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Should I even bother with medicine?

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  • 22-04-2013 8:22am
    #1
    Incredible
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭


    Hi everyone, I'm currently in Transition Year and I'm debating whether I could even manage doing medicine in college.

    I need to pick what subjects I want to study for the Leaving Cert by the end of this week. I'm doing Biology and Chemistry (subjects needed to study medicine). However the problem is that I'm struggling in Chemistry (even though my teacher said I amn't). Anyways I posted a different thread here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=84266542#post84266542

    I'm already doing 3 OL subjects: Irish, French and Maths. I know that's really bad.

    I really don't want to waste 2 years struggling in Chemistry only to find out I don't have enough points or that I'm not cut out for medicine.


    So my questions are:

    1) I know the requirements to Trinity is around 480, but how many points should I really be aiming for (what did you all aim for)?

    2) Should I even bother if I'm already "struggling" in Chemistry and doing 3 OL subjects?

    3) If I were to study medicine, would it be best if I move to HL in 2 of my subjects?


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    #2
    Just Like Heaven
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,132 ✭✭✭Just Like Heaven


    Incredible wrote: »
    1) I know the requirements to Trinity is around 480, but how many points should I really be aiming for (what did you all aim for)?

    This year NUIG finished at 736, first round TCD was 747~ including the hpat. You should aim to get 550+ in your leaving cert, points are reduced after that, but getting much less than 550 might make life hard on you because you're relying heavily on getting an excellent (not just good) score in the hpat.
    Incredible wrote: »
    2) Should I even bother if I'm already "struggling" in Chemistry and doing 3 OL subjects?

    If it's what you want to do then of course you should bother. Chemistry isn't the end of the world. If you work consistently from the beginning of fifth year it's very manageable.
    Incredible wrote: »
    3) If I were to study medicine, would it be best if I move to HL in 2 of my subjects?

    Well I don't know how many subjects you are doing but doing 6 HL subjects would make trying to get around 540/550+ a bit more comfortable.


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    #3
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,168 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Incredible wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I'm currently in Transition Year and I'm debating whether I could even manage doing medicine in college.

    If it's what you really want, go for it, but you will make it difficult for yourself the more OL subjects you take.

    If you just want to work in the medical field, there are many (easier and shorter) paths other than training as a doctor.


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    #4
    aarond280
    Registered Users Posts: 275 ✭✭aarond280


    chemistry isnt a requirement for medicine, you need two sciences, so you could think of doing physics if you want


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    #5
    Just Like Heaven
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,132 ✭✭✭Just Like Heaven


    aarond280 wrote: »
    chemistry isnt a requirement for medicine, you need two sciences, so you could think of doing physics if you want

    Not true for all colleges, especially if you wanna skip pre med http://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergraduate/assets/pdf/HPAT_Brochure_2012_lr.pdf


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    #6
    aarond280
    Registered Users Posts: 275 ✭✭aarond280


    fewtinsoffroth wrote: »
    Not true for all colleges, especially if you wanna skip pre med http://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergraduate/assets/pdf/HPAT_Brochure_2012_lr.pdf
    One can still get into tcd without Chemistry, the op should take this into account when choosen subjects, also if applying to ucas, alot of colleges in uk require chemistry as far as i know


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    #7
    kingcobra
    Registered Users Posts: 835 ✭✭✭kingcobra


    Sure you're in TY and I know it's almost done but you could possibly try getting back to higher level in Irish, Maths, or French by putting a bit of work in over the summer or else pick up a new higher level subject. Maths would be the most optimal one as it gives you the 25 bonus points.

    It is virtually impossible to get Medicine in TCD with the subjects you have at minute; the most you can get is 520 points (4*A1's HL, 2*A1's OL) as you'd have to get nearly a perfect score in the HPAT, which still mightn't be enough.

    However there are plenty of other paths to getting medicine or working in the medical field. You could opt to do a degree in somewhere like DIT that is related to medicine and then enter medicine after that. I know a friend who is doing this yet I can't remember exactly what degree he is doing and how long he has to do medicine in TCD after.
    Otherwise, there are plenty of degrees related to medicine that might appeal to you and it's well worth checking out what your options are!


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