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Mature Entry Medicine 2022

  • 25-10-2021 12:43am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 5


    Hey everyone!


    I’m 26 and planning on applying to (and hopefully studying!) medicine next year.

    Anyone else applying through this route this year? I’ve seen threads like this for previous years and thought it might be good to open one for the current application cycles. 😊

    Hopefully we can share some tips and help each other out in the process. Who knows, we might be classmates next year!



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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 38 eua19r1


    I'll be applying via mature entry this year as well. Likely will apply to all the colleges that take mature students bar trinity as I don't have 2 sciences from Leaving Cert.



  • Registered Users Posts: 5 kaul


    Nice to meet you! Will this be your first time applying? I’m so clueless with this whole thing other than what information there is on boards. I have no idea where I stand in comparison to other applicants.



  • Registered Users Posts: 30 rogerroger22


    Hey,

    im applying too, first time too :)

    I’m the same, I’ve no idea where I lie in comparison to other applicants! what’s your background?



  • Registered Users Posts: 38 eua19r1


    I applied last year as well, there is good information on last years thread on boards. I'm currently working as a Nurse.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1 FenianGoat


    Hi Folks!

    I'm working as an Emergency Medical Technician for a Private Ambulance, looking to head to the Paramedics next year as a back up in case I didn't get Medicine because, like everyone else, I don't know where I stand in relation to other applicants!

    I've found the best thing to do is open a line of communication with the colleges you are looking to apply to. Email the mature student offices looking for info on how they handle Mature Medicine, because every college does it a bit different.

    So far i've been in contact with TCD and UCC, and im still waiting on NUIG to get back to me. (No 3rd language so RCSI won't even look at me!)

    TCD weigh their application process 3:1 in relation to the Application Form/Personal Statement to HPAT (75% Application, 25% HPAT). If succesful, you get called for interview/put on a waiting list for an interview.

    UCC are similar enough, while I don't know the exacts because the dude from UCC I was on the phone to didn't know either, they put more emphasis on the Application over the HPAT. One nice thing about UCC is that you can organise a meeting on Microsoft Teams with the Mature Student officer, who can go through the entire thing with you. I still haven't availed of it, because COVID has come out swining recently so im working around the clock, but you can book a slot on the Mature student page on the UCC website!

    And one last thing: The HPAT is being ran online this year. When I started prepping for it I done it all in pen/paper with printouts of questions. I got fairly good at it and was quietly confident I had this in the bag come February. When the news came out it would be all ran online, I decided to quickly familiarise myself with how it would be ran online, and went through a few online test questions (which were the same as the printout questions).

    It was like I was back at square one.

    For some reason reading off a screen, I couldn't parse the information in my head like I could on a printout. Scared the bejesus out of me for a bit, but again, by working through the questions I got used to it again, although it did take a while.

    My advice for the HPAT would be prep for it online. Use online questions, or atleast read the questions off a PDF. It could just be me who had this problem, but I thought i'd say it just in case!

    I hope some of this info helps!



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  • Registered Users Posts: 5 kaul


    Hey,


    Hope application is going well for you! I have two sciences from leaving cert (phys/chem and biology) but my background is Biochemistry, I have a BSc (Hons) but just achieved a 2.2! Working in a hospital laboratory currently. I also have a grad cert (equivalent to a level 8) add on too, which I got a 2.1 in, focused on the medical sciences.


    I don’t have any real medical experience, as in any patient contact or anything so I fear this may put me at a loss, but we’ll see!



  • Registered Users Posts: 5 kaul


    Thank you so much for all of this information! With NUIG I think they shortlist you based on your HPAT and the MMI interviews are used in order to choose, I may be wrong though!



  • Registered Users Posts: 1 acmk22


    Hi everyone! I’m hoping to apply too, but am not feeling very hopefully having read all your achievements so far. I didn’t finish school and went to Australia young, I am a qualified pharmacy technician and am a volunteer first aid responder and search and rescue responder. However I don’t think this along with a good HPAT would make the cut? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.



  • Registered Users Posts: 37 MadMammy1


    Hi All, late to this discussion as just finalised my decision to apply at the last minute. I have an Research Masters and experience in industry. I went to the online RCSI open day and it was brilliant. Recommend going back over the videos for Graduate Entry too, even if not applying that way (I am not as need the extra time for my little one). Does anyone know how many words RCSI want on personal statement. Most of the others want 1500 but LC undergrads in RCSI are asked to submit two A4 pages. It will be hard to do that! Is everyone ready for the HPAT. I am dreading section 1 and 3. Also, one of my references has gotten Covid so I cannot get the written document sent to CAO yet with the supplemental info. Any ideas? He is a big one so need him. Good luck to everyone!



  • Registered Users Posts: 30 rogerroger22


    How did everyone find the HPAT?

    Please do let us know if you get contacted by the colleges to submit documents/called for interview!



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  • Registered Users Posts: 38 eua19r1


    Mine went fine aside from a power cut and some internet issues. Managed to get it all done though at least. What about you?

    I got my email around end of April last year to submit documents for RCSI so I'd imagine it will be similar for this year.



  • Registered Users Posts: 30 rogerroger22


    Oh no, did you have to resit the rest of it on the extra date (26th I think it was) because of the technical problems? I had no internet problems thankfully, but found certain section more time pressured than usual.. very hard to know how you did!



  • Registered Users Posts: 38 eua19r1


    Got some additional time on the Saturday but didn’t find it much more useful. It’s a hard exam to go back and change answers on and it wasn’t much extra time. Hopefully the results will be out at a similar time to last year.



  • Registered Users Posts: 37 MadMammy1


    I found the HPAT quite challenging. It was my first time sitting it and I guess despite practice, the time really was my enemy in Section 1. I think I was very thrown as it took over an hour and a half before the test was finally started and the adrenaline I had built up had sort of waned. Time will tell I guess. Wishing you all good luck! Please do post if you hear anything. I will do the same.



  • Registered Users Posts: 38 eua19r1


    Hpat results out now. Best of luck everyone



  • Registered Users Posts: 37 MadMammy1


    Thanks eua19r1. I was not expecting them until next week so my heart rate skyrocketed when I got the email notification on my phone this morning. I attended the RCSI CAO student webinar last week and Celeste said that requests for document submission should be out before Easter. I did not do very well at all but expected it as it is the first time taking it and totally bombed my time allotment in Section 1 and 3.

    Best of luck all!



  • Registered Users Posts: 38 eua19r1


    I got an interview for rcsi with a score of 57 if that’s any use as an indication for anyone. Not sure what It will be this year though. I was pleasantly surprised with my score considering the power cuts I had.



  • Registered Users Posts: 30 jojomama


    I'd be very surprised if I get an interview, actually walked past RCSI this morning 💔. Will try again anyway. Yeah wasn't expecting them so quick. Great though. Best of luck to everyone doing the next stages



  • Registered Users Posts: 30 rogerroger22


    Hi guys,

    just to update you - I got an email to submit documents to RCSI this morning to progress to the next step. I hope you guys got similar and best of luck to us 🧡



  • Registered Users Posts: 30 jojomama


    I got the email!! Skin of my teeth I'd say 😬 but still. Congrats and best of luck 🍀 🤞🤍



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  • Registered Users Posts: 37 MadMammy1


    Not my year this year unfortunately. Missed cut off by 2 points. Gutted. I knew I bombed but disappointed nonetheless as cut off was 130 in other years. Wishing you all well this year folks. I hope you all get what you want. I will see some of you on here next year!



  • Registered Users Posts: 30 rogerroger22


    What was the cut off this year?

    if anyone here’s from Galway or Cork please let us know!



  • Registered Users Posts: 30 jojomama


    If I dont get it this year which I doubt I will, I'll be trying again with you next year. Don't give up if it's what you really want 💪



  • Registered Users Posts: 38 eua19r1


    Rcsi email here too. Hopefully cork and Galway don’t take too long getting back.



  • Registered Users Posts: 37 MadMammy1


    Cut off was 140 for RCSI. As far as I know, TCD is always 150. No idea for UCC and NUIG but higher I think.

    Thanks jojomama. I really appreciate that!! I hope not for your sake (and mine too as I can bug you for info on a successful application :-)). It is something I have wanted but life got in the way for me and it became an impossibility. But suddenly, this year changed that and as upset as I am, I am going to try again. I didn't get enough time in for practice on HPAT questions as I could only study from mid January so I guess if I have an entire year, next year will be better. I am no spring chicken and any doctor I have mentioned this to things I am off my block but hey, my mind is made up.

    Good luck on submissions and interviews!!



  • Registered Users Posts: 19 Futuremedmum



    Post edited by Futuremedmum on


  • Registered Users Posts: 37 MadMammy1





  • Registered Users Posts: 38 eua19r1


    Any idea of the cut off for Galway?



  • Registered Users Posts: 30 rogerroger22


    Must have been unsuccessful for Galway so :( people who got Galway invites what HPAT score did you get?



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  • Registered Users Posts: 30 rogerroger22


    I know the cut off for Galway last year was 140, so must have been higher this year :(



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