Why you need a Plan B

Getting into medicine is stressful, and for a lot of students the GAMSAT feels like the one exam that decides everything. It's easy to let your whole life revolve around studying for it, but that can backfire, both for your score and your mental health.

That's where a Plan B comes in. Having a Plan B doesn't mean giving up on medicine. It means having other things going on that help you grow, take some of the pressure off, and can actually help you do better in the GAMSAT.

Why a Plan B helps

When the GAMSAT is the only thing you're focused on, it's easy to end up with:

• Lots of anxiety and stress. Feeling like everything rides on one exam makes you tense, and that can drag your score down.
• Burnout. Years of intense prep with nothing else going on is exhausting.
• No perspective. If things don't go to plan, it can feel like your whole future is ruined.

Students who have something else going on, whether that's work, a Masters, a PhD or even travelling, often do better in the GAMSAT. Why? Because the pressure's off. When your sense of who you are and where you're going isn't tied to one exam, you study with a healthier mindset. You're less stressed and you focus better.

Some ideas for a Plan B

Here are some options to think about while you work towards medicine:

• nursing
• paramedicine
• midwifery
• physio
• a PhD
• a Master of Public Health
• joining the Defence Force, if you can see them supporting you through medicine down the track
• travelling
• working (medicine is expensive, and having some savings takes a lot of stress off once you get in)

I know doctors who have done every one of these while studying for the GAMSAT. Some finished their degree (paramedicine, for example), some got halfway through before they were accepted into medicine, and some even finished their PhD while they were studying medicine. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Just make sure your Plan B is something you're really interested in and could see yourself doing if medicine doesn't work out.

Final thoughts

A Plan B is about strategy, balance and looking after yourself. You're not giving up on medicine. You're making sure your life doesn't depend entirely on one exam. Whether it's work, more study, research or travel, having another path gives you confidence, takes away some of the stress, and often helps you get your best GAMSAT result.

Using the right resources also helps. Things like my free essay marking, the ACER practice papers and my Section 1 and Section 2 courses make your study more efficient, so you have time for other things that matter without your GAMSAT prep suffering.

Medicine is still the goal. A Plan B just means you don't put your mental health at risk or miss out on other opportunities along the way.