Medicine mature entry 2016 - Repeating LC HL chemistry and biology

Lol!ipops

Hi Everyone

Hopefully someone will be able to help? I'm planning to apply to mature entry medicine in 2016 and i'm going to have to retake the leaving cert HL biology and Chemistry for Matriculation purposes, so I was just wondering what textbooks are the best to buy that cover the current course? I know it's very early days yet but i want to get started as soon as possible and I have a feeling the time will fly by.. eek!

unfortunately I live in the UK at the moment but I will be moving back to Ireland before November (hopefully :P) so I can't just rock up to my nearest secondary school to ask the teachers there....

Also any other peeps hoping to apply next year i'd love to hear from you too! I think it might be a cool idea to help each other out because I think we're all going to be in the same crazy boat around feb/march time :P

Caolan

Lol!ipops wrote: »

Hi Everyone

Hopefully someone will be able to help? I'm planning to apply to mature entry medicine in 2016 and i'm going to have to retake the leaving cert HL biology and Chemistry for Matriculation purposes, so I was just wondering what textbooks are the best to buy that cover the current course? I know it's very early days yet but i want to get started as soon as possible and I have a feeling the time will fly by.. eek!

unfortunately I live in the UK at the moment but I will be moving back to Ireland before November (hopefully :P) so I can't just rock up to my nearest secondary school to ask the teachers there....

Also any other peeps hoping to apply next year i'd love to hear from you too! I think it might be a cool idea to help each other out because I think we're all going to be in the same crazy boat around feb/march time :P

Hey Pops-

Good luck; it's an exciting path and I wish you best of luck.

I did this last year and it was a great help. Firstly, not having biology and chem in advance pretty much rules out Trinity, UCD and NUIG (unless you have an alternative). It's worth remembering that the majority of successful mature applicants have applied more than once, so regularly the first year applying is also getting your "ducks in a row". Having said that, a lot of peoe do succeed first time out.

If you qualify, apply via grad entry also as it improves chances obviously.

Biology- isn't difficult, but the course is huge. It's easy to get to a B grade, but they try catch people out to minimise the A's. Practice past exam papers and marking schemes.

Chemistry- start now- again, exam papers are yor friend. Set out a study plan and stick to it. Master past papers, but you also need to understand the stuff as they change the way they ask the questions to catch out those who rote learn things.

As for the application, I mean to do a post for those applying this year just to pass on my experiences. But I advise starting work on HPAT straight away, its important, but just a peice of the overall jigsaw. People as low as 120 get interviews because of strong applications, while people with 200+ don't due to gaps in their applications. Try have no gaps!

I don't mind sharing my personal statement, just PM me. And I'll do that post soon for 2016 applicants. Anyone with any questions do not hesitate to ask, it's a tough process, but hopefully rewarding.

As an aside- anyone sitting the LC this year, I've a load of LC books, revision books, grind school notes, past papers etc as well as interview books and GAMSAT books and 7 mock HPAT exams and answer books (acer and non acer) etc that I'm happy to sell very reasonably to help fund my medical books- just PM if interested.

Lol!ipops

Thanks for the reply Caolan much appreciated!

I forgot my login details until I discovered the reset password option (future Dr? hmmm lol)
I just wanted to ask will the Chem and Biology def rule me out? because I emailed the admissions office in TCD and they said that In some cases a conditional offer may be given or is it more a case of them liking to see that you already have the grades?

to be honest i'm not counting on getting in this year (although it would be amazing!) it was more of a trial run plus it probably looks good if they see you're willing to put in the hard graft and reapply the 2nd year around....did you get in on your 1st attempt?

I can't apply for grad entry, believe me i'd love to! because i only have a BSc in veterinary nursing and it's only a level 7 hence the mature entry. I'm also dreading the question of why now humans suddenly? i know they'll ask that one i'm also terrified they might hold the nursing against me as i read somewhere they can look down on people who had previously been from a nursing background?

I would love to have a read of your personal statement thanks for the offer! because i'm pulling my hair out here trying not to come across like a complete tool while also not trying to sound like i'm writing a sob story either.... would you mind if i sent you a copy of mine to possibly critique also when i have the 1st draft done?

Sorry for all the questions :P final one! i swear lol what work experience did you have going into the whole process? i'm planning on starting in KARE with intellectually disabled adults in day services but i can't until i move home to Ireland this month and I've got an interview to join the order of Malta but i feel like im behind on everyone else

But i'll enjoy the process as much as possible lol and light a candle maybe hahaha

dazh10

Caolan wrote: »

Hey Pops-

Good luck; it's an exciting path and I wish you best of luck.

I did this last year and it was a great help. Firstly, not having biology and chem in advance pretty much rules out Trinity, UCD and NUIG (unless you have an alternative). It's worth remembering that the majority of successful mature applicants have applied more than once, so regularly the first year applying is also getting your "ducks in a row". Having said that, a lot of peoe do succeed first time out.

If you qualify, apply via grad entry also as it improves chances obviously.

Biology- isn't difficult, but the course is huge. It's easy to get to a B grade, but they try catch people out to minimise the A's. Practice past exam papers and marking schemes.

Chemistry- start now- again, exam papers are yor friend. Set out a study plan and stick to it. Master past papers, but you also need to understand the stuff as they change the way they ask the questions to catch out those who rote learn things.

As for the application, I mean to do a post for those applying this year just to pass on my experiences. But I advise starting work on HPAT straight away, its important, but just a peice of the overall jigsaw. People as low as 120 get interviews because of strong applications, while people with 200+ don't due to gaps in their applications. Try have no gaps!

I don't mind sharing my personal statement, just PM me. And I'll do that post soon for 2016 applicants. Anyone with any questions do not hesitate to ask, it's a tough process, but hopefully rewarding.

As an aside- anyone sitting the LC this year, I've a load of LC books, revision books, grind school notes, past papers etc as well as interview books and GAMSAT books and 7 mock HPAT exams and answer books (acer and non acer) etc that I'm happy to sell very reasonably to help fund my medical books- just PM if interested.

Hi Caolan,

I'm a recent graduate in sport and exercise science with biology, chemistry and ag science completed at leaving certificate level. I will be doing the hpat this year with the view to applying for mature medicine but do not qualify for graduate entry. I'm just wondering if you could help me understand the gaps in application you were speaking about? Any help would be much appreciated!