Advice?

Hooly22

Hey everyone,

I already posted a while ago about the new 4-year medicine in UCD.

But, I have a few more questions (sorry )

I'm bright enough (i hope) but by no means a genius.
My Junior Cert Results were grand (4 A's-maths, english, irish, CSPE, 6 B's- Science, Spanish, Geog, History, Religion, Home Ec, and 1 C- French)

I know I could have done better in some but that's neither here nor there.

Anyway, I really want to do Medicine and have done work experience in Temple Street, attented a clinical day seminar in vincents, and talked to consultants and nurses.

But the fact is, I can almost bet I won't get the points. There's not a chance in hell I can get 580+.

What are all my options for getting into Med School, and is there any people here studying medicine who could tell me more about it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

westhammer

First off, if your not doing the laving this year, then you'll go through the interview process I think, and your interest in Medicine seems pretty healthy considerin your work experience. If your doing it this year dont fret. If you work hard its attainable but you need to change your attitude and have some confidence in your ability. And its 570 in galway

Im doing the new 6 year course and its great fun. You get to actually have a great social life after the drain of the leaving and make loads of great friends. The course isnt too bad for pre-med but after that its back to the books. Just focus on getting in and the rest will follow

Hooly22

I'm only in fourth year..... (don't get me started on fourth year! that's a year I'm never going to get back) but yeah, I'm doing my training for The Order of Malta, so I've been told that'll help me if I have to do an interview.

Just I keep hearing this about new courses here, and changes there and I'm completely confused. Then there's my principal who said the only way to get into Medicine is the leaving cert, while other people tell me that's not true!

my head is spinning.

Hooly22

Also.... my mum doesn't think I'd manage to get the points, so it doesn't really help with the whole confidence thing.

Hooly22

Whats the new six-year course? Is it any different? God i'm confused

kevmy

If you really want to do medicine and you don't get the points don't give up on it because there is another way to get into the course (in Galway at least). You can do a regular Science degree first (its only ~330 here) and then when you've done that 4 yr degree you can go into medicine skipping a year or two of that course. It'll take ya a little longer to do but if ya really want to do it.

Also AFAIK there is alot of changes in the medicine courses in the next couple of years I don't know what they are but you should find out about them if your interested. They might ease the entry requirements. Ask your guidance counsellor or try and trawl the websites of the uni's.

r3nu4l

While Kevmy is right there are other considerations.

I don't know about Galway but in other Universities if you want to do medicine after your science degree then you must get first class honours in your science degree, simply because a lot of other people will be trying to get into medicine the same way!

You still have to interview and it would be a good idea if you had a lecturer respected by the Medical community to give you a reference.

The other option is that you try for Medicine in the UK. It's not as difficult to get into (Still difficult) but it does mean living in another country for your degree. University is great though and you'll make lots of friends. If you really want to do Medicine you will find a way. Keep all your options open Good luck

EDIT: You can do your science degree in one University and then apply to several other Universities to do medicine. You don't have to do your science degree in the same University that you want to do Medicine in.

cold_filter

kevmy wrote:

If you really want to do medicine and you don't get the points don't give up on it because there is another way to get into the course (in Galway at least). You can do a regular Science degree first (its only ~330 here) and then when you've done that 4 yr degree you can go into medicine skipping a year or two of that course. It'll take ya a little longer to do but if ya really want to do it.

Also AFAIK there is alot of changes in the medicine courses in the next couple of years I don't know what they are but you should find out about them if your interested. They might ease the entry requirements. Ask your guidance counsellor or try and trawl the websites of the uni's.

My friend did science in UCD, he's now in scotland doing medicine.

Also i know its a bit extreme but would you consider doing it abroad?
Cuba, Brazil, Nigeria, new zealand, oz and india/pakistan are all really good places to do it and relatively cheap.

I was always thought that the whole thing about doing med after your degree was a pile of smelly stuff.
I know a Pharmacology lecturer and the breakdown of her final years results last year was like 7 first class honours and the rest second class honours.The breakdown was something like 2 went on to do medicine(before reading r3nu4l post I always presumed this was in England),seven did postgrad pharmacology,4 went on to Pharmacy and rest did masters.

po0k

Hooly22 wrote:

Then there's my principal who said the only way to get into Medicine is the leaving cert, while other people tell me that's not true!

Great to see things never change, eh?
Your principal is wrong.

r3nu4l

OP, try asking your question on the Biology and Medicine forum.

Some of the mods there are qualified medics and may be able to give you advice on how they and their classmates got into medicine.