What to do...

spacecat

OK, I really need some other folks point of view please.


My situation is as follows... I am on a 'waiting list' for Mature entry to Medicine but it doesn't look like I will get an offer. I have also been offered Mature entry to Psychiatric Nursing. My heart and soul is with Medicine but my years are rolling by (I can see 40 from where I stand,;)).


So...what do I do...my choices are:
1. Take Nursing. Could go and do GAMSAT before I retire,:rolleyes:
2. Do a course for a year ie, Applied Science etc and reapply for Med 2013
3. Do my leaving Cert in the year and try get in on points (never did the leaving cert when I was younger) as well as applying as a Maturie


Also, is it possible to do the LC in a year and get the points for med. I understand it is up to myself to put the work in etc, but can it be done???

My head is spinning at the moment,sigh. Any advice will be greatly appreciated:D

scoob70

Well spacecat I can only tell you what I'd do.

You say your heart and soul is with medicine. That pretty much says it all to me. I'd go with medicine. So what if you can see 40. What's one more year added to your life of preparation to get you to the course of your dreams. If you take Psychiatric Nursing you'll be happy enough initially but you'll always haunt back to that one opportunity you missed out on to get into medicine. Seriously spacecat - one life and all that - you're at a crossroads so pick carefully cause you might never get the chance to be where you are now again.

I'm 42 in a few months and all I've ever done is admin and retail. I've had some good jobs but nothing fires me up like science and now I have got a place on a science course and a chance to go into a science based job for the rest of my working life. And let me tell you I've still got alot of working years ahead of me even at 41. I applied last year and didn't get in so I did a FETAC 5. The FETAC 5 and my interview me got on the science course this year.

I'm not sure if you can do the leaving cert in one year if you've never done it before. I think you can do a fast track if you've recently done cert but failed. If yo've never doine it, it takes 2 years with VTOS. Maybe the Applied Science would be a better option for you if you know you can do that in a year. I guess its real important to establish now with the institute you want to do medicine with, which route it is they want you to take to give you the best possible chance of getting you a place next year.

Anyways like I said this is only my opinion and good luck spacecat. Keep us posted with your decision .

borrch

Hi Spacecat,

I fully agree with scoob70. The fact that you're on the waiting list says alot. You should have a brill chance for next year. In the meantime i would maybe resit two LC subjects like biology & chemistry. Or better yet you could do an evening science access course through the same college. Anyhow whats another year? You'll always regret it if you dont! Plenty of working years left in you yet, especially as the government keeps upping the retirement age..!:P

Larianne

I'd apply again next year. Think about doing an access course and boosting your application with volunteer work and gaining more shadow experience if you can.

Which college are you on the waiting list for? There is a good post in Tips on applying as a mature student related to med entry here : http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=79211585&postcount=232

Check with the Adult education centre in UCD (who run the science access course there) and see have Medicine taken on any students who completed that course. I know when I was applying to the access course, the co-ordinator said no student had been accepted to Physiotherapy. I broke that tradition and know of one other who got accepted to Physio, so it would be good to check what your chances are with doing an access course.

spacecat

OP here

Thank you all for taking the time to offer me some advice.


I am on the waiting list at UCC.


Every time I even think about moving away from Medicine (study wise I mean) my heart just sinks. My worry is that maybe I just can't take the hint ie, I'm not the kind of student that UCC are looking for.
I am still waiting to receive feedback from my interview there.


As our own Mr Logan has said, "Whats another year" :rolleyes:

dtfo

Doing the LC in one year from scratch is a big ask tbh. I just did it this year having As in Bio and Chem from the previous year and still dont think I got enough points.

I know exactly how you feel about getting in

scoob70

spacecat wrote: »

OP here

Thank you all for taking the time to offer me some advice.


I am on the waiting list at UCC.


Every time I even think about moving away from Medicine (study wise I mean) my heart just sinks. My worry is that maybe I just can't take the hint ie, I'm not the kind of student that UCC are looking for.
I am still waiting to receive feedback from my interview there.


As our own Mr Logan has said, "Whats another year" :rolleyes:

Hey spacecat - what do you mean your not the kind of student that UCC are looking for?? You mean the kind of student that's going to give it their all? The kind that's not gunna place their social life above the course? The kind that's got alot more life experience than the usual 'traditional student' and therefore has alot to offer? Yeah your right, UCC don't want those kind of students .