Aptitude Test for medicine?

Piste

I've heard lots about this new system for medicine, get at least 480 points, sit an aptitude test, become a doctor. But does anyone know what the aptitude test is like, where to apply for it, when its on etc?


thanks

rainbowtrout

Piste wrote: »

I've heard lots about this new system for medicine, get at least 480 points, sit an aptitude test, become a doctor. But does anyone know what the aptitude test is like, where to apply for it, when its on etc?


thanks

have no idea what it's like but it's not going to be happening until 2009. It doesn't apply to this years Leaving Cert. I imagine the way it will happen is that when the CAO forms are in, that Medicine will be listed as a restricted entry, similar to courses with interviews/portfolios and once the applications are in by Feb 1 2009, then anyone who has put Medicine on their CAO will get notification of where and when the aptitude test will take place.

I can't imagine how else it would be done

missyteabags

I remember reading in the irish times i think it was, that the colleges wanted to give more weight to the leaving cert ie do a really good l.c. and not so good aptitude and still be more likely to get the place over someone who has the opposite but i did read that a couple of months ago so like rainbowtrout says you probably won't know until 2009.
Regards what the aptitude test will be like I'd say it could be similar to a GAMSAT or BMAT, I'd imagine. I know that they are getting postgrads to do the GAMSAT so i presume it might be something similar.:)

JSK 252

Hope this helps: http://www.independent.ie/education/going-to-college/changes-for-medicine-to-ease-bitter-pill-of-points-race-but-not-until-2009-1259267.html

EamonnKeane

Piste wrote: »

get at least 480 points, sit an aptitude test, become a doctor.

I thought there was an intervening 5 years of university?

Chunky Monkey

It won't be like the GAMSAT, it would be far too difficult for leaving cert students. I doubt it'll be like the BMAT either, that's a very difficult test also. Probably more like the UKCAT though of course I have no basis but opinion for this. There hasn't been any mention yet on what the test will be.

rainbowtrout

EamonnKeane wrote: »

I thought there was an intervening 5 years of university?

That's just a small minor detail

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

It won't be like the GAMSAT, it would be far too difficult for leaving cert students. I doubt it'll be like the BMAT either, that's a very difficult test also. Probably more like the UKCAT though of course I have no basis but opinion for this. There hasn't been any mention yet on what the test will be.

Probably because it hasn't been decided yet and if it has been they probably don't want to start having students looking for 'grinds' for the aptitude test and starting a whole new race.

Piste

Hehe yeah that was the plan, learn how to ace the aptitude test Ok so if I wanted to sit that I wouldn't have to do it till next spring? Sounds good!


(I'm in 5th year by the way Rainbowtrout so I' the first year for this to be tested out on, hence why I want to find out as much about it as possible!)

rainbowtrout

I did a couple of searches but it still seems to be a bit vague. What was mentioned (mainly articles from the Indo) was that testing would not take place between February and June for leaving cert students who apply. It also said that it could take place before Christmas of Leaving Cert year 08/09. So nothing is decided yet. It will probably be the only fair year of the test as no one knows what it's going to be like, once the format is known, let the grinds begin!

You have another while yet Piste, if all else fails apply for the UK!
i guess it wouldn't do any harm to do a bit of research on the aptitude tests that already exist. it can't be that different from what's already out there.

Chunky Monkey

Hodges and Figgs sell quite a lot of books on general aptitude tests and I'm sure there's stuff you can find online. I think I still have the BMAT book lying around somewhere. If I find it, you can have it if you wish Piste. Just practicing will help sharpen up the old noodle anyway which will help with studying for the leaving

an_upstart

But how would that work exactly? Will the points for medicine be the same, but they'll just combine both the aptitude test + lc points??

Jay P

missyteabags wrote: »

I remember reading in the irish times i think it was, that the colleges wanted to give more weight to the leaving cert ie do a really good l.c. and not so good aptitude and still be more likely to get the place over someone who has the opposite...

Doesn't that just defeat the purpose of lowering the points and introducing the apptitude test in the first place? Surely once you get 480 or whatever it is then it will go by your apptitude test?

rainbowtrout

I think I read that anyone who gets above 550 would have those extra points scaled down, so someone who scores above that point would not have a huge advantage over a candidate scoring 480, as that would make the outcome of the aptitude meaningless. I imagine it would be more along the lines , for every extra 5 points you score above 550 you would be rewarded one point, for the purposes of scores for medicince, or maybe you would be awarded 10% of your excess points above 550, a bit like they do with the bonus points for sitting your exams in Irish. As a result those that did score high points will have that achievement recognised but not to the point that a person with 480-550 cannot get medicine with a good aptitude test because their original points are not good enough.

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/frontpage/2007/0903/1188603388737.html

rainbowtrout

Jay P wrote: »

Doesn't that just defeat the purpose of lowering the points and introducing the apptitude test in the first place? Surely once you get 480 or whatever it is then it will go by your apptitude test?

I think a combination of both is quite fair. There are a number of people who would make good doctors who may not score too well on aptitude tests, they might be able to do them but are not fast at doing them, so their points score will help them there, as it was based on an examination of material they had 2 years to study. On the other hand an aptitude test may help those that are at the lower end of the points range (480) who are good at mathematical/mechanical/verbal reasoning etc, but say not very good at languages and may not have scored particularly well in Irish and French(or any other language) which are needed as requirements for entry to medicine, but have absolutely no relevance to the course.


you could also look at it this way - is the person who scores 600 in the LC and takes Business, History, French, Biology as their 4 other subjects better suited to Medicine than the person who gets 480 from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, French and has perhaps done a couple of subjects at ordinary level?

Not suggesting that some subjects are easier than others. Easy is a relative term. A perfect leaving cert does not make a good doctor. An aptitude for science subjects and an ability to deal with people are perhaps better IMHO. But a combination of points and aptitude testing will at least give a chance to people from both camps. Or so the theory goes.

Chunky Monkey

I'm all for the A-levels and the UCAS system. Or at least the option of doing a more general and broader leaving cert or a more detailed A-levels with less subjects (that you wouldn't have to pay five grand a year to do as it is at the moment).

an_upstart

Jay P wrote: »

Doesn't that just defeat the purpose of lowering the points and introducing the apptitude test in the first place? Surely once you get 480 or whatever it is then it will go by your apptitude test?

well at least those who got 480 would actually have a shot in hell to get into medicine if they do a flawless aptitude test.. in the present system, even in their dreams they won't get it