Mature Student Medicine Advice

loonymoony

Hi Guys

I’m 28yr old male who has been considering applying as a mature student of medicine,to make a long story short I fooked my leaving cert up:mad: and never contemplated repeating. So I need to know what would I need to do to stand out and be considered for medicine as a mature student, I can only imagine the people you would be up against regarding educational qualifications!:eek:, so how to I compete? Any advice from a mature med student would be great

spacecat

loonymoony wrote: »

Hi Guys

I’m 28yr old male who has been considering applying as a mature student of medicine,to make a long story short I fooked my leaving cert up:mad: and never contemplated repeating. So I need to know what would I need to do to stand out and be considered for medicine as a mature student, I can only imagine the people you would be up against regarding educational qualifications!:eek:, so how to I compete? Any advice from a mature med student would be great

Hullo,
The best thing for you to do would be start with the Uni you wish to apply to. Find out what their requirements are and go from there. I think the min in the LC Chemistry is HC3.

Also, I found lot of mature applicants will have a degree already and probably a fairly good LC. Some sort of life/work experience in the Health Care sector would be needed.
Oh, and don't forget the HPAT exam

If you don't have a degree already would you be prepared to resit your LC?
Or if you have a degree try the GEP.

loonymoony

Hey Spacecat,
Thanks for the reply, I’ve been looking at UCC and have read all the info regarding mature students on the UCC website.
I haven’t a degree so that’s a big letdown I reckon.:( I was thinking of doing LC Biology and Chemistry externally next year and also going an EMT course.
But if you have a degree and you are a mature student would you not be applying as a graduate and not the mature student route?
What’s your own background?

spacecat

loonymoony wrote: »

Hey Spacecat,
Thanks for the reply, I’ve been looking at UCC and have read all the info regarding mature students on the UCC website.
I haven’t a degree so that’s a big letdown I reckon.:( I was thinking of doing LC Biology and Chemistry externally next year and also going an EMT course.
But if you have a degree and you are a mature student would you not be applying as a graduate and not the mature student route?
What’s your own background?

Hey,
There are minimum requirements for the Graduate route eg 2H1. So, if you don't hit the mark in your degree then you can't apply for Graduate Med but you can apply for the Mature Entry, once your over 23 that is.
So, anyone that's applying with no degree and a poo LC may find it difficult to secure an interview.

For what its worth...I don't think it fair. IMO, Mature Entry should be based on life/work experience not academic achievement. Specially if your LC was like 10 plus years ago

I have worked in the health care system for many years but I have no Leaving Cert :eek:. Sooooo, off I go back to school in Sep.

yerraya

hey guys sorry to burst in but a quick question for you...are you saying that with an 1st class honours degree you can apply then to do medicine regardless of what the degree is?? I'm a mature myself and would have loved to go down the medicine road but thought it was not realistic as I didnt have science subjects for my leaving which was years ago also and not so great either!

Jessibelle

yerraya wrote: »

hey guys sorry to burst in but a quick question for you...are you saying that with an 1st class honours degree you can apply then to do medicine regardless of what the degree is?? I'm a mature myself and would have loved to go down the medicine road but thought it was not realistic as I didnt have science subjects for my leaving which was years ago also and not so great either!

yep, you have to sit the GAMSAT if you're going the gradmed route, or the HPAT if you're going the undergrad route. Some schools will automatically put you in the grad med route if you qualify for that,(UCD fr example) whereas others(UCC) will allow you to apply via both routes. For gradmed you need to have a 2:1 or above and meet the matriculation requirements of the college, for undergrad/mature you have to meet the matriculation requirements also, but your other experiences will be accounted for also.

loonymoony

Hey, this is on the ucc.ie website for graduate entry;

Graduate Entry to Medicine (CK791): Applicants must hold, or expect to hold by July of the year they wish to enter Graduate Entry Medicine, a minimum of second glass honours, grade one (2H1 or equivalent) result in their first honours bachelor degree (NFQ level 8). Applicants must also have taken the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) after 1st September 2009 (for entry in 2011). Eligible candidates are selected on the basis of their GAMSAT score (i.e. the candidate with the highest score will receive the first offer; the candidate with the next highest score will receive the next offer until all available places are filled.

Hope it helps you!

loonymoony

Check out the GAMSAT site-http://www.gamsat-ie.org/ that seems to be the key to gaining entry to medicine.

yerraya

Jessibelle wrote: »

yep, you have to sit the GAMSAT if you're going the gradmed route, or the HPAT if you're going the undergrad route. Some schools will automatically put you in the grad med route if you qualify for that,(UCD fr example) whereas others(UCC) will allow you to apply via both routes. For gradmed you need to have a 2:1 or above and meet the matriculation requirements of the college, for undergrad/mature you have to meet the matriculation requirements also, but your other experiences will be accounted for also.

loonymoony wrote: »

Hey, this is on the ucc.ie website for graduate entry;

Graduate Entry to Medicine (CK791): Applicants must hold, or expect to hold by July of the year they wish to enter Graduate Entry Medicine, a minimum of second glass honours, grade one (2H1 or equivalent) result in their first honours bachelor degree (NFQ level 8). Applicants must also have taken the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) after 1st September 2009 (for entry in 2011). Eligible candidates are selected on the basis of their GAMSAT score (i.e. the candidate with the highest score will receive the first offer; the candidate with the next highest score will receive the next offer until all available places are filled.

Hope it helps you!

Thanks guys thats great info delighted to hear that something to consider anyway:)

Dan Theman

I am also considering a return to college to study medicine next year. Has anyone any info on how expensive it would be overall?

danbag1989

loonymoony wrote: »

Hey Spacecat,
Thanks for the reply, I’ve been looking at UCC and have read all the info regarding mature students on the UCC website.
I haven’t a degree so that’s a big letdown I reckon.:( I was thinking of doing LC Biology and Chemistry externally next year and also going an EMT course.
But if you have a degree and you are a mature student would you not be applying as a graduate and not the mature student route?
What’s your own background?

Im in exactly the same both as you, going to repeat bio chem externally, and do the EMT course, have you had any luck so far?