Gamsat 2012

ljg1

If anyone really really wants to study before starting I would suggest reading the first chapter in
Guyton Physiology or Sherwood Physiology
Clinically Oriented Anatomy
Lippincott's Pharmacology or Netter's Illustrated Pharmacology
Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple
Harper's Biochemistry.

There isn't any need to do this but it will highlight some of the principles underpinning these subjects. If I were any of you though, I'd say take it easy and enjoy your summer!
Firstaid for USMLE is a must as is Crossman and Neary Neuroanatomy Atlas. Toronto Notes are an excellent revision resource aswell. If you are planning on coming to UL, everyone has these books and loads more on ebooks so don't buy any until a few weeks into the course.

Ga_Ga_Fan

Can someone confirm when the offers for Grad Medicine places will be out? Is it July some time?? Thanks in advance

dmccormack01

Ga_Ga_Fan wrote: »

Can someone confirm when the offers for Grad Medicine places will be out? Is it July some time?? Thanks in advance

It was august 4th last year i think!

Jammyc

Ga_Ga_Fan wrote: »

Can someone confirm when the offers for Grad Medicine places will be out? Is it July some time?? Thanks in advance

There is no definite date, the CAO website and handbook just say early August.

cash2905

I was talking to the CAO office on yesterday (Monday) and she said August 1st. off topic, anyone out there who's in UCD at the minute or know someone who is? Any advice on accommodation? Better living on or off campus? If off, where? Easiest way to find places? Prices to expect? Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

Sing

Hey guys... Ive decided that i aint going to do my masters now so thanks for the advice offered at the time. I want to focus on resitting the gamsat for the UK in sept. can people recommend someone for some tutoring feel it would be worth it or at least couldnt hurt. Perhaps you can PM of people you know. I want to get started asap. If anyone is interested in setting up a study group round the Galway region too please get in touch

dmccormack01

bit of a random question here guys, but do any of the grad med schools offer any sort of erasmus program with other med schools for a semester of study abroad??

Biologic

I can only speak for RCSI. There's a month or so during term time in your clinical years where you can decide to do rotations abroad, but not an entire semester. During the summer between 3rd and 4th year a lot of people do elective rotations in North America. In both these cases you may have to arrange the placement yourself, though the college does have official ties with plenty of US/Canadian universities so they help to place people.

EugeneOnegin

dmccormack01 wrote: »

bit of a random question here guys, but do any of the grad med schools offer any sort of erasmus program with other med schools for a semester of study abroad??

Biologic wrote: »

During the summer between 3rd and 4th year a lot of people do elective rotations in North America. In both these cases you may have to arrange the placement yourself, though the college does have official ties with plenty of US/Canadian universities so they help to place people.

It's the same for UCC- many do go abroad. Some go to Africa and work in hospitals/clinic with the Surgeon Noonan Charity. Others go to US/Canada/UK. I even know a few who've gone to Australia.

GOING4BROKE

Was the big drop in points from 2010 to 2011 as a result of the addition of places? Is there any reason why places would be cut this year or is each place making a profit for it's respective university? Each of the college seemed to drop 3-4 points. Is there any reason why there might be an upswing this year?

Not trying to freak anyone out..

knope

GOING4BROKE wrote: »

Was the big drop in points from 2010 to 2011 as a result of the addition of places? Is there any reason why places would be cut this year or is each place making a profit for it's respective university? Each of the college seemed to drop 3-4 points. Is there any reason why there might be an upswing this year?

Not trying to freak anyone out..

I think it may have been a combination of increased places and the fact that some of the banks aren't giving out the loans as easily as they were before. When I started in September 2010, I was granted a full loan, but a few people in my year have to get their loans re evaluated every year because they went into the bank later than I did. For anyone applying to GEMS this year I'd say get into the bank now to discuss your options.

Stephan Grundy

I seem to have inadvertently offended a couple of people. I'm not sure how, and do apologise if anyone took anything I said as a personal insult in any way, but I would like to point out that (1) as mentioned, I was only commenting on the fact that the GAMSAT science preparation materials were very helpful for giving me the rudiments of the science background which I previously lacked, and noted that it might be different for those who already had done science studies; (2) it is a bit unfair to call me a border jumper or suggest that I couldn't get into an American med school. In fact, I am here and took the GAMSAT because I have lived here in Ireland for 15 years, have a house and an Irish citizen wife here, and have no particular reason to move back to the States. If I wanted to attend med school in the US, I would have taken the MCAT (which, if the practice tests available on-line are any example, looks like rather less of a head-wrecker than GAMSAT, if requiring more specific memorized knowledge); and (3) I am not sure how I can possibly be construed as responsible for or an example of why GAMSAT scores are dropping, as I don't believe mine dragged down the average.

GOING4BROKE

@Stephen Grundy Perhaps he means Gamsat scores are down as a result of being marked against people like you who achieve extremely high scores. You seem to have a very comprehensive grasp on the Gamsat as a whole and obviously achieved an incredible score.

Stephan Grundy

Going4Broke - Thanks! You make me feel much better!

GOING4BROKE

haha no worries, Im sure you were incredibly hurt over those comments....

Stephan Grundy

Sing wrote: »

Hey guys... Ive decided that i aint going to do my masters now so thanks for the advice offered at the time. I want to focus on resitting the gamsat for the UK in sept. can people recommend someone for some tutoring feel it would be worth it or at least couldnt hurt. Perhaps you can PM of people you know. I want to get started asap. If anyone is interested in setting up a study group round the Galway region too please get in touch

For the physics component, I recommend Brendan Wallace (you can get hold of him through grindsworld.com/leaving/physics_/grinds). He is listed under Wexford, where he lives; but he will do Skype tutoring sessions anywhere in the country, as he did with me in County Offaly. He is a first-rate tutor and a really patient, nice guy; I would have been lost completely in physics without him. He is also, at this point, familiar with all the GAMSAT questions from the various practice and sample tests supplied by ACER, which we went through individually and used as a skeleton for the general range and type of things that might be likely to appear on GAMSAT. And if you do go with him, please tell him I said hello!

funkychicken1

Hello!

I am just wondering if anyone has any advice/information on applying for a 4yr MD course in any other European countries. Some (Eastern Europe) seem to have a lower entry GAMSAT score? Like Poznan in Poland for instance.....I do not have an undergrad in science, it's in Business but I sat the GAMSATs this year and got a 53, I applied for UL but I'm very doubtful.

so if anyone has any info on applying to universities abroad please share

Thanks!

Sing

Stephan Grundy wrote: »

For the physics component, I recommend Brendan Wallace (you can get hold of him through grindsworld.com/leaving/physics_/grinds). He is listed under Wexford, where he lives; but he will do Skype tutoring sessions anywhere in the country, as he did with me in County Offaly. He is a first-rate tutor and a really patient, nice guy; I would have been lost completely in physics without him. He is also, at this point, familiar with all the GAMSAT questions from the various practice and sample tests supplied by ACER, which we went through individually and used as a skeleton for the general range and type of things that might be likely to appear on GAMSAT. And if you do go with him, please tell him I said hello!

Thanks for that stephen ill defo give him a bell. Im originally from offaly myself maybe you'd be interested to share your wisdom with me over a coffee this weekend if your not busy.. let me know Id be very grateful for any advice

danw88

i got 51 this year so i am fairly doubtful that i will get a place so am preparing for septmber in london. im looking for any grad med, des o neil or any test papers other than ozimed and acer. any help greatly appreciated

Stephan Grundy

Sing wrote: »

Thanks for that stephen ill defo give him a bell. Im originally from offaly myself maybe you'd be interested to share your wisdom with me over a coffee this weekend if your not busy.. let me know Id be very grateful for any advice

Sure, I'm free on Sunday if you'd like to drop by. Not sure how much "wisdom" I actually have, but happy to give any help I can. Is there any way to private-message from or via these boards if you'd like to get in touch?

PeadarGalway

Sing wrote: »

Hey guys... Ive decided that i aint going to do my masters now so thanks for the advice offered at the time. I want to focus on resitting the gamsat for the UK in sept. can people recommend someone for some tutoring feel it would be worth it or at least couldnt hurt. Perhaps you can PM of people you know. I want to get started asap. If anyone is interested in setting up a study group round the Galway region too please get in touch

Sing all I can say is do the gradmed course. Is it expensive. Yes. But by jaysus it works - I had literally ZERO science background, (except LC biology), and now I'm sitting on an extremely comfortable score for september. Don't get me wrong, I worked my ass off studying for it, but gradmed focused my study, and even though a lot of the material we studied didn't appear (no syllabus for the gamsat) with all the practice questions we had done you develop an intuition and get used of the style.

Other things I can recommend are the khanacademy website: he has excellent videos for all of the sciences at the right level for gamsat, and the big yellow "for dummies" books are great. Especially the ones for organic chemistry.

Best of luck for the september sitting, go kick some gammy ass!!

Reality_Check1

Personally I didnt sit the Gradmed course I just bought the notes off someone who did and found them very good - got me into UCD to be fair.

To be honest a lot of the GAMSAT is exam technique which the course only partially covers. If I had any credibility at all Id love to run a course on how to "do well on the GAMSAT" but you need to be a doc or prof for people to take you seriously.

PeadarGalway

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

Personally I didnt sit the Gradmed course I just bought the notes off someone who did and found them very good - got me into UCD to be fair.

To be honest a lot of the GAMSAT is exam technique which the course only partially covers. If I had any credibility at all Id love to run a course on how to "do well on the GAMSAT" but you need to be a doc or prof for people to take you seriously.

Haha, lets do our four years of med, get the Dr. title in front of our names and set up a course. Wouldn't be long clearing the loans that way

Reality_Check1

PeadarGalway wrote: »

Haha, lets do our four years of med, get the Dr. title in front of our names and set up a course. Wouldn't be long clearing the loans that way

those courses are a scam imo - the people that run them must make a killing

Dr Nic

Only scanned the last few pages on this but there has been some absolutely horrendous drivel posted on here about UL GEMS especially by this guy Reality_Check1.
A lot of it seems made up, some of it has an element of truth but twists it horribly and in general it totally misrepresents UL.

The truth is from what i've seen UL more than holds their own against other colleges on ward rounds. Thats being generous to other colleges.

The only problem with UL is that they've started to drop their scores too much. A 54 gamsat is pretty low and more often than not the workload in UL will be too much

If UL only took gamsats of 61+ they would be producing some seriously talented docs

Reality_Check1

Since you are calling me out it is my prerogative to respond I suppose. Firstly I see you are basically calling me a liar. Now aside from the fact you are taking the title of doctor despite being clear from your other posts that you are still a student in UL I find it hard to understand how you would be able to judge the standard on ward rounds? I wasnt aware students in UL went to the same teaching hospitals as the Dublin schools? maybe Im wrong and if so I apologise.

you say if UL took in students with a high GAMSAT score they would produce good docs - eh newsflash thats what the other colleges do!

address my post below please - which is the element of truth and what am I making up.

Like I said before I have no problem with people defending their college but please stop trying to encourage people into believe they are getting something they arent

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

Congrats on the high GAMSAT score. I was just wondering what draws you to UL considering you have your pick of the colleges? Just to play devils advocate for discussion;

-They have an unfinished med building
-They have no cadaver labs
-They dont do biochemistry
-They dont do pharmachology
-The face to face teaching time is a lot less than other colleges yet the fees are the same. why pay as much to teach yourself?
- The teaching hospitals are not as good as the other colleges and the GP practices are miles away from campus
- Arguably they are looked down on by other colleges
- To combat the point someone made above I was told by one ortho consultant and one cardiac SPR that I should not go to UL if I wanted a serious medical career in a hospital. why put yourself at a disadvantage?

Like i said Im just playing devils advocate but I find it hard to understand how someone with the pick of any college they wanted would rationally choose UL?

Dr Nic

Im not calling you out lol
im calling you a bullsh1tter. 10% of UL fails? wtf? Go on...

No time to get stuck in a thread like this.
Guys make up your own mind about colleges. They all have the same books in their libraries

Reality_Check1

I was told by a close relative that in first year the bottom 10% of the class automatically fails? If this is wrong I apologise for the misinformation.

I don't mind being called a bull****ter by you because frankly you have been taken apart in this mini debate and the fact you cant provide a rebuttal to my points above speaks volumes.

I'm a little embarrassed for you and I would press this further but I dont want to disturb your study. As for your very last point we have real books in our library and not a hyperlink to Wikipedia (joke)

Dr Nic

Mini debate? Ha ha ha.
You're making a show of yourself.

Reality_Check1