Ep 46: GAMSAT Mindset Shifts That Get You Into Medicine

Mare (00:00)

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode of Nurses Doing GAMSAT. I’m super excited because I’m joined by two very special guests today.

The first is Bella. She’s one of our study mentors as part of the ThankFlip Bootcamp, and we’re so excited to have her. If you haven’t met Bella before or seen what she does, she’s one of our Section 2 tutors, but she also has a really special role as a study mentor.

A study mentor’s job is to help our students do what they need to do, when they need to do it. It’s all well and good for us to help students create a personalised plan, but if you’re not actually following the plan, what’s the bloody point of having it? Bella’s role is all about accountability and helping people troubleshoot where they’re getting stuck, not just from a mindset perspective, but sometimes from a technical perspective too.

So welcome, Bella. We’re super excited to have you today.

Bella Neville (01:02)

Thank you so much for having me.

Mare (01:04)

I actually have two special guests today. Bella is guest number one, and guest number two is my cat, Gracie, who I’m really hoping will quietly stay in the background and not sneeze too much. But if you hear a random sneeze, you’ll know exactly what it is. Maybe she’ll even wander across the camera. We’ll see.

Bella Neville (01:14)

Yeah.

Mare (01:27)

The reason I wanted Bella here today is because we want to talk about some of the mindset blockages people need to overcome for GAMSAT success.

There are so many things that go into actually getting better at the GAMSAT. Most people are focused on things like Section 2 strategy or Section 3 reasoning skills, but there are so many other blockages that people, particularly at this time of year, come up against.

So I wanted to have a bit of a conversational chat with you, Bella, about what’s coming up, not just in the Bootcamp, but more broadly, to help more people overcome whatever is getting in their way.

So let’s dive right in. Where should we start?

Bella Neville (02:14)

I think I’d love to start with a question that a lot of people are asking.

Students often think the GAMSAT is just another exam, another milestone on the road to medical school. But why do you think it’s actually much bigger than that?

Mare (02:35)

I think it’s because the person you become on the journey to getting into medicine determines the type of doctor you’re going to be.

Everyone has had a good experience with a doctor and a bad experience with a doctor. It’s the same as plumbers, electricians or any other profession. Everyone’s had a good taxi driver and a bad taxi driver, right?

But what makes a good doctor isn’t just that they’re smart. It’s not just that they know medicine and can help you with whatever your medical concerns are. It’s the type of person they are. Someone who’s compassionate, resilient, consistent and committed to lifelong learning.

Even now, with AI changing medicine so quickly, doctors still have to keep learning throughout their entire careers. I think most people don’t realise that’s exactly the skill the GAMSAT is teaching them. It’s not just preparing you for medical school; it’s preparing you to become an exceptional doctor.

If you can’t be compassionate with yourself right now, while you’re going through something difficult, how are you going to be compassionate with someone else during one of the hardest moments of their life?

To me, it’s not just another exam. It’s about who you become throughout the process. That’s the most important part.

Bella Neville (03:55)

Yeah, that’s beautiful.

Hindsight really is a wonderful thing. When you’re first starting the GAMSAT, you’re just thinking, “Why do I have to do this? This is awful.”

But then you realise the skills you’re building, and you think, “This is exactly what I need for medical school.”

At first, you think it’s all about knowledge, but it’s so much more than that. It’s discipline, resilience and, like you said, compassion.

That’s amazing.

What do you think the students who eventually get into medicine tend to have in common?

Mare (04:11)

There are lots of things, but the first is how they show up.

They’re not saying, “I don’t feel motivated today.” Nobody feels motivated every single day. I certainly don’t.

The students who get there focus on consistency rather than perfection. They don’t see a setback or something going wrong as failure. They see it as feedback, something they can learn from and adjust.

The people who eventually get into medicine weren’t necessarily guaranteed to get there from day one. They became the type of people who could get there because of how they showed up throughout the journey.

I’m not saying the process is easy, because it isn’t for anyone, but it does become smoother when you approach it that way.

Bella Neville (05:21)

Exactly.

You need the belief first. You need the motivation and the passion to want to do it. But after that, you need the endurance to keep going, even when there’s absolutely nothing else in the world you’d rather be doing than studying for the GAMSAT.

Actually… no, that’s not true.

Sometimes you’d literally rather do anything else.

I’d happily go back and sit my HSC exams again before sitting the GAMSAT!

Mare (05:51)

Anything!

Did I ever tell you the story about Tom?

When he was studying for the GAMSAT many moons ago, he used to study at Gordon Library, which I know is actually pretty close to you. You might have spent some time there.

Bella Neville (06:08)

Yeah! It’s lovely. It really is.

Mare (06:17)

It’s beautiful.

But they have this old book section full of dusty World War II books that nobody ever seems to open.

At the end of every study day, Tom would say, “Those books are calling my soul. All I want to do is read them. They look so interesting…”

Mare (06:30)

And at the end of the day he’d be like, “These books are calling my soul. All I want to do is read them.”

I remember saying to him, “Tom, no one has wanted to read those books for 50 years. Why, all of a sudden, do you want to read them now?”

And he said, “Because I’m studying for the GAMSAT.”

I think that’s exactly what you’re talking about. The brain suddenly decides that absolutely everything else is more interesting than the thing you’re supposed to be doing.

Bella Neville (06:56)

Exactly! Everything suddenly becomes more appealing.

I remember thinking, “You know what? I should probably reorganise my wardrobe today.”

Or I’d decide I absolutely had to clean my room.

Or I’d suddenly think, “Now’s the perfect time to wash the car.”

Anything except actually sitting down and studying.

Mare (07:15)

Yep. It’s amazing how productive you become at doing everything except the thing you’re actually meant to be doing.

So how do you help students work through that?

Bella Neville (07:25)

I think the biggest thing is recognising that procrastination isn’t laziness.

People often think they’re lazy because they’re avoiding study, but usually there’s something underneath that.

It’s fear.

Fear of getting questions wrong.

Fear of failing.

Fear that you’re not progressing quickly enough.

Fear that maybe you’re not smart enough.

When you identify what’s actually underneath it, it becomes much easier to work through than just telling yourself you’re lazy.

Mare (07:56)

I completely agree.

People think procrastination is the problem.

It’s actually the symptom.

There’s always something sitting underneath it.

Sometimes it’s fear.

Sometimes it’s perfectionism.

Sometimes it’s overwhelm.

Sometimes it’s that people genuinely don’t know where to start.

And until you identify what’s actually driving the procrastination, you can’t really fix it.

Bella Neville (08:21)

Exactly.

It’s asking yourself, “What am I actually avoiding?”

Because very rarely are you avoiding the study itself.

You’re avoiding how the study might make you feel.

Mare (08:35)

Absolutely.

I was actually thinking about something that happened to me recently.

For those of you who’ve been following along with the Nurses Doing GAMSAT podcast, you’ll know I’m pregnant. If you haven’t been following along… surprise! I’m pregnant.

It’s been quite the journey.

I’ve developed gestational diabetes, which basically means I have diabetes for the duration of my pregnancy.

So four or five times a day I’m pricking my finger to test my blood sugar levels and make sure everything’s staying within range.

The biggest issue I’ve been having is with my fasting blood sugar levels, which you can’t really control through diet because, obviously, you’re asleep and not eating overnight.

So I’m seeing my GP regularly, plus a whole team of diabetes specialists.

I promise this story has a point, so stay with me.

Bella Neville (09:32)

I’m with you.

Mare (09:35)

When my fasting blood sugar started creeping up, the first diabetes specialist I saw immediately said, “You need insulin.”

I said, “I’d really like to try managing it myself first.”

She said, “No, you won’t be able to.”

Then I saw another diabetes specialist.

Same thing.

“You need insulin.”

Now, I was already pricking my fingers four or five times every day, and the thought of adding another injection honestly wasn’t appealing.

Then I went to see my GP.

Instead of just telling me I needed insulin, she asked me something no one else had asked.

She said, “What are you actually worried about?”

I said, “Honestly? It’s another needle.”

I’m already feeling like a human pin cushion. I don’t really want another injection every day.

And she looked at me and said, “Mare, the insulin needle is actually much smaller than the finger-prick needle.”

I’d built this whole story in my head that the insulin was going to be the scary part, but in reality, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d imagined.

That conversation really reminded me of GAMSAT.

So many people build up this huge story in their heads about studying before they’ve even started.

They’re scared of something that often turns out to be far less frightening once they actually begin.

Bella Neville (09:25)

Mmm.

Mare (09:46)

Take someone working full-time.

You do an eight-hour shift, finish at five, get home at six, make dinner, clean up… suddenly it’s seven or seven-thirty before you even think about the GAMSAT.

By then you’re absolutely exhausted.

The only thing you want to do is sit on the couch and watch Netflix.

Bella Neville (10:11)

Exactly.

Mare (10:16)

So what we need to do is stop putting the most important thing at the very end of the day, when we’ve got the least energy.

Anyone working full-time always finds the energy to show up for work.

If your patients need you, somehow you find the energy.

But when it’s something for yourself, that’s often what gets pushed onto the back burner.

People end up prioritising whatever feels urgent in the moment instead of prioritising what’s actually most important.

I actually don’t like the phrase “time management.”

I much prefer “energy management.”

The first question is: what is your number one priority?

If you’re a nurse, a physio, a paramedic, a pharmacist, work in IT, or any other profession, that’s okay.

We’re not saying quit your job.

We’re asking: what’s your long-term goal?

For most people listening, that goal is becoming a doctor.

So how do we prioritise that goal during the hours when we have the most energy, and then fit everything else around it?

Sometimes just making that mindset shift changes everything.

Your workplace’s priorities don’t have to become your personal priorities.

That’s where my favourite rule comes in—the November Rule.

When people ask you to do something extra, sometimes you simply say, “Sorry, it’s November.”

“Can you pick up another shift this weekend?”

“Sorry… it’s November.”

The answer is no.

Because your biggest priority is getting yourself to medical school.

Your current job matters, but your long-term goal matters even more.

I’m hoping some people listening are having a bit of an “aha” moment right now.

Bella Neville (12:41)

Exactly.

And I think that’s one of the hardest things for people: putting themselves first.

People worry they’ll be seen as lazy or that they don’t care.

But that’s not it at all.

When you work in healthcare, or you’re working towards becoming a doctor, you’re naturally someone who wants to serve other people. You’re already committing yourself to a career that’s built around helping others.

Because of that, putting yourself first can feel uncomfortable.

You end up trapped in this cycle of thinking, “I need to study for the GAMSAT, but I also need to keep giving everything to everyone else.”

It’s about being able to say, “I want this,” and recognising that it’s completely okay to spend time doing what you need to do.

Mare (13:07)

Exactly.

I always joke that some people treat the GAMSAT like their side hustle instead of their main priority.

Which is exactly what no one here should be doing.

Bella Neville (13:16)

Exactly.

Mare (13:53)

You know what?

My personal belief is actually that it’s more selfish not to put yourself first.

Because when you’re constantly putting everyone else first, what you’re really saying is, “I need other people’s approval to feel good about myself.”

That’s actually quite selfish because your happiness becomes dependent on how other people respond to you.

Bella Neville (14:02)

Yeah.

I really like that.

Mare (14:17)

So, for anyone listening who’s feeling guilty, I think that’s a really powerful reframe.

Putting your dreams first isn’t selfish.

You’re actually helping more people in the long run.

The number one person who can help you is you.

You’re not putting your happiness under someone else’s control. You’re taking responsibility for it yourself.

To me, that’s actually one of the most selfless things you can do.

Bella Neville (14:52)

Exactly.

You’re taking accountability for it.

Mare (15:02)

I genuinely believe that.

Now, completely off topic…

I should probably explain why I keep fiddling with my AirPod.

We had a few technical issues before we started recording, so this was the only way I could hear Bella without getting a huge echo.

So, if you’re watching the video and wondering why I keep touching my ear, that’s why.

If you’re only listening to the podcast, then don’t worry about anything I just said!

Bella Neville (15:24)

Exactly!

Mare (15:32)

Back on topic…

Tell me a little about distractions.

What are you seeing students do with their study timetable when life starts getting in the way?

Bella Neville (15:53)

I think when people commit to sitting the GAMSAT and they finally have this big goal in front of them, it’s almost like everything else suddenly demands their attention.

Responsibilities pop up everywhere.

Something breaks.

Someone needs help.

A new task appears.

It’s really easy to think, “I’ll just deal with this first, then I’ll study.”

Or, “I’ll get this off my plate, then I’ll be able to focus.”

There’s always another condition you’re putting in front of your study.

I did exactly the same thing.

Time and time again I’d tell myself, “I’ll just finish this first.”

Really, I was finding things to do before I had to sit down and study.

Part of that comes from wanting to help other people.

You don’t want to let anyone down.

But another part of it is simply that studying is hard.

It’s scary.

Fear of failure starts creeping in.

You begin wondering whether you’re progressing quickly enough or whether you’re good enough.

So you look for everything else you can do instead.

Honestly, washing the car has never seemed so important as it does when you’re studying for the GAMSAT.

Someone would say, “It’s going to rain this week.”

And I’d still think, “No, I have to wash it.”

It was just another excuse to avoid studying.

The thing is, that fear never actually disappears.

You might forget about it for five minutes while you’re washing the car, but the moment you come back inside, it’s still there.

Or you put your head on the pillow that night and realise you’ve simply been running away from something that isn’t going anywhere.

The only way it starts getting easier is by taking the first step.

Once you begin, and once you start paying attention to your energy management, you realise there are certain times of the day when you’re naturally far more productive.

There’s nothing worse than trying to study at eight o’clock at night after a full day of work and feeling like absolutely nothing is clicking.

You go to bed feeling defeated.

But if you get up earlier, with a fresh mind, suddenly you can see things completely differently.

You start the day with a win, and that creates momentum.

When you’re feeling low, distractions become incredibly difficult to resist.

Honestly, if someone had asked me to help them move house while I was studying for the GAMSAT, I’d have been there in a heartbeat.

Anything to avoid studying!

Mare (18:27)

Exactly!

You know, I remember reading a study—I can’t remember where—but it basically showed that your discipline wears down throughout the day.

That’s why books like Eat That Frog talk about doing the hardest thing first.

It makes perfect sense.

If you’re leaving the task that requires the most discipline until the time of day when you have the least energy, of course the excuses are going to appear.

Instead, if you tackle it first thing in the morning, or whenever you have the most energy, you’re much more likely to follow through.

One thing I also find really helpful is asking myself a simple question:

“What am I avoiding here?”

Maybe physics is on today’s study plan.

Instead of saying, “I don’t want to do physics,” I ask myself, “What exactly am I afraid of?”

Usually the answer is, “I don’t understand it.”

Once you acknowledge that, you can start coaching yourself through it.

Mare (19:00)

I also find self-coaching really helpful.

I’ll literally stop and ask myself, “What am I avoiding here?”

“Okay, I really don’t want to do physics today.”

Then I’ll ask, “What am I actually scared of?”

Usually the answer is, “I don’t understand it.”

Once you’ve identified that, you can start coaching yourself through it.

Instead of just sitting there feeling overwhelmed, ask yourself, “What am I actually scared of? Am I scared of getting a question wrong?”

Well… yes.

The reality is, today, while I’m studying, I’m probably going to get questions wrong.

But imagine you’ve got a child sitting on your shoulder who’s learning the same thing.

If they got a question wrong, would you scream at them?

Of course not.

You’d probably say, “You just haven’t learnt that yet.”

Then you’d help them go back a step, learn what they need to learn, and gradually improve.

So why don’t we speak to ourselves that way?

When you start self-coaching, that’s where kindness and compassion really come into it.

You start becoming the kind of doctor you want to be, but you practise those qualities on yourself first.

You say, “It’s okay that I don’t have all the answers.”

“I’m going to take the first step anyway.”

One thing I find really helpful is redefining what success looks like.

Sometimes success is simply taking the first step.

For example, I’m heavily pregnant at the moment. Well… only 26 weeks, but I’ve got a very large belly already!

Let’s just say pregnancy has definitely changed my fitness levels.

I’ve had a few health issues, and I know I need to go for a walk every day.

Some days, though, success isn’t walking for an hour.

Success is simply getting into the car and driving down to the walking track.

Because I work from home, everything happens at home.

I could quite happily stay inside this house all day and work from morning until night.

So for me, the win is simply getting myself out the front door.

Once I get down to the beach, of course I’m going to walk.

I’m already there.

So instead of saying, “I only walked 57 minutes instead of 60. I’m a failure,” I celebrate the fact that I took the first step.

Once you’re in the right environment, the rest often takes care of itself.

Let’s create smaller expectations that we can actually achieve, then be proud of them and celebrate them.

Bella Neville (22:51)

Exactly.

I think that’s such an important mindset shift, and it’s something I’ve really tried to bring into my role as a study mentor.

It’s been a learning curve because, in so many of our students, I see myself.

I was such a perfectionist.

If I wasn’t getting things right straight away, I’d think, “Nope, this isn’t working.”

Then you realise that’s exactly how you used to speak to yourself.

It comes back to kindness.

If you want to show genuine kindness to other people, you have to be able to show it to yourself first.

If you can’t show up for yourself, how can you really show up for the people around you?

Being selfless doesn’t mean giving absolutely everything away.

It means being at your best so you can give your best to others.

One thing I love asking students is, “What’s gone well?”

Not, “Did you get everything right?”

But, “Did you learn something today?”

Physics is a great example.

I couldn’t stand physics.

I spent so much time trying to avoid it.

Eventually I just had to bite the bullet and do it.

When I stopped focusing on how many questions I’d gotten wrong, or whether I’d drawn the diagram perfectly, I started asking myself, “Did I actually learn something?”

Sometimes I’d watch the teaching video and think, “You know what? I actually understand that now.”

That became the win.

And yes… I absolutely love crossing things off my PIMS list.

There’s something so satisfying about ticking something off and saying, “I did it.”

Then I celebrate that.

The way you measure success doesn’t always have to be based on marks.

Sometimes you’ll actually score worse than last time, but learn far more.

There’s always a win somewhere.

Instead of searching for what went wrong, start looking for what went right.

Even something as simple as writing an essay is a win.

It doesn’t have to be perfect.

Just writing it is progress.

Mare (25:17)

It’s funny because at the end of every tutoring session or live class, I ask exactly the same question.

Every single time.

“What was the most valuable thing you learnt today?”

It doesn’t matter whether the session was five minutes or two hours.

That’s always my question.

What surprises me is that, as the teacher, it’s almost never the thing I expected people to say.

People always find value in something different.

I actually think it’s a really useful question to ask yourself after every study session.

“What was the most valuable thing I learnt today?”

That question trains your brain to expect that every study session contains something worthwhile.

It also helps your brain consolidate what you’ve learnt.

There’s a huge difference between studying… and actually studying.

Sometimes you’ve got Netflix playing in the background, you’re texting your boyfriend, checking your phone every five minutes, making another coffee…

You call it two hours of study, but really you’ve done about fifteen minutes of focused work.

Other times, you sit down, fully concentrate for forty-five minutes, and achieve far more.

Quality matters so much more than simply counting hours.

Mare (26:35)

One thing I also think is really important is recognising that progress isn’t always obvious while it’s happening.

People expect to feel themselves getting better every single week, but that’s not how learning works.

Sometimes you’re improving without even realising it.

Then you sit another practice exam a month later and suddenly think, “Hang on… I actually know how to approach these questions now.”

That confidence comes from all the little moments where you kept showing up, even when it didn’t feel like it was working.

Bella Neville (26:58)

Exactly.

Sometimes people expect confidence to come before they take action.

But confidence actually comes because you’ve taken action.

You build confidence by doing the work.

You don’t wait until you feel confident enough.

You become confident because you kept showing up.

Mare (27:18)

Absolutely.

And I think that’s something people get backwards.

They’re waiting until they feel ready.

They’re waiting until they feel motivated.

They’re waiting until they feel confident.

The problem is, those feelings usually arrive after you’ve started.

They’re not the prerequisite.

They’re the reward.

Bella Neville (27:39)

Exactly.

It’s like going to the gym.

No one walks into the gym on day one feeling incredibly fit.

You become fit because you keep going.

The GAMSAT is exactly the same.

You become capable because you keep practising.

Mare (27:55)

One hundred per cent.

Something else I think people don’t do enough is reflect.

Reflection is one of the most powerful learning tools we have.

People often finish a practice paper, look at their score, and that’s where the process ends.

Instead, I want people asking questions like:

“What actually worked today?”

“What didn’t work?”

“What will I do differently next time?”

Those are the questions that create growth.

Bella Neville (28:24)

Exactly.

Reflection isn’t about beating yourself up.

It’s about understanding yourself.

It’s about saying, “Okay, what did I learn from this?”

Because every experience teaches you something if you’re willing to look for it.

Actually… this reminds me of one of the most embarrassing stories I’ve ever had.

Mare (28:43)

Oh no…

Go on.

Bella Neville (28:47)

I can’t believe I’m telling this publicly.

I was in a lift one day and started having this lovely conversation with someone.

She seemed so friendly.

We were chatting away, laughing together, and I thought she was one of those naturally bubbly people who’ll happily talk to anyone.

I thought we were having the best conversation.

Then the lift doors opened.

She walked away.

And I realised…

She’d been wearing AirPods the entire time.

She hadn’t been talking to me.

She’d been talking to someone on the phone.

Mare (29:18)

The cringe!

Not at all!

Bella Neville (29:24)

Honestly, I wanted the ground to swallow me whole.

The other people in the lift were looking at me like, “She’s clearly not talking to you.”

I genuinely thought this woman was just incredibly friendly.

Turns out… she wasn’t.

It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.

But afterwards I thought about it.

What do you actually learn from something like that?

Sometimes you’ve just got to laugh at yourself.

My first instinct was to crawl into a ball and die from embarrassment.

Instead, I told my brothers.

We all laughed about it.

And somehow laughing took the sting out of it.

Do I still think about it?

Absolutely.

Do I still cringe?

One hundred million per cent.

But it also became something I could reflect on.

People often think reflection means you need facts, statistics or historical knowledge.

You don’t.

Anything can become evidence if you know how to analyse it.

What did you learn?

What would you want someone else to take away from your experience?

For me, it’s probably… make sure someone isn’t wearing AirPods before you start chatting to them!

Mare (30:35)

For the record… I’m wearing one right now!

You know something I actually like doing?

I deliberately seek out opinions that are different from my own.

Not because I expect to change my mind, but because I want to understand where other people are coming from.

I’ll actively look for a podcast or an interview that challenges my own beliefs.

Every single time I do that, I come away with more empathy.

For example, American politics.

I’m not a Trump supporter.

If you are, that’s completely your choice, but I’m not.

Women’s rights are incredibly important to me.

But I listened to Joe Rogan interviewing Elon Musk around the time Elon was supporting Trump.

What I realised was fascinating.

The social media I’d been consuming showed one version of Trump.

Meanwhile, people on the other side of the political spectrum were consuming content that showed a completely different version.

It was almost like they were talking about two different people.

That made me realise something really important.

The reason I couldn’t understand why someone would vote for him wasn’t because they were irrational.

It was because they were seeing a completely different set of information to what I was seeing.

Now, did that make me change my political views?

No.

Not at all.

I still hold exactly the same values around women’s rights and basic human rights.

But I gained empathy.

I understood why someone else might genuinely come to a different conclusion.

And that’s incredibly valuable.

When you’re writing Section 2 essays, or even when you’re practising medicine one day, understanding perspectives that are different from your own makes you a far better communicator.

It’s not about changing your opinion.

It’s about expanding your understanding.

If a topic like women’s rights came up in an essay now, I’d have so much more to discuss because I’d taken the time to understand perspectives beyond my own.

Bella Neville (33:52)

Exactly.

And that’s something I think is so valuable for Section 2. It’s not about memorising hundreds of quotes or trying to know every historical event that’s ever happened.

It’s about being curious.

It’s about exposing yourself to different perspectives and learning how to reflect on them.

The more you do that, the more naturally your ideas begin to develop.

Mare (34:16)

One hundred per cent.

People often ask me, “How do I improve my ideas for Section 2?”

The answer isn’t necessarily reading another philosophy textbook.

It’s living.

Having conversations.

Listening to podcasts.

Watching documentaries.

Reading books.

Travelling.

Reflecting on your own experiences.

Being interested in people.

That’s where ideas actually come from.

Bella Neville (34:46)

Exactly.

Sometimes the best essay ideas come from the most unexpected places.

It might be a conversation you had with a patient.

It might be something your family said over dinner.

It might even be an embarrassing story that happened in a lift.

Everything can become an idea if you take the time to reflect on it.

Mare (35:05)

Exactly.

And I think people underestimate just how much life experience they already have.

They often think, “I haven’t travelled enough.”

“I haven’t done enough.”

“I don’t have enough interesting stories.”

But you do.

Everyone does.

You just haven’t started looking at your experiences through the lens of reflection yet.

That’s really the skill we’re trying to build.

Bella Neville (35:33)

Exactly.

It’s not about having a more exciting life than anyone else.

It’s about paying attention to the life you’ve already lived.

Mare (35:43)

Yes.

I think that applies to the GAMSAT as a whole, actually.

Everyone progresses at different speeds.

Some people get into medicine the first time they sit the GAMSAT.

Some people take several years.

Neither path is wrong.

It simply takes as long as it takes.

Bella Neville (35:58)

Exactly.

Mare (36:16)

That doesn’t mean medicine isn’t going to happen.

It just means you’re not there yet.

Understanding that some journeys take longer than others is really important.

You’ve got the rest of your life.

It’s going to take however long it takes.

I actually had lunch a few weeks ago with, I believe, the oldest medical student ever.

She’s 72 years old.

If she’s not worried about rushing into medicine, then if you’re in your twenties, thirties, forties, fifties or sixties, what exactly are you rushing for?

Bella Neville (36:57)

Exactly!

Mare (36:59)

The second thing people talk about all the time is motivation.

“I just don’t feel motivated.”

People seem to think motivation is what’s going to carry them all the way to the finish line.

It isn’t.

I think of motivation like lighting a fire.

Motivation is the spark.

It’s what gets the fire started.

Once the fire is burning, though, motivation isn’t what keeps it going.

Discipline does.

Motivation was only ever designed to get things moving.

You’re probably feeling incredibly motivated right now while you’re listening to this podcast.

That’s wonderful.

But at some point, that motivation is going to fade.

That’s completely normal.

At that point, you need systems.

You need habits.

You need discipline.

That’s exactly why we have study mentors inside the Bootcamp.

Tom and I have been running Thank Flip for 19 years.

I genuinely believe we have some of the best GAMSAT resources available.

But if nobody actually uses them…

They don’t work.

The study mentor’s role is helping people stay disciplined and accountable.

Sometimes that means encouraging someone.

Sometimes it means challenging them.

Sometimes it’s simply saying, “You didn’t do what you said you were going to do. What’s happening?”

Accountability is incredibly powerful.

Bella, you’ve been through the Bootcamp yourself.

You scored an 82 in Section 2, which is phenomenal.

Were you motivated every single day?

Bella Neville (38:47)

Not at all.

Definitely not.

There were so many days when I didn’t feel like studying.

There were days when I wanted to do absolutely anything else.

But I’d already made the decision that I wanted to become a doctor.

Once that decision was made, studying wasn’t really something I negotiated with myself anymore.

It was just something I did.

Did I always enjoy it?

No.

But I knew what it was leading towards.

I think that’s what carried me through.

It wasn’t motivation.

It was commitment.

I knew why I was doing it.

Every time I wanted to give up, I’d come back to that bigger picture.

That’s what kept me moving forward.

Motivation comes and goes.

Purpose sticks around.

And that’s what really matters.

Mare (39:15)

I love that.

You made the decision first, and then your actions followed.

I think that’s something people often get backwards.

They’re waiting until they feel like studying before they study.

They’re waiting for motivation to magically appear.

The reality is, motivation often shows up after you’ve started.

Action creates motivation far more often than motivation creates action.

Sometimes all you need to do is sit down for five minutes.

That’s it.

Tell yourself you’re only going to study for five minutes.

Most of the time, once you’ve started, you’ll keep going.

Getting started is usually the hardest part.

Bella Neville (39:58)

Exactly.

It’s breaking through that initial resistance.

Once you’ve opened the book or started the question, you realise it wasn’t nearly as overwhelming as you’d built it up to be.

It’s always that anticipation that’s worse than actually doing it.

Mare (40:14)

One hundred per cent.

Another thing I think people struggle with is comparing themselves to everyone else.

Someone joins the Bootcamp and immediately starts comparing themselves to another student who’s been there for six months.

That’s never going to be helpful.

You’re comparing someone else’s Chapter 12 to your Chapter 1.

Of course it’s going to feel discouraging.

The only comparison that actually matters is comparing yourself to the person you were yesterday.

Are you improving?

Are you learning?

Are you showing up more consistently?

That’s what matters.

Bella Neville (40:53)

Exactly.

Everyone’s journey is completely different.

Everyone starts from a different place.

Everyone has different responsibilities, different strengths and different challenges.

You can’t compare your timeline to somebody else’s.

Mare (41:10)

Exactly.

Medicine doesn’t care how long it took you to get there.

When you graduate, nobody asks how many GAMSAT sittings you needed.

Nobody asks how many years you spent preparing.

They care that you’re a competent, compassionate doctor.

That’s the end goal.

Not winning some imaginary race to get there first.

Bella Neville (41:35)

Exactly.

And I think that’s such an important thing to remember on the difficult days.

It’s not about being the fastest.

It’s about continuing to move forward.

Mare (41:48)

Absolutely.

Even if progress feels slow, you’re still moving.

Stopping is the only way you don’t get there.

As long as you’re continuing to learn, reflect and improve, you’re heading in the right direction.

Bella Neville (42:05)

Exactly.

And sometimes your biggest progress isn’t academic.

Sometimes it’s learning how to manage your mindset.

Sometimes it’s learning resilience.

Sometimes it’s learning how to be kinder to yourself.

Those things matter just as much.

Mare (42:21)

I completely agree.

In fact, I’d argue they’re some of the most important lessons.

Because once you’re in medicine, the learning doesn’t stop.

You’re constantly challenged.

You’re constantly adapting.

If you’ve already learnt how to manage setbacks, reflect and keep moving, you’re going to cope so much better throughout medical school and beyond.

Bella Neville (42:48)

Exactly.

Those skills don’t disappear once you get into medicine.

If anything, they become even more important.

Mare (43:00)

Absolutely.

So… before we finish, let’s talk about where you’re heading next.

What university are you going to?

Bella Neville (43:08)

I’m heading to St George’s in the UK.

It’s very exciting.

Mare (43:15)

I’m so excited for you.

Moving from Australia to the UK is a huge change, and that comes with its own challenges.

But everything you’ve learnt through the GAMSAT is transferable.

You’re going to take all of those skills with you into medical school.

Bella Neville (43:38)

Exactly.

None of it stopped with the GAMSAT.

If anything, once you get into medicine, you realise there’s even more to learn.

But you’ve already built that confidence.

You think, “I did this once. I can do it again.”

I still use the same habits now.

I still do my PIMS every week, even though they’re no longer GAMSAT-focused.

I still write down what I want to achieve each week.

Mare (44:00)

You’ll have to explain what PIMS are.

Bella Neville (44:16)

PIMS stands for Posts It Mondays.

Every Monday, you write down what you want to achieve during the week.

The important part is that you actually write it down.

You’re much more likely to achieve your goals if you put them on paper.

It helps set your intention for the week.

Maybe your goals are to read the non-fiction eClass for Section 1, watch a Section 2 workshop, or finally start physics for Section 3, even if physics isn’t your favourite subject.

Writing those goals down creates a reminder of where you’re heading and what you’re working towards.

I still do it now, even though I’m not a medical student yet.

My goals have changed, but the habit hasn’t.

Mare (44:56)

Exactly.

All of our students do PIMS.

That’s where you learnt it.

Now your PIMS are focused on life rather than the GAMSAT.

But that’s exactly what we’ve been talking about today.

It’s about becoming the person you want to become.

That’s really what medicine is all about.

This has been so much fun.

We’re actually going to record another episode very soon on Section 2, which I’m really excited about.

And next time, I’m interviewing you, so you’ll have to give away all your secrets!

Bella Neville (45:28)

I’m looking forward to it!

Mare (45:38)

If anyone listening feels like they need a little more mindset support, or if you’re finding that you’re coming up against the same blockages over and over again, I’d encourage you to book a chat with the team and see whether the Bootcamp is the right fit for you.

And if it’s not, that’s completely okay too.

Keep listening to the podcast.

We’ve got plenty more episodes coming, and we’re always trying to share things that will help you on your journey.

Before we wrap up today, Bella, is there one final nugget of wisdom you’d like to leave everyone with?

Bella Neville (46:03)

I think the biggest thing I’d want people to remember is that a journey is exactly that—a journey.

It’s never going to be perfect.

The moment you decide, “I’m going to sit the GAMSAT,” you’re already further ahead than you were yesterday because you’ve taken that first step.

Keep taking the journey one step at a time.

I love the idea that you already know you’re going to become a doctor one day.

You just don’t know when.

You don’t know which year you’ll start medical school.

You don’t know exactly how the path is going to unfold.

But if you keep moving forward, you’ll get there.

Whatever moving forward looks like for you, just keep moving.

Mare (46:35)

I absolutely love that.

Bella, thank you so much for your time today.

Thank you for sharing your experiences and your wisdom with everyone.

And to everyone listening, please send Bella your best wishes because she’s about to start medical school at St George’s.

It’s such an exciting time.

I’m excited for you, even if you’re probably feeling equal parts terrified and excited yourself!

We’ll see everyone next week for the next instalment of Nurses Doing GAMSAT.

Bye for now.

Bella Neville (46:44)

Thank you so much.

Yes… definitely equal parts excited and terrified!

Thank you so much for having me.

Bye everyone.