That burning desire (Medicine)

miissjuly

Hi all
So I've always wanted to be in the medical field since I was 12/13(start of secondary school) and always been enthusiastic about science. I've been following threads on boards and everywhere else on the internet about medicine for the past 3 years. I sat the Leaving Cert this year and of course sat the HPAT(71st percentile) & applied to Medicine via CAO and I also applied to other European countries. I got into an Italian university unfortunately I couldn't go cause of personal/financial issues and was also doing the Leaving Cert at the time, so I made up my mind I will just repeat. Though when results/offers came out in August I decided I will go to college cause I cannot spend another year in school I would've gone mad(I needed freedom). I'm currently studying psychology(3 years) in Maynooth University, and thinking of going the graduate route and pursuing graduate medicine. However it's a tough route both financially and academically; I need a 2.1 or better in psychology and have to do this for another 3 years and then think of grad medicine(4 years) and even then I have to study for the gamsat it's such a long process. I'm really confused what to do because I really really want medicine it doesn't matter how I get it but I want it and I also don't want to leave my family & friends, staying in Ireland would be a lot easier as I have everyone here but grad med is very competitive and I will be studying till I'm 26 though if I were to start a 6 year undergraduate course in another country it would take the same length of time as grad medicine in Ireland. I'm not sure what to do im torn between my decision to apply again to European countries or stay in Ireland for grad med?! And I'm not considering repeating the leaving cert. I know my desire to become a doctor won't fade even after 10 years because I cant/don't see myself as anything else but a doctor