[Ep 29] September 2025 GAMSAT Debrief: What Actually Came Up and What to Do Now

Tom Forfa (00:03)
Welcome back, everyone, to the Nurses Doing GAMSAT podcast. I’m Dr Tom, founder and CEO of ThankFip GAMSAT. You’ve heard the rumours, you’ve seen the memes, but what actually went down in the September 2025 GAMSATs? That’s what we’re talking about today. I’m joined by our outgoing lead tutor, Urvi. Welcome, Urvi.

Urvi (00:28)
Hi everyone, glad to be here again.

Tom Forfa (00:31)
Yeah, it’s a bittersweet podcast today because you’re leaving us at the end of this. That was your last GAMSAT.

Urvi (00:40)
Yes, a very emotional final GAMSAT.

Tom Forfa (00:43)
I know. For those who don’t know, Urvi has been a tutor with us for four years now, the whole way through her medical school experience. And it’s been amazing. You’ve really changed the way we do things and taken it to another level. I’m so grateful we’ve had this time. I’m kind of disappointed that you’re becoming a doctor.

Urvi (00:55)
I haven’t heard that one before but…

Tom Forfa (01:11)
I’m kidding, of course. I’m really excited to see how you go. You’re going to love it. You’ve been kicking arse in med school and kicking arse here. So today we’re doing a debrief of the recent GAMSAT. We’re going to unpack what made this exam different, what real students faced over the weekend, and most importantly, what you should do differently when sitting in March 2026.

Urvi (01:15)
Yeah.

Tom Forfa (01:40)
If you want to get any of the resources we talk about today, head to the show notes—everything’s linked there. And if this has been helpful, follow and subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. Let’s talk through each section. I know section one isn’t your specialty, but we can chat about your experience back in the day.

Urvi (02:04)
Yeah.

Tom Forfa (02:10)
I’ll also cover our students’ experiences with section one and what they’ve been saying. For those who don’t know, section one has 62 questions. This time, there were a few surprises. Some students often have completely different takes—like one will say, “There was no chemistry at all in section three,” and another will say, “It was all chemistry.” That kind of variation happened in section one too.

Urvi (02:36)
Mm.

Tom Forfa (02:39)
A lot of people said it was mostly long reading passages—dense texts that require a lot of comprehension in very little time. That’s fairly typical. But this September, there was a twist: a few single-line quotes with minimal context, almost like section two prompts. What are your thoughts on that, Urvi?

Urvi (03:20)
Yeah, I think it adds another layer of surprise for students, because they’re so trained to interpret and flesh out meaning from long texts. Suddenly, you’ve just got one line—it’s almost like a cartoon with even less context. It really forces you to adjust on the spot. That’s the classic section one experience: expect the unexpected.

Tom Forfa (03:37)
Yeah, exactly. Expect the unexpected.

Urvi (03:49)
That’s all you can expect.

Tom Forfa (03:50)
It almost feels like an essay quote: one liner, then questions about it. But instead of writing an essay like in section two, here you’re answering multiple choice questions. So, Urvi, how would you approach that? Since you’ve tutored sections two and three with us, how could students use section two skills in section one when faced with this?

Urvi (04:28)
The key is to recognise the challenges straight away. A big one is bias—either under-interpreting or over-interpreting and making assumptions about what the examiner wants. Students often get trapped there. So step back, strip away those assumptions, and interpret literally what’s in front of you. Then use the questions as a guide, because sometimes the options will nudge you in a particular direction.

So: remove bias, look carefully at the actual words of the quote, and then let the multiple-choice options guide your reasoning. Combine that with all the usual section one techniques—elimination, tone, vocabulary—and you’ve got a way through.

Tom Forfa (05:42)
Yeah, because ACER’s markers are like evil geniuses. They’re brilliant at designing options that look tempting but are slightly off. They predict what students will assume and then test whether you can spot the trap. So it’s about staying sharp.

Tom Forfa (06:11)
So that’s a real challenge, but also a really interesting shift that we haven’t seen very often. Like I said, it’s about thinking on the fly and using skills you’ve built in other areas in the new context you’re presented with. It might not happen again in March 2026—or it might. So you’ve got to be ready either way.

Another surprise this time was the type of texts.

Urvi (06:14)
Mm.

Tom Forfa (06:39)
Section one is usually humanities: passages from literature, poets like Emily Dickinson, classic English texts. But this time, there were still passages—still written texts—but themed around clinical and medical contexts: doctors, hospitals, surgeons.

Urvi (07:07)
Hmm.

Tom Forfa (07:09)
That’s interesting, because the criticism of section one has always been: “Why do I need to interpret poetry when I want to be a doctor? What does analysing metaphors about rivers have to do with clinical care?” Of course, the metaphors themselves aren’t relevant, but the skill of interpreting, thinking deeply, seeing nuance, reading between the lines, and understanding tone absolutely is.

And it sounds like ACER threw in some surgical or medical-themed texts to address those criticisms—at least a little.

Urvi (07:50)
Yeah, I remember five years ago when I sat the GAMSAT, we’d heard the year before that September had a lot of healthcare or science-related texts. But when I sat it, there was nothing like that. It looks like they’re bringing it back now. And again, they might completely switch it up again in March. Who knows?

Tom Forfa (08:36)
Exactly. And the key takeaway is that the theme itself doesn’t matter. Having hospital experience won’t make you better at interpreting those passages than someone who hasn’t. It’s still about the same skills we teach—interpreting meaning, spotting tone, analysing language—whether the passage is about surgery, a river, or a house in the woods.

Urvi (08:42)
Hmm.

Tom Forfa (09:07)
Another thing—something that happens every sitting—was the time pressure. Students commented that the dense language and long passages made timing tough. That’s always the case. It comes down to preparation and practice: making sure you’ve done plenty of timed work so exam day isn’t the first time you’re under pressure.

Urvi (09:47)
Yes, exactly. The key is to control as much as you can. You can’t control what shows up on the exam, but you can control your preparation: timed practice, exposure to different text types, your exam day routine, your mindset. That way, when you’re faced with something unfamiliar, you panic less.

Tom Forfa (10:32)
Yeah. If you’ve practised dealing with passages that feel strange and you’ve got a method—like what we go through in bootcamp—then on the day you’ll think, “I’ve done this before. I know how to handle it.”

So the big takeaways for section one: speed matters, so practise under timed conditions. Clinical texts are fair game, but the theme doesn’t really matter. And you might get long passages or you might get very short quotes. Expect the unexpected and be ready for whatever comes up.

Now let’s move on to section two. This was an interesting one this year. What are your thoughts on the reports, Urvi?

Urvi (11:36)
Mixed, definitely. It really depended on the themes people got. Some were manageable, others very new and difficult—things students wouldn’t have practised.

For example, task A included themes like originality, evidence, traditions, news media, and thrill-seeking. Out of those, maybe “news media” is something students would have practised. The rest are pretty unusual. Task B included amateurs, pity, motivation, style versus fashion, and stories. Definitely a mixed bag.

Tom Forfa (12:27)
Yeah, I always call the ACER examiners evil geniuses. How do they even come up with these? It’s so left-field and they keep surprising us, which I love.

Urvi (12:34)
Absolutely. I try to push students outside the box in my section two classes, but even I’ve never given them something like “thrill-seeking.”

Tom Forfa (12:54)
Right? You think, “That’s not a GAMSAT theme,” and yet there it is. But there are ways to prepare. That’s why you run those classes on difficult or unexpected themes. You need to be able to handle whatever shows up.

Urvi (13:20)
Exactly. And I think mindset is the most important thing. If you see a theme that throws you off, don’t panic. That’s step one. Everyone has thoughts about these things—even thrill-seeking. If you stopped anyone on the street, they could talk about it for ten minutes. It’s just about extracting those thoughts and putting them on paper.

So, I’d calm myself, stick to the basics, and use the framework we teach: generate an idea quickly, plan structure, and think of examples. Even with unfamiliar themes, going back to basics lets you build a solid essay.

For me, I often thought about how society views or imposes norms on individuals. With thrill-seeking, I’d ask: how does society frame it? Is it encouraged? Stigmatised? What impact does it have on people’s behaviour or mindset? That framework sparks a chain of ideas.

Tom Forfa (15:29)
Yeah, that’s brilliant. You can break it down: is thrill-seeking safe or dangerous? Does it depend on age? Is it okay in controlled environments but too risky in others? Suddenly, you’ve got heaps of angles.

Urvi (15:47)
Exactly. And you can do that for all the themes. I heard the same from students afterwards: “The themes threw me off, but I took a step back, used a framework, and got through my essays.” That was so good to hear as a tutor.

Tom Forfa (16:21)
Yeah, definitely. And I think that’s such an important insight. It sounds simple, but on exam day there’s so much pressure. You’ve prepared for months, maybe even years, and suddenly the nerves are high. Then you see a topic that completely blindsides you.

At that point, you can go one of two ways. One: “Oh my God, this is terrible, I can’t do this,” and the whole thing falls apart. Or two: “Okay, this is unexpected, but I know what to do. Take a step back, use the techniques I’ve practised, and work through it.” Those two responses lead to completely different outcomes.

Urvi (16:50)
Exactly. Mindset can make or break it. If the theme is difficult, everyone will find it difficult. That means the average score will drop across the board. So if you stay calm, stick to basics, and still produce a solid essay, you can put yourself ahead while others are panicking.

Tom Forfa (18:18)
Yes, that’s so true. Remember, GAMSAT scores are scaled on a bell curve. If most people write poor essays, and yours is just a bit better, you’ll land on the stronger end of the curve—even if you don’t feel like your essay was amazing.

Urvi (18:23)
Exactly.

Tom Forfa (18:45)
So the takeaway for section two is: be ready for abstract, philosophical, or vague themes like “stories” or “thrill-seeking.” If a theme feels too broad, zoom into the individual quotes—they often give you angles you can use. A good tip is to practise writing on very general themes—chaos, silence, failure, winning—so you get comfortable tackling anything.

Urvi (19:43)
Yes, I think creativity and perspective are important, but structure is even more important. Without it, everything falls apart. I’ve seen students panic, skip planning, and just start writing. The result is a word salad. That’s why having a clear essay framework is critical.

Tom Forfa (20:26)
Yes, ideally you’re not even thinking about it on exam day—it’s second nature because you’ve practised so much. Awesome. Now, section three—the big one. This section always delivers surprises. I don’t think there’s ever been a year where students didn’t walk out saying, “It’s changed!”

Urvi (20:32)
Mm-hmm.

Tom Forfa (20:55)
Exactly. That’s what section three is all about: expect the unexpected. It’s 75 questions, as usual. But every sitting we hear different things—some say, “No chemistry at all,” others say, “It was nothing but chemistry.”

Urvi (21:22)
Yeah.

Tom Forfa (21:22)
That’s partly because there are different versions of the exam. Not everyone sees the exact same set of questions. With digital exams now, ACER can randomise and swap questions around much more easily. So experiences will differ.

Urvi (21:50)
Mm.

Tom Forfa (21:50)
Also, some students might interpret a question as being “chemistry” or “biology,” but really it’s about graph interpretation or reasoning with a flow chart. So the perception of what counts as chemistry can vary too.

From this sitting, a big trend reported was lots of visual material—flow charts, diagrams, images—and some very complex ones. For example, there was one about the circadian rhythm of a fly, or even plant cells—basically how plants sleep.

Urvi (22:49)
Of course! And that’s the thing. As evil as it sounds, I like that students finally realise this exam really is about reasoning skills. No amount of memorised content will fully prepare you. I heard so many say after the exam: “Now I get it—it’s not just about content, it’s about reasoning.”

Tom Forfa (23:47)
Yes, exactly. You’re never going to study the circadian rhythm of a plant cell in prep for GAMSAT. You can’t. Instead, it’s about reasoning, interpreting, and extrapolating—skills we focus on in our classes.

Urvi (24:01)
Yes. Content matters, but there’s a limit. Beyond a point, adding more content doesn’t help. It can actually hurt, because students panic about not having studied something obscure. Section three forces you to let go of that and focus on problem-solving skills.

Tom Forfa (24:40)
Exactly. ACER’s sample questions often get criticised as “not reflecting the real exam.” But they’re not supposed to mirror exact topics—they’re testing the same skills. Those skills can be tested in endless ways.

Here’s my analogy: white-water rafting. If you’re training, you might practise on the same river again and again. You get good at it. But at the Olympics, they give you a different river with new twists and turns. They’re not testing whether you memorised that river—they’re testing the skill of rafting. That’s what GAMSAT section three does.

Urvi (26:29)
Yes, exactly. That’s why repeated practice with different types of questions and stimuli is so important. These reasoning skills aren’t things you use in daily life—you don’t usually interpret complex flow charts for fun! It takes immersion and practice to get comfortable.

Tom Forfa (26:58)
Right. And sometimes students need to actually sit the exam before they have that “epiphany” that reasoning really matters. We hope they realise sooner, but often it takes one sitting. They might feel they failed, but in reality they’ve done better than they think.

Urvi (27:37)
Yes, I heard that too—students feeling like they bombed, but they’d actually done well. That’s the curve effect again.

Tom Forfa (28:19)
Exactly. Now, reports this time said there was less traditional science content—fewer moles, pH, buffer systems. But others said there was heaps of physics: buoyancy, optics, torque, magnetism, circuits. Plus, lots of embedded maths.

Urvi (28:51)
Yes, and maths is a skill. You don’t “memorise” maths—you learn it like riding a bike. Once you’ve mastered it, it stays with you. That’s why it’s so important to shift your mindset from “content equals facts” to “content equals skills.”

Tom Forfa (30:01)
Exactly. Maths, data interpretation, graph translation—those are skills you need to practise heavily before the exam. The big takeaway: GAMSAT is a reasoning exam. You still need to know some science, but reasoning is the priority.

Alright—before we wrap up, let’s go a bit off-script. Urvi, you’re starting your internship next year. Probably won’t be thinking about GAMSAT much anymore. But after sitting it yourself and coaching students for four years, what are your parting words of wisdom?

Urvi (31:21)
The first thing I’d say is: stick to the basics across all sections. It’s easy to get caught up in chasing whatever came up last sitting—extra healthcare texts, extra diagrams—but ACER might change it completely in March. So keep an unbiased approach. Cover the basics, make sure your content is sound, but focus on skill acquisition above all.

Another thing I wish I’d done myself, and now tell students, is to really analyse the questions you get wrong. Break it down: was it physics, chemistry or biology? What specific topic? What skill did it require—graph interpretation, maths, vocabulary? Track those patterns in something like an Excel spreadsheet. Otherwise you can end up practising without improving.

And finally, lots of simulated practice. Mock exams, timed conditions, unfamiliar themes. The more you expose yourself to unfamiliarity, the more resilient you’ll be on the day.

Tom Forfa (33:10)
Yes, absolutely. And what about for people without a science background, who look at section three and panic?

Urvi (33:19)
That’s a big one. We had a boot camper in September who came from philosophy and the arts—loved sections one and two, but dreaded section three. He messaged me afterwards saying it was actually a plus that the exam didn’t require memorised science knowledge. The downside was that almost none of the questions felt familiar.

His biggest takeaway was how little prior science knowledge was truly required. Now, I’m not saying don’t study science—you should do the basics, which is why we run bridging courses. But once you’ve learnt the core content, shift straight into applying it again and again through questions. That’s where the improvement happens.

Tom Forfa (34:16)
Exactly. That’s why in the bootcamp we split prep into three parts. First, learn the basic sciences—especially for those from non-science backgrounds. Second, integrate reasoning skills with that content so you can think flexibly. Third, apply everything to real questions under exam-like conditions. Get that mix right and you’ll thrive.

So thank you for that, Urvi. And thank you for your help in the bootcamps over so many years. You’re passing the torch now to Will.

Urvi (35:11)
Yes.

Tom Forfa (35:14)
Will was one of our bootcamp students, scored incredibly well in the science section, and is now at ANU Medical School in Canberra—second year. He’ll be stepping up as lead tutor. Big shoes to fill, Urvi, but I’m confident it’ll be a great transition.

And I’m excited to hear how your internship goes.

Thank you for today, and to everyone listening: you’ve just heard directly from the frontlines—students, tutors, real experiences. Take this as a gift for preparing for the March GAMSAT. Think differently, prepare for the unexpected, and you’ll put yourself in the best position possible.

Urvi (35:44)
Thank you so much.

Tom Forfa (36:09)
If you want more help, check the show notes—we can support you there. That’s it for today. Thanks, Urvi, and thanks everyone for listening.

Urvi (36:19)
Thanks, Tom.