Med entry- undergrad/mature as a grad!

smileypony

Hi All,

Longtime lurker, what a great forum!
Wonderin can anyone advise me on my best route for med entry?...Basically im a graduate with a health related degree from UCD and I want to go back and study med. Problem is I dont have the necessary 2.1 needed to apply for grad entry. I have 560 points from Leaving Cert (did it in 2000) so would there be anything to stop me sitting HPAT in Feb and applying as an undergrad?
Alternatively as im 26 and over-the-hill, I would be classified as a mature student but are there any places available im med for matures?? Ive contacted UCD/TCD to enquire bout mature entry into med and to be honest Ive not gotten much useful information from either! Does anyone here know anyone who got a mature med place or do they exist at all??!

Thanks for the help!:)

Vorsprung

Do your LC points not expire after 6 years?

Do a forum search, there's about 8 million threads on the subject. Also check the stickie at the top - loads of info there.

smileypony

Vorsprung wrote: »

Do your LC points not expire after 6 years?

I havent been able to find an answer for LC expiry but yes thats my concern! Ill do a search again, couldnt find much on the mature info before!
Ta!

Carsinian Thau

Vorsprung wrote: »

Do your LC points not expire after 6 years?

I don't think they do. If you did your LC when the current points system was introduced then they should still be valid. You could try emailing the CAO to find out.

But if you go down the undergrad route, the LC will have to be sat again anyway. The new HPAT demands that all mimimum requirements be sat in the same sitting.

pharmstar

smileypony wrote: »

Hi All,

Longtime lurker, what a great forum!
Wonderin can anyone advise me on my best route for med entry?...Basically im a graduate with a health related degree from UCD and I want to go back and study med. Problem is I dont have the necessary 2.1 needed to apply for grad entry. I have 560 points from Leaving Cert (did it in 2000) so would there be anything to stop me sitting HPAT in Feb and applying as an undergrad?
Alternatively as im 26 and over-the-hill, I would be classified as a mature student but are there any places available im med for matures?? Ive contacted UCD/TCD to enquire bout mature entry into med and to be honest Ive not gotten much useful information from either! Does anyone here know anyone who got a mature med place or do they exist at all??!

Thanks for the help!:)

hi smiley pony, i cant really give u any advice on the LC side of things as i did A-levels, however, the most important thing in applying for medicine as a mature student is work experience and a very good HPAT score. mature places do exist but there are very few, therefore high competition! (TCD, UCD, UCC and this year RCSI all have places for mature students).

this might help- scroll down to page 39 for medicine: https://myucd.ucd.ie/htmlemailupload/File/Mature%20Student%20Handbook%202009.pdf

smileypony

Thanks pharmstar, much appreciated!

Carsinian Thau wrote: »

But if you go down the undergrad route, the LC will have to be sat again anyway. The new HPAT demands that all mimimum requirements be sat in the same sitting.

Hmm, are u sure that means HPAT and LC in the same year thou?- cause surely they wouldnt be the same sitting anyway if HPAT in Feb and LC June? I was under the impression that once all minimum requirements for LC were met in one sitting of the LC that would be fine?-but its very possible im mistaken so u may well be right! Can u remember where u got that info that Carsinian cause I havent come accross it yet?
Ta!

Larianne

I'm 100% sure that you do not have to sit the HPAT and the Leaving Cert in the same sitting as the HPAT score is valid for two years and it wouldn't be fair on people who sat the leaving cert last year and did the HPAT this year etc. It doesn't make sense. (I sat the Ulster HPAT and the system is pretty much the same).

Who did you contact in the colleges? Mature student office or the med department directly or admissions? I'm returning to college as a mature student this year, although to study Physio, and found UCD really bad at giving any information to you. Trinity and UL were great. I'd contact all of the above and see if you can get an answer off them. The CAO wouldn't be much help as every college has their own entry requirements.

Your leaving certificate is still valid (I did mine in 2000 as well!) so you could apply normally like other school leavers and do the HPAT. The only difference with applying as a mature student is that you would have more chance at getting a grant - all mature students are entitled to a grant (although it can be as little as €378 but still). You need to figure out whether you have a better chance at getting in with your points and HPAT or if you can make a very strong mature student application - work experience, voluntary work etc. Having a health science degree will definitely be an advantage if you go down the mature student route but you will need work experience and voluntary work will also increase your chances!!

Edit: and 26 is not over the hill!!!!!! (maybe 27!)

smileypony

Thanks Larianne, super-helpful post!:)

Ill defo try your suggested routes of contact, havent contacted med offices direct so thats defo worth a go. Ive had similiar experience with finding UCD hopeless at giving out any info, RCSI and TCD were better, with that said Id still forgive UCD in a heartbeat if they give me a place!

Im looking at UCAS too at the moment and have just applied to sit the UKCAT for Queens application. I can actually sit it here in Sydney too which is handy!

Sounds like I need to take all the advice on building up the work experience CV for mature applications. CV probly not that impressive as regards to 'work experience' for med-entry, mostly because I work a standard 55hr week as it is, albeit in a closely related field. Ill definately take this on board and see where I can get good experience.

PS.nice to know im not the only looney who sat LC back in 2000 trying to change career!

haemfire

if you have a 2.2 you could try a 4 year grad entry for nottingham and st. george uni in the UK, whereby you sit the gamsat and are then called for an interveiw. are you a vet?

smileypony

Good guess on my vet-ness! Im actually covered in horsepoop at the moment:) Suppose the pony in my name is a giveaway!
Dont have a 2.2 either unfortunately, had way too much fun in uni and little appreciation of the importance in work at the time, young and stupid and needed to grow up I guess. To be honest not having a 2.1 is doing my head in. Reckon ill be the biggest nerd in the class if I get a place in med

Larianne

smileypony wrote: »

Thanks Larianne, super-helpful post!:)

Ill defo try your suggested routes of contact, havent contacted med offices direct so thats defo worth a go. Ive had similiar experience with finding UCD hopeless at giving out any info, RCSI and TCD were better, with that said Id still forgive UCD in a heartbeat if they give me a place!

Im looking at UCAS too at the moment and have just applied to sit the UKCAT for Queens application. I can actually sit it here in Sydney too which is handy!

Sounds like I need to take all the advice on building up the work experience CV for mature applications. CV probly not that impressive as regards to 'work experience' for med-entry, mostly because I work a standard 55hr week as it is, albeit in a closely related field. Ill definately take this on board and see where I can get good experience.

PS.nice to know im not the only looney who sat LC back in 2000 trying to change career!

Yes, I can't stress enough how important work experience is!! See if you could get any voluntary work even - helping out in one of the community shelters serving food etc. You say you work in a closely related field. That will help but they will want to see you having contact with sick and vulnerable people. Another thing, as you're travelling/working - showing them you are serious about studying med, getting the work experience will re-enforce that, and not have them thinking you just came back to study med on a whim.

I think I win in the looney stakes - Make-up Artist to aspiring Physio! That took a bit of explaining in interview.

haemfire

No I would never have got it from the name but the previous posts gave it away

smileypony wrote: »

I find most common causes of weight loss (underfeeding aside-doesnt sound like your issue at all!) in older horses are worms and dental issues. Id worm her again(make sure your wormer gets tapes), get her teeth done if they havent been done in the past year and failing that get your vet to give her a once over. Often an underlying problem can be picked up with routine bloodwork by your vet.

Best of luck!

smileypony wrote: »

Bairbe OMally in Bray is the best bunny vet about!

I thinks nottingham can drop the 2.2 requirement if you have a higher qualification such as a msc or phd, why are you deciding to retrain as a doctor may I ask? I often played with the idea of becoming a vet but now am set on becoming a doc (if i can get the gamsat), you situation is so weird as you already completed a course as intense if not more intense than medicine and have almost the points required for cao entry, yet someone with say a 2.1 arts degree just out of college who may have got ~ 390 points, can do the gamsat and get into medicine
you could also look at eastern european countries like hungary and prague. i also know a an irish citizen with a msc who is studying med in slovakia on a 4 year course

piby

haemfire wrote: »

I thinks nottingham can drop the 2.2 requirement if you have a higer qualification such as a msc or phd, why are you deciding to retrain as a doctor may I ask? I often played with the idea of becoming a vet but now am set on becoming a doc (if i can get the gamsat), you situation is so weird as you already completed a course as intense if not more intense than medicine and have almost the points required for cao entry, yet someone with say a 2.1 arts degree just out of college who may have got ~ 390 points, can do the gamsat and get into medicine

Yeah I have a term for that situation: I call it bull**** :mad:

You can also get into Swansea, Penninsula and King's with a 2.2 although King's require a masters or PhD. Sorry OP I know that's no use to you but you could also try an Access to Medicine course in the UK. These last a year and each uni tends to have a list of ones they accept.

drrkpd

All good luck and certainly not too old to change!
You haven't told us your LC results but if you have 550 or above you should try hpat- under the Irish Constitution (apparently!) your LC scores are valid for any time as long as you satisfy University matriculation requirements in that year. There are some mature student places- some people doing hpat this year looked 40 but maybe that was just strain!!
Also in UK you can apply through ucas for a 5 year undergraduate course in medicine. Many graduates do that-only one extra year!!
Need to do UKCAT (unsure if available in Sydney!!) and personal statement and as others have said any medical related work or voluntary experience really helps.

piby

drrkpd wrote: »

Also in UK you can apply through ucas for a 5 year undergraduate course in medicine. Many graduates do that-only one extra year!!
Need to do UKCAT (unsure if available in Sydney!!) and personal statement and as others have said any medical related work or voluntary experience really helps.

Correct me if I'm wrong but AFAIK even for the five year courses most of them require a 2.1 or at the very least a 2.2 under exceptional circumstances.

Anyway I'm in the same boat in that I got a damn 2.2 in my degree so I'm looking at all the possibilities!

haemfire

piby wrote: »

Anyway I'm in the same boat in that I got a damn 2.2 in my degree so I'm looking at all the possibilities!

look at nottingham and st. george, they take a 2.2 with a gamsat and work experience, if you really want to study med you could look at eastern europe or even the carribean

5803emma

I just graduated from NUIG with a Bachelor of Arts in English and German (2.2) I'm looking into applying for the GEM in Nottingham, St George's, Swansea and Peninsula. On the complete off-chance that I do really well in the GAMSAT, impress in the interview, and actually get offered a place, I'm worried about fees, will they be astronomical?

Pleo

Fee's for GEM in the uk are about 3500 for the first year and free for the other three years.

5803emma

That sounds reasonable.....a little too reasonable for a four year degree....are you sure that doesnt just apply to domestic/UK students? I think after the first year they qualify for free fees under the NHS but I don't know if students from the Rep of Ireland would be eligible.....

I'd really love to do it, I'm gonna sit the GAMSAT in March in Ireland just to see how I get on and then do the UK test in September 2010, in for a tough old year of study!! :-D

virtus

My advice to anyone who would be competitive under undergraduate entry (all required subjects in single sitting and 480+ points) would be to sit the HPAT and try to do medicine as an undergraduate.

It is cheaper and the course is more spaced out so you have more time to study or to work part time. It would also seem to be less competitive depending on your LC points.

I would only go the GEP route if you are ineligible for undergraduate entry by not having the required subjects/points in your LC or not having them all in the same sitting. It is only one extra year.

If you meet the requirements and have 550+, I would say you have a much better chance of getting in via the HPAT route than GAMSAT.

5803emma

I don't understand how it would work out cheaper to enter as an undergrad? The fees are up on 13 grand aren't they? I got 535 in my Leaving, got an A2 in honours Biology but it's the only science subject I have so I'm thinking GAMSAT is my only option?

El Siglo

I've been thinking about GAMSAT for a while now, I got a 1.1 in my BA Geography degree from UCD and I'm in Trinity now doing an MSc in Environmental Science. My biggest concern is that, if I apply for GAMSAT now for next March that I wouldn't have enough time to study the material, especially the stuff for Section III. Is there any point in me doing GAMSAT now?

TinTin09

Not really since you would have to be up to first year university level in chemistry and biology in less than 5 months.

5803emma

TinTin09 wrote: »

Not really since you would have to be up to first year university level in chemistry and biology in less than 5 months.

That's definitely doable!! Do you happen to have a laboratory.........

MedGal

Emma, aren't the 13k fees only for graduate entry?

El Siglo, it's totally doable providing you allocate time for study.
If I was you I'd do it in March even for a test run and then if you're score isn't good enough, take it in the UK in Sept.

bythewoods

I'm in 1st year Medicine in Trinity, and there's an awful lot of mature students in my class.
However, most of them are foreign, there's only about 5 or 6 Irish mature students.

It is definitely possible to sit the HPAT this year and use your LC points from back in 2000 and apply as an undergrad, as long as you have all the correct matric. requirements in one sitting of the exams. I was talking to someone who did this- she'd already completed a degree and worked in that field before doing the HPAT and applying to the CAO this year.

Best of luck