Medicine - TCD, UCD or RCSI?

Leinsterr

Hi all. I'm a fourth year who aspires to be a doctor. I'm wondering which would be the best college to attend to study medicine. I want to go into surgery and want to get some past students' advice on their college choice. I've heard people say that TCD uses archaic teaching methods. What is this and I assume that it is a negative aspect to the course, so, why? In terms of facilities, which would be the best out of the three? Which has the biggest class sizes? Is pre-med in UCD essential to success? What appealed to you to choose a college for medicine? On a side note is doing the 3 sciences + Applied Maths next year doable or should I leave out Applied Maths? How is TCD in general? I was in TCD for chemistry and pharmacy courses and loved every second of it. I was also in UCD and had a similar experinece. for the Cheers in advance.

mardybumbum

I'm finishing up 5 years of Medicine this Tuesday so hopefully I can answer a few of your questions.

I've heard people say that TCD uses archaic teaching methods. What is this and I assume that it is a negative aspect to the course, so, why?

I don't have a clue what this means? I can't think of any archaic teaching methods that I have come across. Our anatomy course used to be held in a beautiful 300 year old lecture theatre if that's what they mean.
Anyway, the new health sciences building on Pearse St has put an end to that. I haven't had any lectures in the new building but no doubt it is as swanky as fcuk.

In terms of facilities, which would be the best out of the three?

I have no idea what the facilities are like in UCD or RCSI but the facilities at TCD are great. The two main teaching hospitals (SJH/Tallaght) are easily accessible by Luas and both contain libraries (although the one in Tallaght isn't strictly a TCD library).

What appealed to you to choose a college for medicine?

The fact that I didn't do a 3rd language ruled out RCSI/UCD for me so it was either the Trinity way or no way. l probably would have put down Trinity as my first choice anyway. I'ts a beautiful campus right in the city centre and there is no denying that it is highly regarded internationally.

On a side note is doing the 3 sciences + Applied Maths next year doable or should I leave out Applied Maths?

Yes, absolutely do Applied Maths. And make sure to get your hands on Aidan Roantree's notes from the Institute. I went there for Xmas grinds and those notes saved my bacon.

How is TCD in general? I was in TCD for chemistry and pharmacy courses and loved every second of it. I was also in UCD and had a similar experinece.

I know it's an old cliche, but you get out of college life what you put into it. It's important to get that all important balance that we all hear about. Make new friends, take up new hobbies, sure go a little bit mad every once in a while but keep in mind that you are training to be a safe and competent doctor.

All the best to you anyway. I will definitely miss Trinity a lot, and I hope to spend the odd day off next year sipping my coffee by the cricket pitch reminiscing over my misspent youth.

blubloblu

mardybumbum wrote: »

I'ts a beautiful campus right in the city centre

Although bear in my mind the swanky new building (opened last year, very nice facilities, the new anatomy lab is state-of-the-art) means you'll be spending your first two years a few doors down on Pearse street (it has an entrance to the dart station). From third year on, you're in James/Tallaght and other hospitals. I don't think there's any teaching on campus at all now.

Know which college has which teaching hospital and take it into consideration.

Social life in Trinity is great, I'd have reservations about RCSI over the fact you only ever see other health science students. That said, my friends there don't seem miserable. UCD isn't in the city centre; yet again, not a huge problem. Wherever you go, you'll come out a qualified doctor, but I would happy to recommend TCD.

AndrewJD

Leinsterr wrote: »

I want to go into surgery and want to get some past students' advice on their college choice. I've heard people say that TCD uses archaic teaching methods. What is this and I assume that it is a negative aspect to the course, so, why?

I suppose if there was a certain branch of surgery you were interested in, then you might consider the teaching hospitals each school is associated with. Liver transplants? You want Vincent's and UCD. Neurosurgery? Beaumont and RCSI. Every hospital has its different specialities which might be of interest to you.

Trinity's teaching methods are principally by lecture, supported by labwork, tutorials and PBL. There's nothing archaic about it, it'll be the same in almost every medical school. In terms of UCD pre-med, I would have hated it. Any background knowledge I needed for first year at Trinity was covered by what I learned in school. I don't think there's any point in spending an extra year covering basic sciences unless you somehow didn't know any of them going in.

iscr

RCSI GEP. SC1. 100 percentile in gamsat 1st attempt therefore felt I should apply RCSI- only apply for RCSI if you learn at the level of leaving cert grind school. Teaching is very poor and we are always told "you guys gotta be great actors for the OSCE" i.e. pretend you are auscultating . Very much taught by our own graduates who know nothing except how to score high on exams without knowing anything. Need I say more?
"Archaic methods " TCD = they teach medicine properly, I suspect, and their graduates do not do well on the intern national scale because they are taught properly and examined properly. I remember Prof Croke in 1st year replying to the sighs when he put up a very simplified slide of glycolysis "In TCD you'd have to learn off all the pathways and all the chemical structures"
UCD- met them in Loughlinstown. Their profs personally taught them for OSCEs!!!! None of your cheap RCSI efforts at peer teaching. Very sorry I didn't apply UCD instead of RCSI. Anyhow, better go read the EBM bitesized slide we were told was the only slide we needed for RCSI data OSCE.