UCD Pre-med course content help!

bobobear

I'm going to be starting medicine at UCD next year (deferred my place) as a mature student.

Just wondering what the course content for the first (pre-med) year is like.
I did biology, chemistry and physics for the leaving... in 2002. I did well enough (A1, A1, A2) but sadly almost all of that knowledge has slipped away.

So, I'm trying to cram it all back in. My question is mostly about the biology course. How far above leaving cert standard does it go? Does it include a load of plant and earthworm crap?

I'm kind of hoping that they'll let me skip the pre-med year due to being ancient, but I don't want to hit first med and realise that my leaving cert knowledge is totally inadequate. Maths in particular is woeful.

Any help appreciated - recommended book lists, websites, anything really.

Thanks!

DocToBe

Hi bobobear, I did pre-med last year in UCD, In first med now.
I only did Biology for my leaving certificate, didn't do chemistry or physics, so I found them fairly tricky. From talking to my classmates though the Chemistry was just basic L.C. stuff in first semester.
In semester one we did, zoology which was pretty interesting and fairly easy, cell biology, which was at the start L.C. stuff just but got a bit trickier towards the end, still nothing to worry about though, the physics was fairly difficult in the first semester, don't think anyone really knew what was going on to be honest, but we did have practicals so it was easy to pass. We did a radiography module called healthcare imaging which was interesting and again not too difficult.
Then in second semester we did inorganic and organic chemistry, I personally found these fairly difficult as I had no basic chemistry knowledge, but the lecturers are really good for both of these, most people found these grand though I think. We then did genetics, which was really interesting. The physics in semester 2 much easier, think from what people said it was basic L.C. stuff.
I'd imagine you have a good chance of being allowed to skip pre-med though, with you're grades in all 3 science subjects!
Any other questions about pre-med, first med or UCD in general just ask!

lctake2

Hi I'm in premed now. Leaving cert chemistry is fairly useful to have as is biology and physics I didn't do at all but still managing fine.
As for skipping premed you won't get to based on getting good grades in science subjects for the lc. Loads of people in the class got all A1s in the sciences but this year nobody got to skip it based on their leaving cert. The only people that skipped were people who had already completed some of a related degree.
I wouldn't worry about doing anything in advance. They don't assume you have prior knowledge and most people have only done 2 science subjects anyway so you'll be at an advantage
The biology we've covered so far is cell biology. There's no plant/earthworm stuff at all. Apart from the DNA stuff from the leaving cert everything else was new.
There's a maths support centre if you need help but so far we've done no maths that wasn't basic calculator stuff

papajimsmooth

You will be fine i didnt have biology or chemistry and it was a breeze. Dont bother studying it goes at such a slow pace in premed you can study it as you go along.

Breezer

It's been a while since I was in premed and the course has changed a bit since then, but from what I hear everyone still has a problem with physics (basic mechanics really, but if it's new to you it can be a nightmare) and manages everything else just fine. Most of the chemistry was Leaving Cert standard, although different things were covered.

I hadn't done biology and got on OK. There were a few 'out there' things like learning about miniature jellyfish; to this day I'm still not sure what purpose that served. And I remember a locust dissection. No earthworms

I really wouldn't worry about premed. To me it seemed to be more about getting your head around college and making sure everyone was at roughly the same standard regarding basic sciences by the end of it.

bobobear

Thanks for the replies!

I guess I can relax a bit - just try to go over the LC science stuff.

One last question - If there was one book you ended up using more than any other, what was it?

Thanks!

QueenOfLeon

bobobear wrote: »

Thanks for the replies!

I guess I can relax a bit - just try to go over the LC science stuff.

One last question - If there was one book you ended up using more than any other, what was it?

Thanks!

For premed I didn't use any books, I found the lecturers notes were fine, I used a Leaving Cert physics book at times since I hadn't done that before. All the rest in your class will just have the basic leaving cert knowledge so if you're on a level with that you'll be fine

Breezer

'Physics' by Kane and Sternheim I think. And my Leaving Cert. Applied Maths book, the one by Oliver Murphy. 'Biology' by Campbell and Reece. OK that's 3, maybe I was sorta nerdy. Do not buy any sort of Healthcare Informatics book (or whatever they're calling it now).

Premed isn't something you need to worry about, really.

vladcount

I plan on goin to UCD in 6th yr now:D and doin lc hl chem and bio is the physics hard and I am doing the drama scholarship :rolleyes:please god that goes well:rolleyes:
will I have to do premed yr if I did hl chem and bio in lc?

DeadlyTwig

vladcount wrote: »

I plan on goin to UCD in 6th yr now:D and doin lc hl chem and bio is the physics hard and I am doing the drama scholarship :rolleyes:please god that goes well:rolleyes:
will I have to do premed yr if I did hl chem and bio in lc?

You have to do premed unless you get top marks and did chemistry!

Pre med is a great year though I really wouldn't worry about doing it.

I'm not gonna lie the physics is dreadful!! Really badly done in the first semester but everyone passes.

I did chem and bio and no physics, the same as you, and I was fine! So don't worry yet!!

vladcount

thanks it has out my mind at ease now just to up da grades to get the points
and get my dramatic peices ready for scholarship program wish me luck or should i say let me "break a leg"