Ep 21: How to Finally Understand GAMSAT Science

Mare Forfa (00:00)
Welcome to the next episode of Nurses Doing GAMSAT. I’m super excited today to be introducing our Head Tutor, Urvi. She’s been on the podcast before, but I want to say a big welcome back.

Urvi (00:13)
Thank you so much. It’s great to be back again.

Mare Forfa (00:16)
Yes, you are Head Tutor, curriculum designer, brilliant hair day connoisseur, fourth-year med student—you are all the things. And today, I’m super excited to be diving into the third section of the GAMSAT—how to prepare for it, particularly for people who maybe haven’t touched the sciences for a long time.

Urvi (00:23)
Yep!

Mare Forfa (00:38)
Real talk, you’ve seen a lot of people over the years in that exact situation. So I’m really excited to have you here so we can dive into everything. Before we start, I just want to mention that our Science Bridging Course is now open, which is exciting. If you feel like science isn’t your forte, you can just jump into the episode notes or go to thankflipgamsat.com/episode21. We’re prepping for September 2025, and thought we’d drop that in before we get talking about all things science. If science isn’t your thing, you might want to check it out.

I chat with heaps of nurses—as you can probably imagine—and a lot of the time they’re worried about memorising facts or having to revise everything from biology, chemistry, physics, all that kind of stuff. Now, you and I know that’s not what the exam’s really about. So I’ll hand it to you—can you help alleviate some of those nerves?

Urvi (02:06)
Yes! There’s often a lot of fear among students who haven’t done the sciences. They worry, “What if I don’t know chemistry or physics or biology?” But for those who’ve sat the GAMSAT or are preparing for it, you’ll know it’s really about reasoning skills.

That said, science knowledge isn’t irrelevant. ACER still says that Year 11 and 12 knowledge is a good foundation. But you don’t need to know every single detail in every textbook. It’s about learning science in a contextual and systematic way—that’s where smart work comes in, rather than just hard work doing everything under the sun.

Mare Forfa (03:03)
Yes! So many students say, “I’m diving into Khan Academy,” and look—I love Khan Academy. It’s great. I’m not dissing it. But the problem is, if you’re learning chemistry there, it deep-dives into every nitty-gritty detail so quickly that it won’t actually help you with GAMSAT questions. You could spend hours watching Khan Academy videos and still not get the question right.

Understanding acids and bases might help you know what a GAMSAT question is about, but it won’t help you answer it. Knowing the science helps you understand the context of the question—but not how to solve it. You need both: science context and reasoning skills. What happens if people just dive into the science?

Urvi (04:07)
We’ve seen that happen—students spend ages learning science and still don’t get a great GAMSAT score. We’ve even had PhD chemists who didn’t do well in Section 3. Doing a deep dive without structure or purpose can be counterproductive. You’ll spend time learning things that might never show up and miss the reasoning practice.

Even if you see a question on something you studied, just knowing the content won’t help unless you’ve practised the skill of unpacking GAMSAT-style stimuli. It’s about integrating knowledge and skills, not just memorising facts.

Mare Forfa (05:45)
That’s what I love—it actually puts our nurses and healthcare professionals at an advantage. If you’re hands-on—like nurses, OTs, paramedics, pharmacists—you’re already used to doing stuff. Rote memorisation isn’t your thing, and that’s fine.

The trick is learning science in the right way—so it’s about doing and applying, not just memorising. I often use the 80-20 rule: 20% is science knowledge, 80% is applying that knowledge to reasoning. But if you don’t have the 20%, the rest doesn’t make sense.

It’s like learning how to swim. You don’t need to know the chemical makeup of water to swim, but if you don’t even know that water’s a liquid, good luck staying afloat! There’s a baseline level of science needed—but integrating it with reasoning is key.

Mare Forfa (07:23)
Some nurses tell me, “I don’t even know what the science symbols mean.” They’re lost before they start because there’s no formal curriculum for GAMSAT science. So, where should someone like that begin?

Urvi (07:58)
That’s exactly why we created the bridging course. It’s for nurses, allied health workers, and anyone who hasn’t done science in years—or ever. It’s built specifically for the GAMSAT, not general science.

We reviewed Year 11 and 12 science curricula, talked to students, and used our own GAMSAT experience to identify which topics come up over and over again. We built a course that starts with the absolute basics—things like understanding symbols, quick maths shortcuts, and gradually builds up.

Each class goes from fundamentals to applying those concepts to GAMSAT-style reasoning. The whole thing is scaffolded so that you build confidence step by step.

Mare Forfa (10:01)
I love that. We’ve had every profession under the sun come through. I mean, I’ve been doing this for what feels like five million years—without giving away my age! I’ve helped a theatre manager named Bruno, heaps of nurses, a professional cello player named Elizabeth, even a dentist who needed to get into medicine for jaw surgery training.

The point is—many of these people had no science background. And yet, with the right support, they did it. We even have a student now—Sue—she’s a former builder. Total badass. You can just imagine her on the worksite, bossing everyone around. She’s a bit older and hasn’t touched science in decades.

Urvi (11:22)
Yes, exactly. When we created this course, we were thinking about people like Sue. It’s very much nurse-inspired, because we know what content nurses often haven’t covered. But it’s equally valuable for anyone who hasn’t done science in a long time—or at all.

Mare Forfa (11:52)
One thing I absolutely love are the concept drills. Can you tell us more about those? And I’m just going to sneak off camera to blow my nose because, hashtag: not well.

Urvi (12:04)
Sure! So, concept drills are questions we give students at the end of each bridging class to check their understanding. They’re not just filler—they’re there to reinforce what you’ve learnt.

There’s a tendency for students, myself included, to think they understand something just because they watched a video and nodded along. But until you test yourself, you won’t know if you’ve truly understood. That’s what concept drills are for. They let you see where your gaps are and revisit content when needed—before moving onto harder GAMSAT-style questions.

Mare Forfa (13:40)
Yes! I hate the phrase “practice questions.” I prefer to call them “feedback questions,” because that’s what they are. They don’t teach you—they reflect what you’ve already learnt.

If you’re getting them right, great. If not, it’s a sign that something’s missing. And that’s where the structure comes in: learn, watch worked examples, do drills, get feedback, then move forward. That’s a proven process—and it works.

Urvi (14:43)
Absolutely.

Mare Forfa (14:37)
And now let’s talk about live classes. Not because you learn different content, but because you work harder when someone’s actually watching you. I just did a podcast with Zina, an ADHD coach, and she talked about this. It’s about accountability. You do better when someone’s keeping you on track—even if you don’t have ADHD.

Urvi (15:24)
Exactly. Most people work better when they’re not alone. Live classes provide structure, support, and accountability. Not everyone can make it to every live, but just knowing it’s there helps.

Mare Forfa (15:33)
And the best part? You don’t leave with more homework—you actually get the work done during the class. That’s a huge win. Yes, there’s still homework, but it’s not about learning everything alone.

Urvi (16:05)
Right. Especially since COVID, we’ve underestimated how important that real-time interaction is. As a tutor, I can spot when someone’s struggling—by their questions, by their engagement—and help right then and there. That feedback loop doesn’t exist with recorded content alone.

And it’s not just about me teaching. It’s about students helping each other. When everyone’s turning up, asking questions, staying accountable—it motivates others too. It’s a community.

Mare Forfa (17:20)
Yes! Sometimes I learn more from other students’ questions. Like, “Oh wow, I hadn’t even thought of that!” Someone might be a couple of steps ahead and suddenly I’ve learnt something without even realising.

Remember Attike? Single mum, working two nursing jobs. She failed Section 3 the first time, then joined the bridging course, followed the process step-by-step, and increased her score by 13 points! Got into Flinders—her number one preference.

Urvi (18:11)
Yes! That’s the power of structure and support. With the right guidance, even busy people with full lives can learn the sciences—and learn them well.

Mare Forfa (18:29)
Exactly. So realistically, how much time do people need each week to do the bridging course?

Urvi (18:55)
If you’re just doing the bridging course, probably around four to five hours per week. That’s it. Just one hour a day. You’re already spending that much scrolling on your phone or watching Netflix. So swap that out from now till September, and you’ll be solid with the science foundations—and ready to build from there.

Mare Forfa (19:38)
And don’t forget—you still need to do reasoning practice for Sections 1 and 2. But four to five hours per week is very doable for the science side of things.

If you’re trying to learn this on your own, you could easily waste ten hours just finding what to study before you even start learning it.

Urvi (20:16)
Exactly. And that’s what makes it especially hard for students—especially nurses or anyone working shift work. You’re busy enough already. You don’t have time to figure out what’s important, what to prioritise, or which resources to trust.

Even if you do find stuff, you’re left wondering, “Am I even on the right track?” That kind of uncertainty is draining. With our course, the structure’s already done for you. We start with easy topics—like Maths 1—then build up to Maths 2, and only then introduce Physics.

There’s no point diving into Physics if you haven’t mastered the Maths. By the tenth class, you’re confidently solving problems that felt impossible in Week 1. That kind of structured progression makes all the difference.

Mare Forfa (21:12)
Yes! Knowing the right order to learn things is everything. And how else would you figure that out unless someone who’s done it before shows you? That’s what makes the whole thing a no-brainer.

So, who do you think the bridging course is best for?

Urvi (21:25)
Well, we’ve talked a lot about nurses, but really it’s for anyone with little to no science background. That includes allied health professionals, people who’ve taken long breaks from study, or those who may have done chemistry or biology back in school but never touched physics.

It’s also great for people who are scared of Section 3, who’ve failed it before, or who just want a structured approach where everything is planned out and all they have to do is turn up and do the work. No guesswork—just follow the steps.

Mare Forfa (22:36)
Yes! And honestly, if you’re on a budget, this is a massive win too. If you tried to do a physics, chemistry, and biology bridging course at a university, you’d be looking at $1,500 to $2,000 per subject. That adds up to about $6,000—not including maths or GAMSAT-specific training.

With our course, you get everything you need, in one place, tailored specifically for GAMSAT. That’s huge.

Tell me about some of the students you’ve worked with—any standout moments?

Urvi (23:28)
Sue is a big one, like you mentioned. But also Melinda—she hadn’t done science before either. I watched her go from “I don’t know how to calculate a fraction” to confidently reasoning through full GAMSAT-style exams.

There’s something beautiful about seeing that kind of transformation. Students might not even realise how far they’ve come, but as a tutor, I see it. It’s incredibly rewarding.

Mare Forfa (24:42)
Yes! I remember Melinda too. She lives rurally—not in the Northern Territory, but outside a major city—and was working part-time. But they kept pushing her to take on more shifts, and she had to draw the line and say, “No, I need to focus on this.”

The live classes really helped her set boundaries. That was her scheduled time to work on her dream—and it gave her the permission to prioritise it.

Urvi (25:33)
Exactly. And she wasn’t the only one. In a small class environment, you get to know people—like, “How are the chooks this week? Still laying eggs?” It’s a real community. You feel like you’re in it together, and that makes a difference.

Mare Forfa (26:21)
Totally. Remember Simon? He came to every class. One week he missed a session and another student asked, “Where’s Simon? Is he okay?” That kind of connection is rare, especially after uni when you don’t have that built-in support system.

Yes, your family and friends might love you, but they don’t know what it’s like to wrestle with logarithms or GAMSAT reasoning. Having a community that gets it is invaluable. And Urvi—you’d never say this yourself, but you manage to be both a hard taskmaster and the most encouraging presence in the room. That’s a rare combo.

Urvi (27:18)
Haha, thank you! I just think it’s important to care about the outcome and the person at the same time. And it’s amazing to see students form study groups on their own and continue those friendships even after they get into med.

Some of our students from the Interview Bootcamp are now in med school together. That connection lasts. I have friends I met studying for the GAMSAT—we still talk. That shared experience is so powerful.

Mare Forfa (28:28)
Yes—what do they call it? A trauma bond? I say that jokingly, but really—it’s hard. Going through it with people who understand lightens the load.

I remember Bukti from the Interview Bootcamp—when she got her offer, we were on the phone yelling “Girl!!” at each other! But what made her happiest was that all four people in her study group got in together. She was more excited for them than herself. And that’s why she’s going to be an amazing doctor—because she genuinely cares.

Urvi (29:57)
Exactly. It’s not just about the science. Yes, you need to learn it. Yes, you need to understand poetry. But let’s be real—how many times have I interpreted poetry in med school? Never. GAMSAT is just the gatekeeper.

Mare Forfa (30:09)
Exactly. And yet, the skills you gain preparing for it—resilience, thinking clearly under pressure, staying accountable—those absolutely do carry over. It’s not just about memorising stuff. It’s about becoming the kind of person who’ll thrive in medicine.

Urvi (30:20)
Yes, 100%. Now that I’m in med school, I can say—so much of what got me through were the habits and mindset I built during GAMSAT prep. You learn how to manage your time, how to focus, how to ask for help, how to think critically. You don’t even realise you’re picking those skills up, but you are—and they absolutely make you a better med student and, eventually, a better doctor.

Mare Forfa (31:04)
Yes, absolutely. And for anyone listening—don’t stress if science isn’t your thing. We’ll teach it to you. Go to the show notes or visit thankflipgamsat.com/episode21. The Science Bridging Course is online, you can start right away, and we’ll guide you through the whole thing. You don’t need to carry the burden alone.

Urvi (31:32)
Exactly. It’s all online, the classes are live, and we’ll figure it out together. We’ll hold your hand through the process.

Mare Forfa (31:39)
Alright, now before we wrap up, give us a sneak peek—what’s happening in your life right now? You’re on the other side—you’re in medicine. What’s going on?

Urvi (31:43)
Well, today was the deadline to submit applications for internships. So that’s all done and dusted, which is a bit surreal.

Mare Forfa (32:00)
What was your first preference?

Urvi (32:03)
I’ve applied in Victoria, and I’m hoping to stay at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where I’m currently placed. But I also applied for Queensland—just in case. I’m a Category C there, obviously, but hey—sunshine’s appealing!

Mare Forfa (32:15)
Come up here! I mean, I love Victoria too, honestly—but it’s so warm up here. It’s June and still sunny. You can’t beat that.

Urvi (32:24)
Yeah, I know. The sun’s already going down here and it’s cold and miserable. So we’ll see where I end up. It’s exciting but also nerve-wracking to be finishing up and thinking about what’s next. But yes, I’ll be a doctor soon—and that’ll be a lot of you listening very soon too.

Mare Forfa (32:46)
Yes! I remember when Tom was in your shoes—not that long ago—and the wait for placements felt never-ending. Just like waiting for GAMSAT results. You’re like, “Can they please just tell us the release date?” So we’re not refreshing our email every single day thinking, “Is this it?”

Urvi (32:58)
Yes—just give us the date and we’ll wait patiently. But the suspense is awful.

Mare Forfa (33:22)
Tom’s first intern rotation was surgery. Full-on. He was at the hospital at 7 a.m., straight into ward rounds. Fresh out of med school, thrown in the deep end.

Urvi (33:28)
You can’t run from responsibility anymore. As a med student, you can duck out of things. But once you’re a doctor, it’s your job. You show up. You deal with it. It’s intense—but it’s also what we’ve all worked so hard for. And honestly, it’s rewarding too.

Mare Forfa (34:00)
Totally. A lot of our nursing students say the first couple of years of med school are the hardest—because of the heavy content. But once you hit third and fourth year, your clinical background gives you a real edge.

Urvi (34:10)
Absolutely. At UniMelb, once they removed the biomed prerequisite, our cohort got really diverse. I’ve got friends who were musicians, engineers, lawyers—you name it. One of my friends knew nothing about science when we started, and now she’s smashing it. You do pick it up.

But it’s the clinical experience that makes the biggest difference. Nurses already know how to work with patients and doctors. You’ll be miles ahead once placements begin.

Mare Forfa (35:25)
I love that. And if anyone listening has questions for either of us—jump into the Facebook group or DM us directly. And Urvi, when you get your placement, you’ll have to come back and tell us where you’re going!

Urvi (35:44)
Absolutely—I think I want to come to Queensland!

Mare Forfa (35:56)
Yes! I moved here in my late 30s and haven’t looked back. It’s laid-back, less traffic—well, not fewer crazy drivers, but definitely fewer cars on the road.

Urvi (36:08)
Haha. Yep, you had me at sunshine and beaches. That’s all I needed to hear.

Mare Forfa (36:25)
Thank you so much for your time today, Urvi. It’s always so lovely catching up. I’m excited for all the new students starting the bridging course with you. I know they’re in amazing hands, and you’re going to help make their path to medicine smoother and more fun.

Urvi (36:35)
Me too. I can’t wait to meet them all.

Mare Forfa (36:51)
Enjoy the rest of your day—and bye for now.

Urvi (36:54)
Thank you! Bye!