Mature Medicine Applicants 2014

Yuri_

Thanks medican12!

borrch

Did anyone have RCSI interviews today?

medican12

borrch wrote: »

Did anyone have RCSI interviews today?

I did. Went fine, three rooms, two docs, two docs and one admin in the last room. They just asked general questions; tell us about your background, how you came to be here, why medicine, any plans after medicine, etc. First room was more general than the second, there they asked about my clinical experience.

I was a bit cheeky with the admin, where it was mainly about financing the 5/6years etc, and asked how offers went. Apparently, just over 200 applied, they avoided HPAT results completely, focussed mainly on the references and personal statements that were sent in. They called 40 for interview, 15 will be offered places and on the basis that some won't take up the positions or will get position elsewhere and the remaining 25 will be on a waiting list.

They said they'd get back to all RCSI matures within 2 weeks.

Mand4990

Had interview with RCSI today. Went ok but was very nervous! They were all lovely. They just wanted to get a sense of who you are. They are interviewing 41-not interested in ones academics because everyone interviewing has met those criteria already:-) fingers crossed...roll on gamsat results :-D

Yuri_

Hey folks,
I've received reply from TCD today. I've been placed into waiting list - so no go for this year. Hope you all did better!
Yuri

lin_2014

Hi, congrats on interviews and good luck. I wasn't successfull this year.
Have engineering related degree.
Hope to apply again next year.
If you don't mind me asking what backgrounds do most people who made it to interview have.
Hpat.... degree .... Clinical experience.....lc.

Teacake25

Yuri_ wrote: »

Hey folks,
I've received reply from TCD today. I've been placed into waiting list - so no go for this year. Hope you all did better!
Yuri

Hi Yuri,
Did they just update your portal or did u call them? I've not heard anything. Has anyone else heard?

Yuri_

Teacake25 wrote: »

Hi Yuri,
Did they just update your portal or did u call them? I've not heard anything. Has anyone else heard?

Hi Teacake (we met before the interview in TCD),
I just simply logged in and checked the Tcd portal. They had a letter from admissions and the decision status in my application was listed as waiting list.
Yuri

medican12

Yuri_ wrote: »

Hi Teacake (we met before the interview in TCD),
I just simply logged in and checked the Tcd portal. They had a letter from admissions and the decision status in my application was listed as waiting list.
Yuri

Yuri,

were you called in for interview?

medi

Yuri_

medican12 wrote: »

Yuri,

were you called in for interview?

medi

Yes. I've only applied to TCD though. Got interview, but didn't pan out. I'm TCD alumni, so loyalty dictated they get first pick!
Please let us know how you all fared when you.
Best of luck!
Yuri

medican12

Yuri_ wrote: »

Yes. I've only applied to TCD though. Got interview, but didn't pan out. I'm TCD alumni, so loyalty dictated they get first pick!
Please let us know how you all fared when you.
Best of luck!
Yuri

I just got a waiting list email there too. Gutted. Second year in a row now. Can't even explain how devastated I am.

Yuri_

medican12 wrote: »

I just got a waiting list email there too. Gutted. Second year in a row now. Can't even explain how devastated I am.

I'm really sorry to hear that. It is not over yet and the system is not perfect, so the main thing is not to give up! Do you have other applications, might still get good news.

lin_2014

lin_2014 wrote: »

Hi, congrats on interviews and good luck. I wasn't successfull this year.
Have engineering related degree.
Hope to apply again next year.
If you don't mind me asking what backgrounds do most people who made it to interview have.
Hpat.... degree .... Clinical experience.....lc.

Hi,

Yuri, medican12, em_2014, mand4990 recent posters all that got tcd and rcsi interviews.

What are the backgrounds of most that successfully make it to interview?
Kinda thinking that majority have science or health related degrees with Phds in Pharmacy , nursing etc
Feel like mature route waste of time for my unrelated degree.
Would I stand better chance at LC resit?

Yuri_

lin_2014 wrote: »

Hi,

Yuri, medican12, em_2014, mand4990 recent posters all that got tcd and rcsi interviews.

What are the backgrounds of most that successfully make it to interview?
Kinda thinking that majority have science or health related degrees with Phds in Pharmacy , nursing etc
Feel like mature route waste of time for my unrelated degree.
Would I stand better chance at LC resit?

Hi lin_2014,
My background is: LC 605 points. 1st class Engineering degree TCD. Work in medical device industry.
I have heard that LC & degrees don't matter much. I think they care that you can show that you are academically capable (so if you did well in your degree or have good hpat or can demonstrate otherwise, they leave it at that).
I think interview has zero with academics (they got you the interview), it is all to do with personality, clinical experience, knowledge of course and above all - proving that this is the right choice for you. Strong rationale backed up with examples.

These are my thoughts on the process.

How far did you get? What did you feel let you down? Try to get feedback from TCD.

Yuri

lin_2014

Hi Yuri,

I didn't get to interview stage. Rcsi asking for CV got my hopes up. Reason for no interview I think from lack of clinical experience. My leavings not bad and i have engineering design degree and a good hpat.
Found it difficult to get much experience in health related areas. So think clinical references would be a let down. Work character references are fine but in no way medical related. Lots of care homes i approached needed vetting and assistant qualifications before they consider you or be on placement from a course.
Always next year.

Thank you very much for advice. Good luck this year.

livk

I have quite a good Leaving Cert and i'm a midwife. Still nothing. I'm not sure how much experience comes in to it. At this stage i'm starting to question what they're looking for exactly. Nothing from RCSI either.

Yuri_

lin_2014 wrote: »

Hi Yuri,

I didn't get to interview stage. Rcsi asking for CV got my hopes up. Reason for no interview I think from lack of clinical experience. My leavings not bad and i have engineering design degree and a good hpat.
Found it difficult to get much experience in health related areas. So think clinical references would be a let down. Work character references are fine but in no way medical related. Lots of care homes i approached needed vetting and assistant qualifications before they consider you or be on placement from a course.
Always next year.

Thank you very much for advice. Good luck this year.

I'm the same with clinical experience - none to date. That's going to be one of my focus areas for next year.

I totally agree, very hard to know what they want...

medican12

Has anyone called to see where they are on the waiting list?

Yuri_

medican12 wrote: »

Has anyone called to see where they are on the waiting list?

I've sent them an email asking to elaborate on waiting list and to send me the feedback. No reply so far.
I've emailed them through tcd portal, but I will probably re-email through regular mail early next week if still no reply. Will let you know if they elaborate on anything!
Yuri

Eireann2754

Anyone heard anything from UCC yet? Have they already done the interviews? If not, anyone know when they'll be doing them?

medican12

I emailed them on a different email, emailed the lady that sent us the details for the interview and she got back to me about waiting list and said they offered 7 spots.

Yuri_ wrote: »

I've sent them an email asking to elaborate on waiting list and to send me the feedback. No reply so far.
I've emailed them through tcd portal, but I will probably re-email through regular mail early next week if still no reply. Will let you know if they elaborate on anything!
Yuri

Yuri_

medican12 wrote: »

I emailed them on a different email, emailed the lady that sent us the details for the interview and she got back to me about waiting list and said they offered 7 spots.

Very odd as the open day lecturer said that tcd had 180 spots with about 18 reserved for mature students.
Do you know any detail about this waiting list? And did you get any feedback about the application?
Yuri

medican12

Was told I have to contact the mature officer for feedback, but apparently they are abroad currently. So I guess ill email next week.

Never heard of them taking 18. I was told 5. The 7 seems a surprise.

Yuri_ wrote: »

Very odd as the open day lecturer said that tcd had 180 spots with about 18 reserved for mature students.
Do you know any detail about this waiting list? And did you get any feedback about the application?
Yuri

medican12

medican12 wrote: »

Was told I have to contact the mature officer for feedback, but apparently they are abroad currently. So I guess ill email next week.

Never heard of them taking 18. I was told 5. The 7 seems a surprise.

On the undergrad page for med on tcd.ie it says they have a total of ~123 places. The 7 mature spots then are less than 10% of the class.



Anyone heard anything from RCSI about when they'll get back to matures? Did everyone see the front of the IT on Friday? facebook.com/rcsi123

Fiddles44

TCD takes ~7 mature students and there was 180 in first year this year. The number in first year has increased over the last few years

Casper001

Has anyone heard from UCD at all? I wonder if they are taking any matures this year?

Pooch88

Rang UCC today...said we will be notified by the end of the month with interviews taking place mid June

livk

Not sure if NUIG notified everyone. They have sent their offers to those accepted a few days ago.

borrch

Congrads to everyone who got offers from RCSI today ... Well done !!!!

Gmmmmm

Borrch do you mind me asking your background? I'm trying to plan my application for next year on the basis of successful applicants and whether or not they all have a masters or phd. I could sign up to do either in medical science (all in the hope of getting medicine... One day!! )