Transcript Slide 1

GAMSAT
Dr Aileen O'Brien
Prof Peter McCrorie
St George's, University of London
What predicts future job performance?
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Validity ( r )
IQ complx. job
.51
integ/conscnt.
.41
peer ratings
.49
prev job perform. .45
biograph.data
.35
no train.courses
.11
yrs education
.10
interests
.10
age
-.01
% add to IQ
65%
23%
14%
14%
2%
2%
2%
2%
0%
Academic predictors of exam
performance
Science A levels predict exam
success in years 1 and 2 but not
subsequent performance
But note that
Different cognitive & non-cognitive
factors correlate with academic
success in different schools, so
cultures and teaching styles influence
outcome.
Clinical performance is predicted by
interviews (sometimes)
previous study English &
Humanities
learning style (deep or
superficial)
measure of empathy / motivation
Suggested good practice for
selection for medical school
Relevant factors: predictive validity and
cost
 Measure of IQ
 Structured interview assessing desirable
personal characteristics
 ? additional measures, e.g. structured
reference, group activity, psychometric
tests, behavioural consistency exercise,
etc
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GAMSAT
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Developed and validated by the
Australian Council for
Educational Research (ACER)
To assist in selection of
students for graduate-entry
programs
To assess capacity to undertake
high level intellectual studies in
a demanding course.
Universities
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St George’s, University of
London
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The University of Nottingham
at Derby
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The University of Wales at
Swansea
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Peninsula Medical and Dental
School (5 and 4 year)
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Keele University
 GAMSAT
scores correlate with
GCSE & A level points
 not with degree class
 not with interview scores
 50% overlap with UKCAT
What is GAMSAT?
Designed to suit many educational
backgrounds
 More pattern recognition than
specific facts
 Need to know the sciences
 Not pass/fail, rather a screening test
for interview
 Designed to provide a ‘level playing
field’
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Section I - Reasoning in
humanities and social sciences
Assesses skills in the interpretation
and understanding of ideas in social
and cultural context. Some material
is presented verbally, some more
visual and tabular.
 75 MCQs in 100 minutes
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Example – Section I
Which is closest in meaning to the given
proverb?
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Death keeps no calendar
A The evening crowns the day
B Nothing is certain but death and taxes
C Death devours lambs as well as sheep
D We must live by the living not by the dead
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II - Written
communication
Test of writing, emphasis on
generative thinking component of
writing ability.
 2 writing tasks, each from a choice of
5; total writing time 1 hour.
 2 short pieces of prose, each marked
x3
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Develop and title a piece of writing in
response to the following comments
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One friend in a lifetime is much; two is
many; three is hardly possible
Friendship makes prosperity more brilliant,
and lightens adversity by dividing and
sharing it
However rare true love may be it is less rare
than true friendship
It is one of the great blessings of old friends
that you can afford to be stupid with them
“A politician is an arse which everyone
has sat upon except a man”..!
Section III- Reasoning in
biological and physical sciences
Assesses knowledge and
understanding of basic science and
problem solving in scientific context
– Identify knowledge in new contexts
– Translate knowledge from one form to
another
– Estimate measurements and recognise
limits in accuracy
– Formulate hypotheses
– Extrapolate and interpret data
Formulate generalisations
Deduce relationships from models
Analyse data
Follow line of reasoning
40% chemistry, 40% biology, 20%
physics
110 MCQs in 170 minutes
When animal cells are placed in pure
water, which one of the following is
likely to move first and fastest across
the cell membrane?
A
B
C
D
glucose
water
amino acids
sodium ions
St George’s entry
requirements
2.2 degree in any discipline
 UK or EU resident
 GAMSAT
 Work experience
 Interview
 Police and health screening
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Score calculated for St George’s
I + II + (2xIII)
4
I + II + III
3
Minimum score of
Paper 2
55
and must achieve 55 in one other paper
and 50 in the other
Admission George's
GAMSAT
2:2
Reference and personal statement not
used
GAMSAT “level playing field”
Multiple mini interview then decides