Science to Medicine

Bajingo

If I do science in college and specialise in the right field(immunology or cell biology) can I go on to study medicine?

DrIndy

sure thing!

Dfens

Of course. I know one such individual who did Medical lab training, a Ph.D. in Microbiology & has just finished Medicine.
Some good subjects to choose in the science degree would be biochemistry, microbiology (medical micro. also if available), immunology, physiology, anatomy, epidemiology perhaps. If you do decide to go onto do medicine, you may get credit/dispensation for relevant subjects already done in the science degree.
However, I believe it is very difficult to get a place on a medicine course as a mature student, but not impossible.

Bajingo

Dfens wrote: »

Of course. I know one such individual who did Medical lab training, a Ph.D. in Microbiology & has just finished Medicine.
Some good subjects to choose in the science degree would be biochemistry, microbiology (medical micro. also if available), immunology, physiology, anatomy, epidemiology perhaps. If you do decide to go onto do medicine, you may get credit/dispensation for relevant subjects already done in the science degree.
However, I believe it is very difficult to get a place on a medicine course as a mature student, but not impossible.

Thanks for the answers just what I wanted to hear..thats another 7 years in college for me thanks again

Yillan

No one has mentioned GAMSAT, but is that what ye mean?

ImDave

Training in any science discipline is not a requirement for entry into graduate medicine. It sure would help though. GAMSAT is the method of entry into a GMP in UL or UCD. There is loads of threads knocking around here about GAMSAT. The only thing you need is a 2.1 Honours Degree (Level) at a minimum. Not too sure about other colleges, but performance in the GAMSAT is the only instrument used in candidate selection after that as far as I know.

Tind777

Everyone is raving on about GAMSAT did you know it costs €12500 a year for 4 years for fees alone and is HIGHLY competitive to get into and you need to be a graduate to apply for it. You can study medicine post graduately in england too but the fees are even greater, whereas you can study medicine in english in hungary and the fees are $10000 a year which is about €7250 is takes five years and entry is based on an A level standard biology and chemistry exam, which should be a piece of piss to any science graduate, concessions are also possible for science and healthcare graduates,I've heard of people getting less than 450 points in their leaving cert getting medicine in hungary, flights to budapest are about €150 and the cost of living is nothing overthere and since it is part of the EU a medical degree from there has the same recognition as from ireland

Yillan

Plus... the degree is taught in English.

Not only that, you are in with people who don't have English as their first language. Quite the advantage in the entrance exam

Chunky Monkey

Tind777 wrote: »

Everyone is raving on about GAMSAT did you know it costs €12500 a year for 4 years for fees alone and is HIGHLY competitive to get into and you need to be a graduate to apply for it. You can study medicine post graduately in england too but the fees are even greater, whereas you can study medicine in english in hungary and the fees are $10000 a year which is about €7250 is takes five years and entry is based on an A level standard biology and chemistry exam, which should be a piece of piss to any science graduate, concessions are also possible for science and healthcare graduates,I've heard of people getting less than 450 points in their leaving cert getting medicine in hungary, flights to budapest are about €150 and the cost of living is nothing overthere and since it is part of the EU a medical degree from there has the same recognition as from ireland

Quite a lot of places in the UK where it is in fact a lot cheaper to study than in Ireland. Also have heard some stories about docs who trained in Hungary and were fecked trying to get jobs back here after (and being fired/shadowed for being incompetent).

gramhar

what aboout applying to belfast - queens through UCAS???

Yillan

How would you get in there?

RobFowl

Queens application is through UCAS. btw I went to UCD (albeit a wee while ago !!) also did a post grad diploma t Queens , have to say Queens was far far better. They can be a bit funny about the leaving cert though, tend to value it far lower that A levels.

Eerie

I did science in college - a 4 year degree in Chemistry. Then worked for a year in a chemistry-related job, hated every second of it, and decided to go back to college and do what I originally wanted to do... Medicine!

I am now in 2nd year of the 4-year graduate course in RCSI and love it. Yes it is a lot of money (was 14000 this year) but I am living at home so have very little other expenses (no rent, food, bills...) and I try to work every other saturday for a bit of extra cash if i'm not too busy in college. I had considered going to the UK - but by the time you factor in rent and living expenses, there wouldn't be that much of a difference.

There are people in my class who didn't do a science degree and they still get on fine - after the first few months everyone is pretty much on the same level. To be honest, I'm glad i did it this way as I am able to handle the workload a lot better than I would have been at 17 (was a bit of a dosser the first time around).

To get in as a graduate you need a 2.1 in an honours degree plus sit the GAMSAT exam (a score of above 59 has been the cut off for most colleges). The GAMSAT is an aptitude test that includes sections on Verbal reasoning, essay writing and basic sciences - they recommend you have an understanding of science to a 1st year college level. Having a science degree is a definite advantage for this exam - especially organic chemistry as it tends to come up a lot.

Good luck with what ever you decide to do!

seraphimvc

correct me if i am wrong.any (best if biomedical related) science degree would be a benefit of yourself to get into medicine since you can do well in a BSc you have proved you've got the ability.BUT that wont give you any shortcut/easier way to the entry of medicine and even if you get in - you are probably near your 30s when you are done.sad but i believe is true.

the system works like that which on my own translation is if you really wanna do a Medicine degree ,get in the course before you are 20 ->CAO route is your only option

caroline1543

If you study micro or even biochem or genetics,you can get entry into a graduate medicine course,this only takes 4 or so years which is alot better than going in from the start. I think UCD were starting one,not sure but i definitely know you can do nit in various universities in Scotland!

briankirby

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

Quite a lot of places in the UK where it is in fact a lot cheaper to study than in Ireland. Also have heard some stories about docs who trained in Hungary and were fecked trying to get jobs back here after (and being fired/shadowed for being incompetent).

Not so sure about this as i know the first irish student who did medicine in hungary and he is in 6th year med now,so i dont know where this info came from

imported_guy

Yillan wrote: »

Plus... the degree is taught in English.

Not only that, you are in with people who don't have English as their first language. Quite the advantage in the entrance exam

you still have to know the native language for the clinicals, so it doesnt really matter that its taught in english, its still just that bit harder trying to learn a new language and communcation to patients in clinicals with that language, would actully be better if the whole course was taught in the local language, that was it would be easier to learn the language/get used to it.

drzhivago

Tind777 wrote: »

since it is part of the EU a medical degree from there has the same recognition as from ireland

A medical degree will be recognised yes
BUT
graduate from Hungary entitled to full registration on irish register that means cant apply for an intern post as not eligible
Thus for their first job in Ireland they will be competing against people with one year experience which will make it almost impossible to get a job

So yes have a degree but not much use until 3-4 years down line when you can compete with the experience

briankirby

imported_guy wrote: »

you still have to know the native language for the clinicals, so it doesnt really matter that its taught in english, its still just that bit harder trying to learn a new language and communcation to patients in clinicals with that language, would actully be better if the whole course was taught in the local language, that was it would be easier to learn the language/get used to it.

True,but languages are fun!I really like languages but,shur you can do a lot of clinical rotation in 6th year in uk hospitals or irish ones(but you have to pay for irish ones) so its not that bad.I also spoke to a student in prague and he said very few pick up the language and the docs speak good english.However,i agree with ur overall point

briankirby

drzhivago wrote: »

A medical degree will be recognised yes
BUT
graduate from Hungary entitled to full registration on irish register that means cant apply for an intern post as not eligible
Thus for their first job in Ireland they will be competing against people with one year experience which will make it almost impossible to get a job

So yes have a degree but not much use until 3-4 years down line when you can compete with the experience

I dont fully understand wat u mean by 1 year experience.Hungarian graduates must do a rotating internship in 6th yr.Would that not count as 1 years experience??

piby

Ok just my opinions on one or two things. Firstly make sure you get you're 2.1!! That may sound stupid but some of us went and made a balls of that (59% I'm still bitter :mad:) and it's really just that and GAMSAT. So enjoy college but when push come to shove do what you gotta do!

The other thing is that while you'd have to pay living costs etc. to go to the UK, given that it works out roughly similar to the fees alone here, I'd choose the UK. That way you could have some independence. Maybe it's just me but I couldn't stomach living at home for another four years!!

Best of luck

fatal

piby wrote: »

Ok just my opinions on one or two things. Firstly make sure you get you're 2.1!! That may sound stupid but some of us went and made a balls of that (59% I'm still bitter :mad:) and it's really just that and GAMSAT. So enjoy college but when push come to shove do what you gotta do!

The other thing is that while you'd have to pay living costs etc. to go to the UK, given that it works out roughly similar to the fees alone here, I'd choose the UK. That way you could have some independence. Maybe it's just me but I couldn't stomach living at home for another four years!!

Best of luck

I share your pain brother!!

Anthony16

fatal wrote: »

I share your pain brother!!

Is gamsat just an aptitude test like hpat?I know there is a science section but are the other 2 like hpat?

imported_guy

Anthony16 wrote: »

Is gamsat just an aptitude test like hpat?I know there is a science section but are the other 2 like hpat?

no its not an aptitude test, the first section kind-of is, but you can prepare for the 2nd and 3rd section, its more like MCAT,

MCAT = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MCAT
GAMSAT = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAMSAT