Repeating to do medicine

dan719

Okay I have decided to put medicine(it was third) first on my C.A.O. However I do not have chemistry at leaving cert. My options are
1) Sit the leaving this year and hopefully get sufficent points for the six year course in UCD/RCSI.
2) Sit the leaving, get as many points as possible, them go to a grind school next year, drop English and German and take the following subjects; Maths, Chem, Phy, Econ, T.D, Biology, Accounting. Then do the five year course the following year in Trinity.
3) Do theoretical physics and then a graduate degree in medicine.

Currently leaning towards option two as it is most financially sound, and offers the opportunity to compete a foundation scholarship in trinity(i.e college for free!:D ). And means I will have very solid base for first year also. Points are not really an issue. Any advice or comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

ninebeanrows

Whens Chemistry on? Could you afford to spend the remaining days getting the course done? If your good at Biology etc.. You could do all those Examsupport.ie lectures work 10 hours a day and probably get a B1/A2

Of course i am insane but go FOR it!!

dan719

It is in the middle of my other exams, but I have a reasonable grounding in chem, although certainly not enought to learn it in two weeks, particularly the experiments.

Assez Bien

I'd go for the third option!! Then at least you get a bash at what i will call a 'normal college life' first and you'll then be able to then decide if medicine is wher your heart reali is, altho i'd take a more medical science based course in college first.

cson

Weathercheck wrote:

Whens Chemistry on? Could you afford to spend the remaining days getting the course done? If your good at Biology etc.. You could do all those Examsupport.ie lectures work 10 hours a day and probably get a B1/A2

Of course i am insane but go FOR it!!

As the old cson proverb goes > "the comedians are out in force tonite".

Seriously that ranks amongst the most insane thing I've ever heard on Boards. The idea that you could do a 2 year course in 2 weeks....I don't have words to describe what I think of that.

Dan, suggest you do the TP course, see what Uni is like and if you still want to go into medicine there is the graduate school opening in UL by the time you've your degree done.

blondie07

Weathercheck wrote:

Whens Chemistry on? Could you afford to spend the remaining days getting the course done? If your good at Biology etc.. You could do all those Examsupport.ie lectures work 10 hours a day and probably get a B1/A2

Of course i am insane but go FOR it!!

is it really that crazy an idea? maybe when u only have 5 days to prepare. but i was thinking about doing the agricultural science paper, my friends said its piss easy and since im doing biology id fly through it. also its on the 22nd nd im finished the 13th. but unfortunately, u have to have some stupid project done so that's that idea gone!

SamHamilton

However I do not have chemistry at leaving cert.

Why does this matter? If you have physics and biology you can still do medicine in Trinity.

Points are not really an issue

Then you'd be able to get the points for Trinity? I take it you're only doing one science subject because if you're doing two I don't see the problem.

JC 2K3

dan719, I don't know you personally, but from your posts on here I reckon you're acting a bit impulsively and irrationally.

In recent times I've seen you go from (overtly) passionate about Physics and 100% sure of TP to considering changing to an English degree(AFAIK) and now medicine? Seriously man, take a breather and seriusly consider what it is you want to do. What changed your mind about Physics? If you've changed your mind so much in such a short space of time, who's to say you won't change it again in the future? Why is it you want to do medicine? Are you generally interested or is it to do with the prestige? Unless you're 100% sure you want to do it it's a massive mistake considering repeating the Leaving.

I say go for option 3. Judging from your passion for Physics I seriously doubt you'll hate the course. Perhaps if you didn't like it in your first year and really wanted to do Medicine you could do LC Chemistry on the side and do the exam next year. Since you've said points are not an issue I presume you'll have gotten the high points you need anyway. So you could drop out of TP and start medicine the next year.

Enemy Of Fate

cson wrote:

Seriously that ranks amongst the most insane thing I've ever heard on Boards. The idea that you could do a 2 year course in 2 weeks....I don't have words to describe what I think of that.

Well I don't know about chemistry, but I bet you could do the economics course in 2 weeks intensive studying.Theres **** all in it, and everything is related to everything else so if you learn one thing off by heart, you'll only have to make minor changes to it to learn the other things (for example the market structures).

:|

dan719 wrote:

Okay I have decided to put medicine(it was third) first on my C.A.O. However I do not have chemistry at leaving cert. My options are
1) Sit the leaving this year and hopefully get sufficent points for the six year course in UCD/RCSI.
2) Sit the leaving, get as many points as possible, them go to a grind school next year, drop English and German and take the following subjects; Maths, Chem, Phy, Econ, T.D, Biology, Accounting. Then do the five year course the following year in Trinity.
3) Do theoretical physics and then a graduate degree in medicine.

Currently leaning towards option two as it is most financially sound, and offers the opportunity to compete a foundation scholarship in trinity(i.e college for free!:D ). And means I will have very solid base for first year also. Points are not really an issue. Any advice or comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

I don't really see your problem, chemistry isn't essential for medicine and the pre-med year in UCD is meant to be the best year. A lot of people who are given the option to skip it do it anyway.

I'm guessing you want to go to trinity but if you really wanted to do medicine you'd do it anywhere, and UCD is just as good as trinity anyway. Plus you don't need chemistry to do medicine in trinity AFAIK

Edit: Maths can be counted as a science subject in Trinity

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Enemy Of Fate wrote:

Well I don't know about chemistry, but I bet you could do the economics course in 2 weeks intensive studying.Theres **** all in it, and everything is related to everything else so if you learn one thing off by heart, you'll only have to make minor changes to it to learn the other things (for example the market structures).

Chemistry is definitely do-able, no bother at all to A1 standard in that time frame. It'll take work, coffee and conviction but definitely not too difficult.

lemansky

I'd agree with option 3.You're mad into physics and frankly its better than going back to do the leaving all over again.But do think carefully about it.Thats all I can really say.

Also chemistry is sh1t easy but it's fair to say that doing it between now and the exam might be pushing it a tiny bit.It really is just a case of understanding the stuff,and once you understand it different bits of the course fall in nicely.But it does take a while to cover all the stuff.Some of it is very dry.There are of course some sections that require loads of learning but it'd be okay.Not an issue for you.

GretchenWieners

Well if you got the points for med why don't you just take a year out and sit chemistry next year if you don't get rcsi or ucd? you'd be able to make some money when you really need it for college.

cson

sean_keevey wrote:

Chemistry is definitely do-able, no bother at all to A1 standard in that time frame. It'll take work, coffee and conviction but definitely not too difficult.

The WHOLE chemistry course is not doable in 2 weeks. Thats utter madness to think it is. Theres a reason the syllabus spans 2 years. And even if the OP was to do intensive chemistry study for 2 weeks think of how much his other subjects would suffer.

Ye're all insane. All of ye.

lilmizzme

Have to agree with cson on this one...this thread is just pure panic setting in....there is absolutely no way one could possibly cram in 2 years of Chemistry in two weeks...take a deep breath here people, and think about what you're suggesting here

dan719, you seem like a very smart and logical guy....just take a step back and think, cus it seems like you're panicking big time. I personally beleive medicine is like a vocation, iot's one of those things you want for years and years...not on the spur of the moment because you know you could get it. You've always seemed to have an interest in physics and TP, why are you changing you're mind? What brought all this on? I wouldn't make any real decisions just yet, you still have another month or so to change you're mind with the CAO..

And people, lets just stay calm here!The exams and studying have obviously gone to our heads just a bit....Chemistry in 2 weeks??Ag. science because it's a piece of piss??Let's be realisitic here!!Focus on you're subjects you have...now is not the time to be taking on extra!!

JC 2K3

Chemistry is far from a two year course and could possibly be covered in two weeks. But fairly unfeasable when you have to study at least 5 other subjects too.

dan719

I guess I better clarify a few things. I cannot afford six years in college, honestly and truly, so finances play a large role in my decision making. Also to JC 2K3 i do not really care about prestige. Never have, never will. ( I hope) I have always been interested in medicine, but was unable to take two sciences, which kinda killed that. Over the last couple of weeks I have been taking stock of my life, reading some Kant(lol) and so on. I have been forced to answer the question... What do I want to do with my life? I know one thing, I want to help people, and I am not sure I could do that by staring at dense equations all day. As an atheist I believe that once I am dead I am done, before that eventuality I would like to at least try and change the world a tiny bit.

P.S the reason I wish to go to trin is for the oppertunity to compete for schols, never look a gift horse in the mouth eh.

SamHamilton

I have always been interested in medicine, but was unable to take two sciences

NUIG? Make sure you apply for all the grants available. Plus, if you're training to become a Doctor, banks will be lining up behind you to give you loans to help you through college. I know that's a bit drastic but it is, nevertheless, an option.

My personal view though...Leave all this until you've finished all your exams. You'll have a clearer head and have more time to really think about it. You have until july 1st, plenty of time. I'm in the same boat as you. I still don't know what I want to do but I'm just going to leave it until the exams are over, otherwise I'd be overwhelmed.

And all this - "what I want to do with my life" - stuff. If you're reading Kant at L.C. I have no doubt you will leave a mark on this world what ever you chose to do!

lilmizzme

Well personally, I say good job if you think you can go through 6th year again..

If you're sure about medicine then I reckon the best option is to repeat, tho I doubt you'd need a grind school. Why bother doing 4 years of physics if you have to spend another 5 years in a graduate course, which you might not even get into? Give it loads in the exams next week and you could go for the 6 year course...

But Dan, we're in 6th year..none of us are sure what we want with our lives. None of us know where we'll be in 5, 10 or 20 years time. The course you do in college isnt necesscesarily your career for life. Physics could lead into all sorts of things, it dosen't box you in. Just think carefully about it the next couple of days...

JC 2K3

Your college degree doesn't define your life. I personally intend to do volunteer work abroad for at least one summer during college and intend take a year out after my CS course and embark on some kind of year long volunteer programme.

I have a similar mindset to you and want to help people. Medicine is only one of the many ways to help. Think about it hard. If medicine is indeed what you really want to do then get your points this year and do Chemistry next year. But keep in mind that it is not necessarily the only option if you wish to help people.

By doing TP you could even end up in something like medical nanotechnology or something like that. It's not necessarily a career path involving nothing but dense equations.

dan719

I would like to thank everyone for their advice so willingly given. Thanks , I have a lot to think about after he LC. Good luck to everyone with the exams.:)

cson

You're having a bit of a road to damascus moment really.

dan719

cson wrote:

You're having a bit of a road to damascus moment really.

Very ironic considering my religeous persuasion!:)

lilmizzme

It would make such an interesting thesis in pyschology....2the effect panic has on Leaving Cert students' minds, and how it makes them beleive in the impossible!" (i.e learning Chemistry two weeks before the exam!)

dan719

How far was he from Damascus?

cson

Yeah I realised the irony in that. At the end of the day you do what you want to do. Not your parents or anybody else, if you really want to do medicine, find a way. Don't find yourself in future looking back and having regrets. If you want to help people, do it. You know yourself what your getting into.

Anyway, atheist, this is what it boils down to.
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn7xtbXoBMg

JC 2K3

Stop posting that!

Gangsta

You can't do chemistry in two weeks, there's too much too learn to get it done properly.

go for option 1....you'll die repeating in a grinds school, im on the verge of it!

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

Weathercheck wrote:

Whens Chemistry on? Could you afford to spend the remaining days getting the course done? If your good at Biology etc.. You could do all those Examsupport.ie lectures work 10 hours a day and probably get a B1/A2

Of course i am insane but go FOR it!!

OMG the best post ever!!! there is enough stuff in that course to cover over 3 years!! 2 weeks!!!! you obvously never did a science subject

JC 2K3

^I do Physics and Chemistry, they're both very doable in a month or two, maybe two weeks to get a C3, but as mentioned earlier, with other subjects to worry about, it's not really feasable.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Yea the science courses are by far the smallest in my opinion. For someone who is interested and is a good acedemic, they're a cinch

sd123

THIS IS quite interesting, I wish I had seen it before I filled out my own CAO final choices... oh well

ZorbaTehZ

sd123 wrote: »

THIS IS quite interesting, I wish I had seen it before I filled out my own CAO final choices... oh well

A single discussion thread on the internets would have changed your CAO choices? My, that is interesting.

sd123

ZorbaTehZ wrote: »

A single discussion thread on the internets would have changed your CAO choices? My, that is interesting.

Thanks for the sarcasm, Zobra, but i didn't say it would have CHANGED my CAO choices, it just would've been interesting to read some of the comments and furthermore, I never knew that Dan719 was interested in Medicine.....

Chunky Monkey

I repeated last year in three months, while working full time, didn't take any classes and took up a new subject...I got 505 and I ain't a genius, far from it. I'm repeating for the third time this year (and this time I'm taking time off work ) but I don't think it's that big a deal. I realised that it's not impossible. Just learn to ignore others who think you're 'mad'. If you really want to do medicine just go for it. Course with the new medicine application system coming in in 2009, I'm not sure if repeating would be such a viable option then like in the UK where repeat students aren't viewed too kindly.

Oh btw I know I'm not supposed to be advertising but here's a link to a new forum 'Medicine Ireland Board': http://www.medicineireland.tk . Be warned it's very new...

Chunky Monkey

wrote: »

I'm guessing you want to go to trinity but if you really wanted to do medicine you'd do it anywhere, and UCD is just as good as trinity anyway.

UCD is better. I've heard so many bad things about the medicine course in Trinity that I've decided not to apply there this year. These weren't just rumours. I heard this from a student who recently graduated and the daughter of two of the lecturers.

sd123

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

UCD is better. I've heard so many bad things about the medicine course in Trinity that I've decided not to apply there this year. These weren't just rumours. I heard this from a student who recently graduated and the daughter of two of the lecturers.

As a matter of interest, what did you hear? I'm studying med in first year in TCD now and so far I think it's brilliant, whatever it is, it can't be that bad....

Chunky Monkey

Hey Sd I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it. I know another first year there who loves it too. However, I have two main sources, and other hearsay from people who knew people studying/ have studied there. Here's something that was posted on the New Media Medicine forum last year by a final year student at the time:

I see from some posts that some people are considering applying to trinity medical school. Im in final year there and my honest advice is to find somewhere (anywhere) else to do medicine. The teaching is shambolic,so bad that the Irish medical board was considering revoking trinities status as a medical college.Only by canceling 2 months of the summer holidays and sending students to other hospitals for "electives" (ie for someone else to do some proper teaching) has it narrowly survived. It has got to the point where a lot of students just park in the library since no one notices your absence anyway and its the only way to pass most tests given the total lack of lectures tutorials etc etc in clinical medicine/surgery/ent/whatever. The other irish colleges are far superior (indeed we use their notes constantly ) so go to them instead.Unless you have a free scholarship or something trinity is definitely not worth it.There are backdoor listen and learn on tape 2 month medical schools in mexico that beat trinity backways on education.Im sorry if i sound bitter but i wish someone had told me this before i applied

At my interview in England last week I met someone whose parents are both doctors and lecturers at Trinity. They told me that what this guy said was true and that because most of the lecturers are also full time consultants they often don't turn up for lectures. They also told me that UCD has become very good for medicine lately but RCSI is the best and the Irish students there are the most knowledgeable.

sd123

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

Hey Sd I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it. I know another first year there who loves it too. However, I have two main sources, and other hearsay from people who knew people studying/ have studied there......

........At my interview in England last week I met someone whose parents are both doctors and lecturers at Trinity. They told me that what this guy said was true and that because most of the lecturers are also full time consultants they often don't turn up for lectures. They also told me that UCD has become very good for medicine lately but RCSI is the best and the Irish students there are the most knowledgeable.

Ok, when you put it like that, I can honestly say that most of what he said is true. However, I have never had a lecturer miss a lecture, but I am only here 3 months so I can't give an accurate opinion on that one.
As bad as all that sounds, it really is fine, the only really bad thing (imo) is that they go way too fast in anatomy lectures, very little goes in during class tbh. It's not the lecturers' fault though cos they're only following a timetable and they have so little time, and whats the reason? SO WE CAN HAVE LONGER HOLIDAYS THAN ANY OTHER IRISH UNIVERSITY.... It's ridiculous.

Other than that, if you're willing to work hard and often times alone in the library, you will definitely get through your degree.

me2gud4u

heya, i'm currently in pre med in UCD and can i just say it is brilliiant!!!There are laods of 600 pointer ppl on our course and 570 ppl and really there is no difference between anyone despite what ppl got in the leaving. U only need one science subject for medicine and while no particular science is compulsory they advise that we have chemistry but there are ppl who have just physics, just biology, or other unusual combinations and some only have the one science subject. The social life is amazing-ski trip planned for this january already, trip to bundoran for easter, galway pre med trip to be organised, class nights out etc. Other ppl on courses can't get over how we have all gelled so well and we know pretty much everyone by name at this stage. From an academic point of view it is a bit of a break from leaving cert but that said DO NOT BE FOOLED by the myth that pre med is a complete doss.............physics (is extremely difficult more like applied maths), biology is more an introduction to basic medical concepts.....like cancer causing receptors and well chemistry, medical zoology (tough enough at times), and healthcare informatics(basic IT skills course with a bit of a play aorund in computer labs on a friday but also with some emphasis on medicine) can be a little more fun!lol Next term our modules are organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, science medicine and society, genetics and something else. Ther is work involved but it is by no means VERY stressful if ya get me. The health science library rocks.......not just for studying, the special group rooms make for a great socialising session.....lol anyway good luck with what ya decide!

Chunky Monkey

sd123 wrote: »

Ok, when you put it like that, I can honestly say that most of what he said is true. However, I have never had a lecturer miss a lecture, but I am only here 3 months so I can't give an accurate opinion on that one.
As bad as all that sounds, it really is fine, the only really bad thing (imo) is that they go way too fast in anatomy lectures, very little goes in during class tbh. It's not the lecturers' fault though cos they're only following a timetable and they have so little time, and whats the reason? SO WE CAN HAVE LONGER HOLIDAYS THAN ANY OTHER IRISH UNIVERSITY.... It's ridiculous.

Other than that, if you're willing to work hard and often times alone in the library, you will definitely get through your degree.

Ye I've heard that about the anatomy lectures too. Well good luck I hope it stays well for you:) Anyway at the end of the day it's what you put into it that matters the most innit

Haha medical zoology?? What does that involve?

me2gud4u

medical zoology=monkeys. gorillas chimps, bones, lactation, bipedalism, bitta dna, all parasitic diseases.....basically anything they wanna throw in

ZorbaTehZ

NUIG iz the best tbh.

Chunky Monkey

Lemme guess...you're a student there? Haha the majority of students probably say that about their unis

I wonder why you have to study animals...

me2gud4u

well we study monkeys and chimps and all that stuff because man evolved from them so basically they are teaching us about the evolution of human body....like advantages of erect posture etc.
Parasitic diseases.......pretty medicine-related knowing about river blindness, malaria etc.
Yeh but sometimes we wonder why we need to learn certain things......all it is a good laugh though.

Chunky Monkey

Sounds good, I really can't wait to start myself. I'm putting RCSI as my first choice and UCD second. And I will get in this year!! (or so I keep telling myself )

challengemaster

From what I heard, points are dropping for next year to 480 with an interview to get in.

Chunky Monkey

Ye for 2009 entry with an interview and aptitude test. They're also increasing the number of places from 305 to 725. Even though it'll be nice that they aren't expecting close on six A1s anymore, I'm still a little concerned. One doctor I was talking to recently isn't sure the interview system will work because this is a small country and people will know people. With regards the number of places the whole reason why they had a cap on them in the first place is because the government felt that the economy wouldn't be able to sustain more doctors. I read this in a report that was written in 1996 I think and wasn't the Celtic Tiger quite strong at that stage? Now it seems to be taking a downturn and the HSE themselves are a couple of hundred million euro over budget. Do they think they will be able to fix this by the time all these new med students graduate or will we find ourselves in the same desperate situation that they're in in the UK at the moment?

Chunky Monkey

BTW I love your photos challengemaster What camera do you have?

challengemaster

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

BTW I love your photos challengemaster What camera do you have?

lol, not quite the place for this conversation methinks

JC 2K3

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

Ye for 2009 entry with an interview and aptitude test. They're also increasing the number of places from 305 to 725. Even though it'll be nice that they aren't expecting close on six A1s anymore, I'm still a little concerned. One doctor I was talking to recently isn't sure the interview system will work because this is a small country and people will know people. With regards the number of places the whole reason why they had a cap on them in the first place is because the government felt that the economy wouldn't be able to sustain more doctors. I read this in a report that was written in 1996 I think and wasn't the Celtic Tiger quite strong at that stage? Now it seems to be taking a downturn and the HSE themselves are a couple of hundred million euro over budget. Do they think they will be able to fix this by the time all these new med students graduate or will we find ourselves in the same desperate situation that they're in in the UK at the moment?

But when the points drop the demand for places in medicine will go down. Call me cynical but tbh I don't think that many people really want to be doctors, people just feel they can get high enough points and go for it or just put it on top of their CAO "just in case". If the points for medicine are no longer hard to attain, then students capable of 550+ points will be less inclined to put it down on their CAO.

Of course, there's also a chance that the amount of prestige which currently surrounds the word "Medicine" will not go away and that the dropping points will not immediately affect the demand.