at ways to improve the little time they may have left. Fighting to live is
usually associated with success, but there are some circumstances where fighting is not the key.

Our lives are moulded by the things we believe in and the achievements we make. Both of these require
us to fight in their name, or else risk disappointment and despair. Martin Luther King Jnr proclaimed
that ‘our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter’. He exemplified this
concept in his actions, alluding to the fact that our lives are worthless if we do not fight for the things
that hold meaning to us. We must not fight when it is unnecessary, but when it is; we need to keep
fighting until the very end.

Gayan Kathriachchige

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TASK B SAMPLE ESSAY

Prompt: People are always talking about originality, but what does this mean? As soon as we are born, the
world begins to work on us.

TO BE, OR NOT TO BE ORIGINAL

Being original is considered a valuable characteristic for any individual. It comprises of an ability to
generate fresh ideas and perceive information in a novel, abstract manner. The world we live in however
poses several restrictions on our efforts to be original. The media surrounds us and tells us what to
believe- adjusting our moral standings for us. Faith can also compromise our ability to be original by
enforcing ideas that we may not wish to accept. Nevertheless, there are methods of expression that
allow us to be original- such as art. To be original is to simply be unique, but this task is more difficult
to achieve in these modern times.

The role of the media in society was once to inform us about news. Now however, the media seems to
even influence the ways we define ourselves. It tries to tell us what is right and what is wrong. In doing
so it also impairs our endeavours to be original. Our ideas become distorted by the media. The constant
debate on whether or not global warming exists exemplifies how the media’s coverage of an issue can
instil uncertainty into society. How can we be original and make up our own minds if we don’t know
the facts?

From the day we are born, many of us are exposed to faith and religion. There is nothing wrong with
this notion at first glance, but underlying it is a great issue that concerns our originality. Whilst it may
be beneficial for out childhood, being guided into a certain religion by our parents does not allow us to
make our own beliefs in faith. Many of us have heard of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, but how many
of us know that he changed his name from Cassius Clay after seeking refuge in Islam after several
personal battles? Ali exemplified the will to seek personal understanding and cultural recognition. Faith
can limit our attempts to be original if it is enforced upon us too strongly.

Even with all these limitations to being original, we still see certain individuals achieving this sacred
goal. One method of doing so is through the diverse nature of the arts. In whatever form, art can
provide the artist with the freedom of expressing any idea they wish. This is the birth of originality. In
the music world we have seen the likes of Madonna, Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga reaching this
milestone. Although controversial, these artists have reinvented new styles of music and have gone on
to influence many generations. Art allows us to be original in many shapes or forms.

Being original is subject to the individual. We can all define ourselves as original to an extent, but
looking deeper we usually find that we are much the same. Greek philosopher Aristotle once said that
‘we are what we repeatedly do’, implying that we are defined by our actions- may they be original or
not. In modern times a lack of originality may be due to factors such as the media and faith. However,
the act of being original is still an attainable goal, albeit difficult. Through avenues such as the arts we
can define ourselves as original individuals. At the end of the day, it is the decisions we make and the
actions we take that will ultimately define whether we are to be original, or whether we are not.

Gayan Kathriachchige

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Mental Blocks

If you experience a mental block where you can’t think of anything to write or you don’t understand the
topic, you must be able to ‘wing’ an essay. In this unlikely case you can follow these steps to try and at
least write a half-decent piece.

1) If you don’t understand the topic, try look at all the prompts and see if any of them explain the main
idea. Even if this is subtle, it will have to do- use this as the basis of your essay and pretend that the
information in the prompt is the foundation for your piece.

2) Choose the prompt that you understand the most.

3) Ask the questions: Who? What? Where? When? and How? Try answering these in your head and see
how many you can fulfil. These answers will add to the information you will be able to use in your
essay.

4) Use generic topic sentences and ideas for your main ideas. For example, see how your topic relates
to: Society, the Individual, Government, World Events, Personal Experiences, History, the Future etc.

5) Try use examples from your Background Information Matrix- change the focus of your examples if
you have to.

6) Write your essay. Most importantly, write it like you know what you’re talking about- ‘stick to your
guns’. At this point you have nothing to lose, sounding like you know something is your best bet. If by
chance you are right, the examiner won’t ever know that you struggled. This is also why structure is so
important. Even if you don’t have solid content, always remember that you will at least have some sort
of structure.

SECTION III- REASONING IN THE BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Section III of GAMSAT tests your ability to reason in the sciences. The key word is ‘reason’- it is not
testing how much science you know, but rather how well you can interpret and understand scientific
information. Having a background in science will always help in this process, but it will not be
everything. You must also be able to apply that knowledge to new situations in chemistry, physics and
biology. Out of these, organic chemistry has been a main focus over the years and is also one of the
harder areas to grasp. Biology also appears, but is never the simple biology you would have learnt. It will
be based on random research data and biological systems that you are unlikely to have encountered.
Physics usually comprises only a small segment of the GAMSAT and usually isn’t too complex, therefore
it is worth studying to try and get all of these marks. Mathematical skills are not explicitly stated, but
will be required for many questions.

Key points to consider include:

- READ carefully. Just like in Section I, this section requires good reading skills. Establish facts
and principles as you read- these will help you answer questions.
- USE any background information you know to help understand novel concepts. The questions
will not test your prior knowledge, but knowing it means you can spend more time
understanding the new material.
- DON’T assume anything. They will try to avoid giving questions that you can simply work out
from prior knowledge. This means questions are likely to be exceptions to the rule or rare
findings. Always verify your answers solely on the data given, not what you already know.

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Recommended Areas to Study for Section III

Chemistry Organic chemistry (nomenclature, chirality, enantiomers, cis//trans, E/Z, Fischer projections,
functional groups and reactions), periodic table, intermolecular/intermolecular bonds. formal
charge, galvanics, acid and base (Henderson-Haseelbach, pH), gas laws, solubility,
thermodynamics, electrons, stoichiometry, enzymes
Biology Cells, DNA structure, glucose structure, physiological systems (heart, circulation, lungs,
kidneys, digestive), homeostasis, blood, neurons, hormones, genetics, metabolism, osmosis,
immune system, meiosis, mitosis
Physics Kinetics, Newton’s Laws, electricity (Ohm’s Law), radioactive half-life, fluid dynamics,
electromagnetism
Note: these lists are not exhaustive and are only a guide based on popular topics that come up each
year.

MCQ STRATEGY

The GAMSAT consists of 185 MCQs in total. This means that for the majority of the exam the correct
answer will be in front of you and you have a 25% chance of choosing it every time. You can boost this
to 33% or 50% by using good MCQ strategy. As you practise these questions make sure you form your
own strategy for going through MCQs. Here are some pointers to include in your strategy:

1) Read every option and read each of them carefully. Some people like to try and disprove each option
and any they can’t disprove, should be the correct answer. The opposite of this also works- try to prove
each answer’s correctness by verifying it against the stimulus. As simple as it sounds, understand the
question and find the option that correctly answers the question being asked.

2) Cancel out options which are:

- blatantly false
- seem inconsistent with the question
- true but do not answer the question being asked

This is the easiest way to improve your odds.

3) If two options look similar (eg, a) clockwise, b) anticlockwise) it is likely that one of them is wrong
and the other is correct. Usually this is the case but be aware however that they may both be red-
herrings, see what the other options are like.

4) Predict what the answer should look like. (eg. whether it should be a positive number, a very small
number etc.) Cancel out any options that don’t fit.

5) The ‘All of the above’ option can be cancelled if any two of the statements above are wrong.

6) If the answer is clear to you at the beginning, don’t waste time checking if the other options are
wrong.

7) After trying to improve your odds, if you still cannot find the correct answers, have a guess. Go with
your gut feeling (or choose ‘C’, apparently the most common answer in MCQs)

8) Follow the answer sheet carefully- make sure your shading in the bubble for the right question.

9) Never leave a question blank, don’t throw away the chance to pick up marks- always guess
something.

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EXTRA ACTIVITIES TO DO

When I initially started studying to the GAMSAT I had no idea what to actually do and no-one to show
me the way. In my attempt to try and figure out the GAMSAT I encountered extra activities that
assisted in my understanding and improved my skills. I recommend the following:

- READING, and lots of it. Go to the library consistently over the holidays and always have
something to read. I found that it helped me when I was reading questions, especially for
Section I. Read a few non-fiction books on topics who have never heard of- this will train you to
understand unfamiliar concepts. Read some books on history so you can add to your
Background Information Matrix. Read classic literature books- the GAMSAT uses a wide variety
of sources, commonly from good pieces of literature. Read some poetry and try interpreting
their meanings. Reading the newspaper and keeping up to date with issues is also vital. Finally,
read something you like to read, as well as something about medicine or someone inspiring.
- MCAT(Medical College Admission Test) questions. The MCAT is the equivalent to the GAMSAT
in the USA. I found that the questions were quite different from GAMSAT questions; however
the passages were long and usually boring- something good to practice Section I reading. It was
hard getting through the passages and understanding them, but training your reading at such a
level makes GAMSAT passages look relatively simple.
- VOCABULARY BUILDING. When you are doing your Section I questions and come across an
unfamiliar word- look it up. Write the word and the definition in a book and keep this close so
you can continually add to it. At the back of the book have a section for ‘Spelling Demons’ and
put all the words you continually spell wrong in there.
- THESAURUS BUILDING. When you are writing your essays you will find that you will need to
use the same types of words over and over again. Look these words up in a thesaurus and find
other words that you can use. Also put in good phrases that you may be able to use again in
future essays. Stick this on your wall so you can continually interchange words- with practice
you should be able to do this in your essays naturally.
- SELF-ASSESS your performance. Make a table of all the practice papers you do and put your
marks next to them. Some papers you will do again, so put in these marks and see if you have
improved. Hopefully they will have and this will boost your confidence that you are actually
making progress. By the end of your preparation you should have a long list of papers and
questions you did- you will at least be able to see how much effort you put into your
preparation.
- MEMORY WORK. For Section III it will be useful for you to know formulas, theories, basic
chemical structures etc. Write everything you need to remember on a document and keep
revising it until you know it all.
- KNOW the game. Find out as much as you can about the GAMSAT from those you have done it
before you. I found that online forums (specifically Paging Dr- http://forum.pagingdr.net/)
provided a wealth of information too. People shared techniques and information about the
exam, as well as providing support. It helped to see that there were others in the same situation
as me.
- KEEP inspired during your preparation period. I found that talking to people who shared my
aspirations, or were already living them, served as priceless motivation. I watched anything to
do with medicine and read books about it. Inspirational books and videos also helped me keep
motivated. These are all listed in the ‘Resources’ section. Find what keeps you going and make
sure you dedicate some time to that each day.

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CONCLUSION

I hope that by now you have a clearer understanding about your approach to tackling the GAMSAT. I
hope you now know where to direct your study efforts and how to make the most of your preparation
time. I conclude by reiterating the importance of the 5 Key Principles in your preparation. Success in
the GAMSAT comes from commitment and consistency. It comes after hours and hours of practise and
genuine hard work. Finally it involves an utmost belief in yourself and the ability to be inspired. Fulfil
these key principles over the next few months and there should be no reason why you shouldn’t be
successful.

Many people have asked me ‘How does it feel to get into medicine?’ The feeling is inexplicable.
Everything you’ve worked for, everything you’ve ever dreamt of, everything you ever wanted; your life
changes in a second. All I can say is that every moment I spent working towards my goal has paid off.
Not once have a looked back and regretted anything I have done.

If there is one thing I’ve learnt from my GAMSAT experience, it’s that you don’t know what you’re
capable of until you put in everything you have. But you will never know what you’re capable of until
you stop thinking that ‘it’s too hard’ or ‘it can’t be done’. Don’t make excuses- if you want more in life,
go out there and get it. Life doesn’t stop you from being where you want to be; only you determine that.
You have to stop seeing the GAMSAT as a road-block to achieving your dreams, but rather see it as an
opportunity to reach them. Thousands of students gain entry into medicine each year and none of them
are that much different to you. If someone else can do it, there is no reason why you can’t either- no
reason why you can’t do it better. You have nothing to lose, and absolutely everything to gain.

It isn’t easy. Facing the GAMSAT and maintaining a respectable GPA is hard enough, but the other half
of the battle is much tougher- the mental game. Over the next few months there will be times where
you will think you can’t do it, when you’ll think you’ve done enough or when you’ll think you can’t go
on. Don’t break. Remember why you are doing this and let that motivate you to get back up. You don’t
lose the game when you fail; you lose the game the day you lose hope.

I wish you all the best wish you all the best in your journey to medicine and thank you for letting me be
a part of it.

Work hard, but dream even harder.

Thank you.

Gayan Kathriachchige

‘Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world
they’ve been given, than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an
opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary.’

IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING

-Adidas

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RESOURCES

Here is a list of resources I found that were helpful in assisting my GAMSAT preparation:

Websites about GAMSAT

- Paging Dr: http://forum.pagingdr.net/

- Graduate Medicine Informant: http://www.ellipsoid.org/gmi/overview/

Reading for Section I Study Background Information Matrix compilation

- Literature
- Non-fiction
- History
- Newspapers

Websites for Section I Study and Background Information Matrix compilation

- Global Issues: http://www.globalissues.org/

- TIME Magazine: http://www.time.com/time/
- NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/

Books for Section III Study

- D. Sadava et al- LIFE: The Science of Biology

- S. Zumdahl- Chemical Principles
- J. McMurry- Organic Chemistry
- R. Chapman et al- Heinemann Physics- Year 12

Inspirational Books/ Books about Medicine

- Pauline W. Chen- FINAL EXAM- A surgeons reflections on Mortality

- Lisa Sanders- Every Patient Tells a Story
- Chris O’Brien- Never Say Die
- Daniel Goleman- Emotional Intelligence

Inspirational Websites/ Websites about Medicine

- Dr. Damon Shorter- ‘So you want to be a doctor?’: http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/doctor/

- Dr. Danielle Ofri- ‘Why would anyone choose to be a doctor?’:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/21/why-would-anyone-choose-to-become-a-
doctor/?ref=health
- BMJ Doc2Doc (Blogs): http://doc2doc.bmj.com/

Inspirational Videos, TV and Movies

- Steve Jobs’ 2005 Commencement Speech at Harvard University:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc
- Be Powerful Beyond Measure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSYtQy9EqTA
- This is How Winners Are Made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujMP41Rphzc&feature=related
- Nick Vijucic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOlTdkYXuzE&feature=related

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- Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo&feature=relmfu
- Michael Jordan- Look me in the eyes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=AU&feature=related&hl=en-GB&v=n-GcPyGJ2bg
- Will Smith on Success: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5nVqeVhgQE&feature=related
- Eric Thomas- How Bad Do You Want It?: http://vimeo.com/27933991
- Eric Thomas- Resilience: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtkSGhvF350
- Charlie Chaplin’s Speech- The Great Dictator
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WibmcsEGLKo&feature=related
- Muhammad Ali’s Speeches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-5_8af3TiY
- Junior Doctors: Your Life in Their Hands (BBC):
http://www.watchseries-online.com/category/junior-doctors-your-life-in-their-hands
- Young Doctors (Channel 9)
- RPA (Channel 9)
- Patch Adams (Directed by Tom Shadyac, featuring Robin Williams)

REFERENCES

- http://www.gamsat-ie.org/gamsat-australia
- ACER GAMSAT Information Booklet 2012
- Des O’ neill’s GAMSAT Preparation Course
- Medired GAMSAT Preparation Course
- Tomasz Forfa- How to Pass the GAMSAT

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NOTES

18
 ‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our
light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We were all meant to shine. It's not just in some of us, it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated
from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others’ - Nelson Mandela  ‘Again, you can't connect the dots
looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow
connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.’- Steve Jobs  ‘Too
many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like’- Will
Smith  ‘The eyes only see what the mind knows- so study’- Anonymous  ‘Education is not the filling of a pail, but
the lighting of a fire’- William Yates  ‘To guarantee success, act as if it were impossible to fail’- Dorothy Brande 
‘The mind is everything, what you think, you become’- Buddha  ‘You wing some you lose some’- G. Kathriachchige
 ‘You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you’- John
Wooden  ‘He’s forgotten more than I’ll ever know’- Randy Pausch  ‘Not only do I knock em out, I pick the round’ –
Muhammad Ali  ‘I done wrestled with an alligator, done tussled with a whale, handcuffed lightening, thrown
thunder in jail’- Muhammad Ali  ‘I’m show you how great I am’- Muhammad Ali  ‘If you even dream of beating me
you’d better wake up and apologise’- Muhammad Ali  ‘Do not let it be your aim to be something, but to be
someone’-Victor Hugo  ‘When you’re at the top of the game you play by different rules’- Anonymous  ‘Wake up
each day and tell yourself that you’re the best, because one day you’ll wake up and you’ll surely be right’ – G.
Kathriachchige  ‘Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that
other people don't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in
everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people to do the same. As we are liberated
from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.’- Coach Carter  ‘Don’t let anybody tell you that you
can’t do something. You got a dream? You got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves they want to tell
you that you can’t do it. You want something? Go get it. Period.’- Will Smith  ‘You can never let go of that kid inside
you. It’s the kid inside of us that keeps us from going crazy.’- J.D (Scrubs)  ‘Some people feel the rain. Others just get
wet.’ - Bob Marley  ‘Anger is one letter short of danger....’- Anonymous  ‘Jump into the middle of things, get your
hands dirty, fall flat on your face, and then reach for the stars’- Anonymous  ‘You can have all the heart in the world,
but it doesn’t mean anything unless you have the legs’- Lance Armstrong  ‘Only those who dare to fail greatly can
ever achieve greatly.’- Robert F. Kennedy  ‘Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because
your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.’- John Wooden 
‘The people who turn out best are those people who make the best out of the way things turn out.’- John Wooden 
‘Players with fight never lose a game, they just run out of time’- John Wooden  ‘Ability may get you to the top, but
character will keep you there.’- John Wooden  ‘Remember this your lifetime through: Tomorrow there will be more
to do. And failure waits for all who stay, with some success made yesterday. Tomorrow you must try once more, and
even harder than before.’- John Wooden  ‘Success doesn’t come to you. You go for it’- Anonymous  ‘Hurdles are
nothing- for frogs’ - Anonymous  ‘Every great oak started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground.’-
Anonymous  ‘A rooster crows only when it sees the light. Put him in the dark and he'll never crow. I have seen the
light and I'm crowing.’- Muhammad Ali  ‘Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.’-
Muhammad Ali  ‘Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.’-Arthur
Schopenhauer  ‘Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them.’- Albert Einstein  ‘Cogito ergo sum’ (I think
therefore I am)- Rene Descartes  ‘Stress is like a rocking chair- it gives you something to do, but doesn’t get you
anywhere’- John (Junior Doctors)  ‘Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always
do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great’- Mark Twain  ‘Your work is going to fill a
large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way
to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of
the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll
on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.’- Steve Jobs  ‘Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow
belongs to the people who prepare for it today’- Malcolm X  ‘When you want to succeed as bad as you want to
breathe, then you’ll be successful’- Eric Thomas  ‘Everybody wants happiness, and nobody wants pain, but you can't
have a rainbow, without a little rain’- Zion Lee  ‘Inside of a ring or out, ain't nothing wrong with going down. It's
staying down that's wrong’- Muhammad Ali  ‘Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach.’- Aristotle  ‘If
you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?’ - John Wooden  ‘Obsessed is a word used
by the lazy to describe the determined’- Anonymous  ‘Respect is the ultimate currency’- Anonymous  ‘Have you
ever been at a point in your life where the present is so perfect you don't care about the future? A point where it is so
good that you begin to fear the future and what it holds for you, no matter how good it may be you know that it might
never be the same as it just is.’- N. De Silva  ‘The more you read, the more you’ll know. The more you’ll know, the
more places you’ll go’- Dr. Seuss  ‘What we think or what we know or what we believe is, in the end, of little
consequence. The only consequence is what we do’- John Ruskin  ‘Not everything that can be counted counts, and
not everything that counts can be counted.’- Albert Einstein  ‘Never, never, never give up’- W.Churchill  Don’t go
around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first’- Mark Twain.  Don’t be
afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so’- Belva Davis 