Ep 39: How To Do GAMSAT Science Reasoning Skills (From Someone Who Got 81)

Dr Tom (00:00)
Ever wondered how someone goes from total GAMSAT panic to scoring 81 in Section Three and landing a med school spot at ANU? Well, on today’s episode, I’m joined by Will, a former bootcamp member, now our lead tutor and science reasoning expert. We’ll hear how he cracked the GAMSAT, what medical school is really like, and why reasoning skills—not just memorising content—are the secret weapon for Section Three of the GAMSAT.

So, if you’re aiming for a top score and you want to actually enjoy the ride, stick around. We’re also putting some really useful resources in the show notes to help you implement what we talk about today. And they’re free! You can head over to the show notes somewhere around this video or audio. Also, if you’ve crushed the GAMSAT and want to give back, we’re hiring at Thank Flip—you can apply in the show notes as well. But let’s dive in.

So, welcome, Will. Welcome to the podcast. Great to have you. I’d love to start by hearing a bit about your background because it’s very interesting. You came to us late before the GAMSAT, you joined the bootcamp for a little while, and then you got into ANU. You’ve been adjusting to life at ANU and being a lead tutor here as well. So tell us, kind of from the beginning, how you got to where you are now and how you crushed the GAMSAT.

Will (01:04)
Thanks for having me.

Dr Tom (01:28)
Your story of how you got to where you are now and how you crushed the GAMSAT.

Will (01:33)
Yeah, it’s a bit of a crazy story. I was in a bit of a weird situation when I came into the bootcamp. I was studying at UNSW, doing Med Science. In 2022, I had applied for their lateral entry pathway. I got an interview with 20 other people, but they were only accepting about eight to ten. I didn’t hear back until January of my third year—so January 2023, end of January. I was kind of in limbo, thinking, “Should I start GAMSAT? Should I not? Maybe I don’t even need to start.”

I picked up a summer course to distract myself. Then I got rejected because I didn’t really practice for my interview. I had my wisdom teeth removed the week before, so I wasn’t in a great state.

Because of that summer course, I ended up kind of buried under content during the summer period when I should have been studying. By February, I had signed up for the GAMSAT. I tried to figure it out on my own but got overwhelmed. I studied for a bit and felt completely lost. Then I came across an ad for one of the one-hour sessions, and that’s what introduced me to Thank Flip.

I remember being on a call with someone right before my lab class—I was in my first trimester at UNSW, third year at the time. From there, I bootcamped my way in. Three weeks before my GAMSAT, I was working almost eight hours a day for three weeks—a hard three weeks—but I scored 72. I couldn’t believe it was possible. It was crazy.

Dr Tom (03:13)
Yeah, interesting. So you had a science background but felt lost with the GAMSAT. You’d overloaded yourself with all the different activities, which is quite common. A lot of people might not be at uni, maybe they’re working, maybe they’ve got kids, a lot going on.

A few weeks beforehand, you join the bootcamp. Now, I don’t usually recommend joining three or four weeks before the exam—it’s better than nothing, but obviously earlier is better. But for you, it made a huge difference.

Will (03:53)
Yeah, I think it did. I remember being on that call—I can’t remember who it was with—but it was about three years ago. I was like, “I’m only three weeks out. Do you think this will be beneficial?” The person said, “If you study as much as you can until your GAMSAT test date, you’ll do great in the bootcamp.” I thought, let’s give it a shot. I have nothing to lose.

So I signed up, did the hours—tracked them on Clockify—and then I did the GAMSAT. I got a good mark and was really proud. But the biggest thing, as you said, was getting to the bootcamp and flipping the switch—getting into the mindset of studying. Especially for Section Three, it’s about reasoning, not how much you know.

Dr Tom (04:38)
Amazing.

Will (05:04)
Even with a science background, I had no idea what Section Three was really like. It’s not about knowing every science topic; you could know everything and still not perform. It’s about reasoning with the questions. Section Three is more about comprehension and understanding how to work through material, rather than recalling what you already know.

Dr Tom (05:33)
Yeah, that’s a good point. We’ll get into that more in depth shortly. But first, you were doing eight hours a day, right? That’s a decent amount of time, and people often underestimate both the hours and the type of study needed. So you had a science background but felt lost—it wasn’t about knowledge; it was about reasoning.

Will (05:39)
Yeah, exactly.

Dr Tom (06:02)
At the moment, when this comes out, it’ll probably be late January. What we tell our bootcampers is they’ll be doing at least 20 hours a week. You were easily hitting that, even in four or five days a week.

People often think they can just squeeze it in here and there, but that doesn’t work. You need both the hours and the type of study, as you said—reasoning over memorisation.

Will (07:04)
Yes.

Dr Tom (07:06)
So then after your first GAMSAT, you applied again?

Will (07:15)
Yes. First attempt, Section Three was 72 or 73. Second attempt, 81 or 82—so a big jump.

Dr Tom (07:26)
Yeah, that’s the effect of implementing the right type of study.

Will (07:32)
Exactly. The first attempt was hard work, but cementing reasoning skills with more practice made it almost natural.

Dr Tom (07:49)
Awesome. And then you got an ANU interview?

Will (07:56)
Yes, I put ANU as number one. I’m from Sydney and wanted to escape for a couple of years. ANU was the nearest option. They had two interviews: an MMI and a panel. I felt good because I had done interview bootcamp, but I only had a few days of practice.

Dr Tom (08:38)
They try to catch you off guard.

Will (09:18)
When I got the offer, it didn’t feel real. After previous rejections, I had to read the email multiple times and get my family to check. It came as a complete surprise—it was October 31, 2023.

Dr Tom (10:14)
Wow. And how’s medical school been?

Will (10:14)
It’s been good. I’m starting third year on Monday, straight into GP. The first two years were a big shift. It’s not like undergrad—you have lectures, practical skills, and everything layers together. You have to synthesise knowledge in your own time.

Dr Tom (10:50)
Yeah, it’s relentless.

Will (11:16)
I struggled at first, got burnt out, but adapted study techniques from GAMSAT and developed efficient methods to do well academically while still enjoying hobbies—like mahjong, film, photography, gym.

Dr Tom (12:09)
Exactly. That first six months is a big adjustment period. Content isn’t necessarily hard—it’s the volume and pace.

Will (12:53)
Yes. They make you redo the entire year if you fall behind, which is rough.

Dr Tom (13:17)
And you became one of our tutors while managing all of this?

Will (13:17)
Yes, a big challenge. Moved out, adjusted to new city, managed classes, submissions, cut distractions like Instagram and TikTok. Freed up six hours a day.

Dr Tom (14:07)
On average, Australians spend two hours a day on social media.

Will (14:18)
Exactly. That time can be repurposed for study or hobbies.

Dr Tom (15:50)
Any pleasant surprises about medical school?

Will (15:50)
Getting to know people and the community. Even with little clinical time, talking to patients and volunteers is fascinating. Understanding people beyond the objective medical lens is eye-opening.

Dr Tom (19:19)
Yeah, especially for GPs—seeing patients from cradle to grave.

Will (22:03)
Section Three is reasoning in biological and physical sciences. It’s not about your knowledge—it’s about processing what’s given, extracting information, and deducing the answer.

Dr Tom (24:01)
Exactly. People think they can rely on first-year chemistry, biology, and physics knowledge, but it’s really about reasoning.

Will (24:39)
The question itself tells you what you need to know—the answer is in the question.

Dr Tom (25:00)
Think of it like hide and seek: find where the answer is hiding.

Will (29:13)
Maths is just algebra, functions, exponents, and square roots—enough to solve problems using the formulas provided. It’s not a maths test.

Dr Tom (30:49)
Right—maths is part of reasoning but not the goal.

Will (35:43)
We teach the skills first, then apply them actively. Practice with reflection is key—asking, “Did I get it right for the right reasons?” This builds reasoning over time, not just rote question practice.

Dr Tom (37:14)
Exactly. It’s not just endless practice questions—you need to actively develop skills.

Will (38:12)
The GAMSAT will obliterate a UCAT mindset. It’s high pressure, but you need higher-order thinking, not rote memorisation.

Dr Tom (40:34)
That click moment—realising reasoning is the key—is so rewarding.

Will (40:48)
It happens all the time.