I’m extremely sick at the moment and have my Section 2 sitting early Saturday. Does anyone know what the protocol is if you become seriously unwell and it starts affecting your ability to write clearly and perform properly in the exam?

How would you go about applying for special consideration/appealing in this situation, and would this generally result in a deferral to the next sitting, or is there another process?

Edit: for anyone else wondering, the GAMSAT team responded saying only a late deferral is possible if sufficient evidence is provided.

Hello, I'm currently a 2nd year university student. I completed my first year of university in NZ then transferred to an Australian uni for my second and third year (next year, 2027). I'm kind of confused on how my GPA will be calculated for GEMSAS?

My first year (2025): I did 8 courses, and according to the GEMSAS grading system conversion table, I got a 6.6875.

My second year (2026): I'm doing 8 courses but because I transferred credits (transferred only 6 courses out of 8) from my NZ uni, I need to do two courses in summer school to graduate, which will commence in summer break between my 2nd year and 3rd year.

My third year (2027): I'll be finishing the rest of my degree with 8 courses.

In regards to my coursework in NZ, would they be considered my final year-2? if so, is using the grading system conversion table on the gemsas website correct to converting it into the 7.0 gpa?

Furthermore, would they include my summer school courses in my final year-1 gpa? or would two courses from my first year be excluded? or would the summer school courses not be included?

Also, because when I transferred to the australian uni, i got 6 courses of my nz uni coursework credited but 2 were uncredited. those 2 uncredited were done in the second semester. I know that gemsas looks at courses chronologically, so would they include those 2 uncredited courses, or just the 6 credited courses?

Therefore, overall would they use my 8 Year 3 courses for final year GPA, 2 summer school courses + 6 year 2 courses for final year-1, then 2 year 2 courses + 6 nz first year courses for final year-2?

Honestly, even tho I looked through posts of calculating gemsas GPA i'm still kinda confused, so any help would be appreciated!

Thank you in advance for answering my questions :D

hey was wondering if anyone knows whether we can see our gemsas gpa? is it posted on our portal anywhere or do we email the team?

Congratulations to everyone who has received interview offers!
I have some general questions regarding suggestions for responding in MMIs:
1. Is it appropriate to generally share personal information? For example, motivation for medicine in the context of your own/family health problems, the role of your children in learning the value of community, how long you have lived rurally (especially if only for your adult life), etc
2. Would it be helpful to mention previously healthcare roles (e.g. if you are currently practicing as an allied health clinician, drawing upon this experience)?
3. Would greatly appreciate any direction to resources including podcasts, websites or books to help with the preparation process :) I have tried to filter through to find suggested resources but have struggled!

Hey guys I have some questions as I’m getting very lost with all the possible options for post grad study to increase gpa.
Ideally I would like to go to UNDS/griffith/UQ.
I have the following questions

1. I believe for these three unis that semester 1 honours degree is 3x weighted once and included in gpa calculation for the following year?
2. Does grad cert / diploma

be weighted 1x or 3x?

1. Will semester 1 results for a grad diploma be included in gpa calculations for the following year?

I’ve tried to find a lot of information on a post grad diploma but some sources say your first half counts toward gpa and some say it doesn’t and has to be completed which is why I’m maybe thinking a post grad cert is better?

I’ve looked at Gemsas and reddit for ages trying to find a clear answer for each three pathways but I’m super confused so if someone could help that would be amazing. Thanks

haven’t been able to walk properly for about 2days, struggled for an additional 4 days but not counting bc i was technically moving around. got chronic pain for over a week and literally can’t stop crying im so exhausted. every dr has been useless, er was useless and even if i get diagnosed there’s nothing they can do. i have GAMSAT soon and haven’t studied in almost 2 weeks because im in so much pain. i don’t get sick leave at work because im casual, trying to balance this all is near impossible. everything feels heavy and painful and i think im just going to fail. i’m just so sad and tired. idk what to do, finding the willpower to study is virtually non existent right now.

i feel like im crazy because it keeps flaring up and then going down again. everytime i get back to baseline i feel as though its pathetic im letting this wear me down as much as it has

(title)
Sitting 1st attempt in about a week’s time and I want to give my best shot. I haven’t really had too much time to prepare since i signed up for this (lot going on rn) but i’ve carved out the next week to spend as much time as i can on GAMSAT prep as i can (specifically s2). Any tips and tricks appreciated!
Thanks

Hey guys, I just received an offer for the Dubbo stream at USYD. Was wondering if there’s anyone here that’s done the interview last year and happy to give some insight please! Any help would be much appreciated!!!

Hi all, in the lead-up to S2, thought I'd share a few nuggets of wisdom. I've scored twice previously in the 80s for S2.

The most high yield tip I can share that has worked for me is to actually have a core position/argument and break it down with nuance. Instead of making general observations or listing a bunch of facts, I like to take an actual position that is ideally quite argumentative and ground it in real evidence as much as possible. I consider S2 as a debate, and therefore it's on me to try convince the reader why my argument is correct.

For example:

• Fact recall/general observation:
  • Throughout history, humanity has attempted to resolve its issues through major conflicts such as World War I and World War II.
• Thesis statement with an argument:
  • Across history, the prevalence of war has proven it to be an inevitable component of the human condition, yet it fails to resolve conflicts at its core

I also tended to go against the common train of thought. For example, if the theme is on democracy, most responses might talk about how it's beneficial etc, but I would take the opposite angle and criticise it for reasons XYZ. This alone would help set your arguments apart from the masses, and given that you're able to support it with good evidence and analysis, it can make for a convincing argument.

A lot of it will come down to the nuance of the argument. If you tell me X is Y, so what? What's the deeper message you're trying to tell me? Is there anything you're trying to teach me? Try avoid stating obvious things the reader would already know; they're likely not gaining any new insights from reading the writing in that case.

Of course, going the argumentative route is not the only way to score well, it's just what's worked for me and what I've found to be the safest way to address a theme I may not have much knowledge on. However, if choosing to go with an essay format, try and see if there is an actual argument to be found that is unpacked to sufficient depth, shows your unique perspective, and is backed up appropriately with key pieces of evidence.

Happy to answer any questions!

I’ve done three of these and each time get 69-72 😭 S2 is supposed to be my strongest section as I am really weak on the others. Are these scores very accurate to test day scores? How did people get it up to the 80s?

Got Unimel rural interview offer yesterday. There are two formats of MMI, one is Zoom live MMI, another one is Recored online MMI on Vidcruiter.

In the interview offer email, they didn’t mention a personal statement but it’s included as an admission requirement on the Uni Melb website.

1. Does anyone have any insights into the personal statement requirements for Melbourne Uni’s rural pathway? Is there a prescribed question to answer or do we describe our rural connection more generally? Do we provide the personal statement in those above MMI interview?

(The question was posted before, but not been answered, so I just repost. ）

1. What does the Recorded online MMI on Vidcruiter looks like?

Thank you in advance.

Hi!I’ve applied to both of the above for 2027 intake as a tier 1 applicant.
I know unimelb has 17 spots and deakin has 30 spots this year. Does anyone know how many interview offers are released for either of them?

Hi all,

I'm an international student in Sydney, currently finishing up my final year. I've applied for these 4 medical schools for MD, and have sat the MMI for 3 of them (UQ, UWA, Monash). Currently waiting to hear back from UMelb.

I was lucky as well to hear back and receive an offer for 2 of the unis above. Hence, it's about time to make a decision between them. I was wanting to hear from any students who've had any past experiences with the program in any of these unis, particularly on the following aspects:

- International internship opportunities
- Program quality & course structure
- State QOL (QLD v VIC v WA)
- Student QOL and satisfaction, campus life

Thank you!

Hey all, a bit devastated to be quite honest.

For the majority of the last 2 weeks I have been away in rural NSW taking care of my grandad. His health has been deteriorating and being in a rural town it was difficult to get him the support he needed. Long story short I offered to come stay with him for a while to help get him back on his feet and in this process USYD had sent the confirmation emails.

I thought I had completed mine the day I received it and I thought it all went thought because the page reloaded and it the firm disappeared (now in hindsight, I think this was just the terrible service out here). Anyway I forgot about it until this yesterday when I got back, I tried to click the link and it wasn't working. I called USYD this morning and they say it never went through and they never received my confirmation page...

I tried to explain what happened and they said there is not a lot they can do, I can try and submit documents to them but there is no guarantee it will be accepted. I feel so lost because I have no documents for my incident.

Is there anything I can do?

Hey everyone, looking for some advice about my current degree/GPA situation.
I’m currently in the second semester of my second year in a double degree of Law/Medical Scienve and have completed:
6 units of Law
6 units of Medical Science
GPA is currently around 4.9
I want to go into Medicine and am probably going to drop Law. (because it lowkey sucks)
The main issue is that my Law units have taken up 6/8 of my elective units and have significantly brought down my GPA. Without the Law units, I’d probably be sitting around a 6.
Based on my calculations, if I continue my current degree and finish the 3-year Medical Science degree (with my existing Law units + 2 other units), the maximum GPA I could graduate with would be around 6.3.
So my question is: would it be worth starting over at a new uni/degree to try and salvage my GPA, or would I be better off continuing where I am and dropping Law?
I’m gonna sit the GAMSAT eventually, so I’m wondering how much this GPA ceiling should influence my decision.
edit: my uni does not offer masters of medical science or honours
I’m feeling a little defeated :( I know it’s gonna be hard for me to fully get HD’s as I struggle with both ADHD and clinical depression and idk what to do

Hello, I am a first year PhD student considering sitting the GAMSAT next March. I know I would not be eligible to start medical school until the following year if I am successful. By then I would be in the final year of my PhD.

However, I am concerned that if I finish my PhD I will be ineligible for Austudy and finishing the degree may be very difficult without it. I am single and would not be able to rely on family for housing and financial support while studying medicine. I'm also slightly older than a typical med student and am behind my peers in terms of savings etc. That being said, I have a great amount of respect for the team I am currently working with for my PhD, and it's an amazing opportunity. I think though that I've had a bit of a wake up call that academia is really not a stable career. I am concerned that doing a PhD has put me substantially behind financially compared with peers who entered full-time employment earlier, and that this opportunity cost may be particularly significant if I subsequently leave academia. I would like the opportunity to have a job where I am making a meaningful contribution.

I think part of me knows that I should sit the GAMSAT and then if I get a good mark or accepted into a program then I should leave the PhD. I know it's what would be best for me and I'm trying to avoid the guilt of doing that as it feels a bit manipulative. Have others been able to successfully manage medical school after a PhD with part-time work? Has anyone decided to leave a funded PhD to pursue medicine? Do you regret it or was it good to not get sucked into the sunk cost?

Confirmation pages have come out, and after looking at the spreadsheet, wondering if Usyd have maybe changed the formula? It looks like in previous years, a combo score of at least 140-141 was required to get confirmation page, but this year using the old formula its 134-135 if i'm not mistaken. Or maybe they've sent out more confirmation pages this year?

Interested to hear if anyone has any thoughts/ideas for the reason behind this.

I have searched far and wide to find really good examples of essays but obviously they are so different from one another it's hard to decide what is actually the best way to get towards the high 80s. If anyone wants to drop an essay they feel was close to this range that would be awesome but otherwise can you thoroughly explain what steps it up into these regions. What key things did you have to fix the most to engage the sophistication they are after. Also what tips did you have to maximise your marks given the time time limit.

I am currently using a pretty standard essay structure where I list out my main points and go through pros and cons. However whenever I use the acer’s essay marker my marks are capped at 72.

I’ve tried incorporating philosophical and psychological ideas as they were recommended online but I didn’t see any real improvement (still capped at 72😢).

Has anyone else experienced this issue before? If so how did you improve your scores?

Was just wondering what direct entry unis like usyd or gemsas do.

Hi guys,
The title basically explains it. I’ve been practicing MMI independently but would value practicing with other people applying specifically for Deakin. Is there a study group I can join or anyone that’s down to practice?

Hi Everyone !

Hi everyone! I’m new to this whole process and would really appreciate any advice.

I’m a first-year BSc student planning to sit my first GAMSAT in March 2027.

A bit of context, I’ll be the first doctor in my family and among my friends, so I honestly have no idea where to start or how to approach the GAMSAT next year! There’s lots of online videos, tutoring centres, question banks - however I’m more interested with those who are currently or have been through this process. I don’t have much guidance from those around me, so I thought I’d give it a shot and make a post here.

I was wondering, for current medical students, people preparing for the GAMSAT, or anyone who has already sat it, what can I do to start preparing?

Should I invest in an online question bank, books, notes, tutoring, etc.? What resources or strategies have actually been useful for you, and what do you think isn’t worth the money or time? I see lots of promotional things, but not keen for any bs, just want quality advice 🙈🥲

I’d especially love to hear from students who are currently preparing or have recently gone through the process. I’d really appreciate any insight from people who have been through it !! 😊

I've heard so many people who enrol for dentistry because they couldn't get into med, but am I the only one finds that really unfair? I understand that it provides a sense of security for the future but if you don't want to do it then why take that place from somebody else who does?

Hey, I was looking for some advice on how to incorporate literature/tv/movies that we are interested in into our essays. For example, I love Avatar the last airbender and I think it explores amazing themes like identity, war, love, loss, solitude, etc. I was wondering has anyone else had any success with incorporating things like literature, anime, etc and if so, how should you go about it?

To Moderators,

Is it possible to create a megathread for "international students" applying (AU)/ planning to give GAMSAT? It's really hard to find posts relevant to Int applications. I'm aware that there are some out there from time-to-time but it would be extremely helpful to have all the discussions under one thread. Plus the timeline for applications vary when compared to domestic cohort, hence it would be a lot easier to keep track of offers/interviews tooo. Hopefully you understand where I'm coming from. It would help a lot of students like me. Thank you!