Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

if anyone wants to reminisce about getting your offer for medicine...

  • 17-08-2009 06:48AM
    #1
    tallaght01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,778 ✭✭✭


    ...go to the last couple of pages on this thread in the leaving cert forum

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055604717&page=12

    The CAO places are just out. Good few people on there have got med. Reminds me how euphoric I was when I got my place. Literally danced around the garden.

    Great days.

    Med school is an amazing time, in my opinion.


«1

Comments

  • #2
    Stompbox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,811 ✭✭✭Stompbox


    Hey there,after an anxious wait, results finally posted. Got my first choice, med in RCSI. The feeling is unbelievable!:)


  • #3
    tallaght01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,778 ✭✭✭tallaght01


    Great work. Fantastic med school by all accounts. Do you mind me asking how you got on with LC points? Did the HPAT make any difference? Or did people still need 540+ to get in?


  • #4
    bythewoods
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,361 ✭✭✭bythewoods


    I just accepted Medicine in UCD!

    I'm deliriously happy!

    Can't even describe how happy I am that I've actually gotten it this time. I repeated y'see. Although, thanks to the good old HPAT, I had enough to get in with last year's points anyway...
    I'd been convincing myself all Summer I'd be doing Human Health & Disease Science or Pharmacy. Didn't think I'd made it. Turns out I had plenty of points!

    Still a little bit in disbelief. I could never see myself doing anything else with my life and am reallllllly glad I didn't just settle into something else last year.
    So emotional.. :p

    Wish me luck all :)
    The standard of the Irish Health Service is about to drop dramatically :pac:


  • #5
    Piste
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,440 ✭✭✭✭Piste


    I'll be going into 1st year RCSI myself!


  • #6
    Stompbox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,811 ✭✭✭Stompbox


    tallaght01 wrote: »
    Great work. Fantastic med school by all accounts. Do you mind me asking how you got on with LC points? Did the HPAT make any difference? Or did people still need 540+ to get in?

    Sure, I got 535 but my HPAT score of 187 really proved to be the instrument of success. Delighted it's in place. I truly believe that it caters for students like me, relatively bright but lack the application and motivation to succeed in the long-winded Leaving Cert.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    deepimpact
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,656 ✭✭✭deepimpact


    Sweet wrote: »
    Sure, I got 535 but my HPAT score of 187 really proved to be the instrument of success. Delighted it's in place. I truly believe that it caters for students like me, relatively bright but lack the application and motivation to succeed in the long-winded Leaving Cert.

    Relatively bright? Sweet, you did an excellent LC, and congratulations on the result and best of luck in your course.

    And well done to all those who get into Med this year, the hard work produced the results you deserved.


  • #8
    Svalbard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 504 ✭✭✭Svalbard


    So today a few (ahem!) years ago I was NOT thrilled to get my med school offer.

    I had pretty much convinced my self I wouldn't get in and was looking forward to doing Science. So I was stunned and bewildered with the offer and it took me a few days to warm up to the idea.

    Was much more excited and borderline delirious to get my training scheme place though!


  • #9
    mardybumbum
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,937 ✭✭✭mardybumbum


    I can remember it clearly.
    I stayed up until six in the morning checking the CAO page every five minutes.
    For some reason I thought it was a great idea to play this song over and over again.



    Anywhooo, I listened to that song a few hundred times before the confirmation came through.
    I was actually fairly shocked tbh. I only applied to one medical school and I wasnt even sure If I applied before the final date.
    So, I clicked the confirmation button and ran into my parents bedroom.
    Did a lil dance before I was promptly told to GTFO.
    I spent the next few weeks wondering If the fact that I was arrested on my grad night would effect my place on the course.

    Thats it I guess.


  • #10
    tech77
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,736 ✭✭✭tech77


    Everyone always says they were shocked. :)
    For once i'd love to hear one of those 600 pointers on the news say "piece of pi$$".
    Anyway, I was definitely surprised.
    All "hard" subjects as well- none of your higher level geography for me :p

    Also, agree with Tallaght about the myth of nerdiness associated with some high-acheivers.
    Some of these people are just scarily talented.
    Don't you just hate them. :D


  • #11
    bleg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,848 ✭✭✭bleg


    I knew I had gotten pharmacy but didn't know if I'd get my 1st choice. Got it on random selection, deadly. Got up at 6 in the morning to check it.

    One of my friends got the same no. of points and didn't get in. She got a re check though and then got the course so it was all good.


  • Advertisement
  • #12
    PhysiologyRocks
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,813 ✭✭✭PhysiologyRocks


    Oh tis well I remember. Mainly because it was very recently.

    I had done my leaving cert before, so I knew I had my points all year, but I was still terrified that something would go wrong! I woke up far too early, woke my dad up and went downstairs, got the internet up and running and lo and behold, there lay my beautiful offer.

    We all opened up champagne and I went for a nap. It was the best day of my life, and I've appreciated it every day since. *Tear*


  • #13
    QueenOfLeon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭QueenOfLeon


    I'll be going into first year medicine in NUIG! Was the best feeling ever to see that offer, still on a high! :D


  • #14
    cGirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭cGirl


    Are all you RCSIer's (and everyone else, I suppose) doing the 5 or 6 year course?


  • #15
    Carsinian Thau
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭Carsinian Thau


    cGirl wrote: »
    Are all you RCSIer's (and everyone else, I suppose) doing the 5 or 6 year course?

    I'm doing a six year course.

    (But I started two years ago, so your question may not have been directed at me).

    I'm not RCSI either.


  • #16
    cGirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭cGirl


    I'm doing a six year course.

    (But I started two years ago, so your question may not have been directed at me).

    I'm not RCSI either.
    Do you think 6 years put you at an advantage? I was offered the 5 year course and I accepted because I met the requirements. I did pretty well in chemistry and biology at school, but I never did physics. Still, I assume that they wouldn't offer it to you if they didn't think you'd be able?...How much physics is on the medicine course?


  • #17
    Carsinian Thau
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭Carsinian Thau


    cGirl wrote: »
    Do you think 6 years put you at an advantage? I was offered the 5 year course and I accepted because I met the requirements. I did pretty well in chemistry and biology at school, but I never did physics. Still, I assume that they wouldn't offer it to you if they didn't think you'd be able?...How much physics is on the medicine course?

    You'll do fine without it. Most don't take pre-med anymore.

    I don't know how much physics is really in the course but I don't see how it would fit with most of the clinical stuff and anything preclinical I've encountered doesn't need it either.

    In fact, a lot of students I've med say it's a waste of time. And I certainly don't see how it would come in handy for most things.

    The best thing about the 6 year course is the very easy year at the start. The five year course is just work work work all the way. Whereas the 6 year is easy and then work work work.

    You'll be fine on the 5 year though.


  • #18
    cGirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭cGirl


    That makes me feel a bit better, because it seems most people I've spoken to (all 2 of them :p) have done pre-med and have told me that first year is really tough, but sure if most people aren't doing it anymore I highly doubt I'll be the only one thrown into the deep end.


  • #19
    Carsinian Thau
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭Carsinian Thau


    cGirl wrote: »
    That makes me feel a bit better, because it seems most people I've spoken to (all 2 of them :p) have done pre-med and have told me that first year is really tough, but sure if most people aren't doing it anymore I highly doubt I'll be the only one thrown into the deep end.

    No, over half of my year was thrown into the deep end and most of them survived (a few of them did transfer down to pre med though).

    It's fine though. You'll be grand with the 5 year unless you decide to leave everything to the week before the exam or go out every single night and get drunk enough to forget your own name.

    You'll have to face the pressure of 1st med eventually anyway.


  • #20
    UCCmed09
    Closed Accounts Posts: 45 ✭UCCmed09


    anyone heading into ucc med?


  • #21
    flerb22
    Closed Accounts Posts: 61 ✭✭flerb22


    i got my A level results and went right to the nearest bar so i dont really remember much about getting my offer


  • Advertisement
  • #22
    ergo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 903 ✭✭✭ergo


    so yeah, back on topic

    I think getting the results of the LC was the day I knew I would get into med, I was a few points clear of the previous year

    and getting the A1 in Honours Maths basically got me into UCD med, a nice 140 points for that back in the day :)

    back then there was no internet, it was either get the Irish Times first thing in the morning 5am-ish or wait for the postman - and if it was random selection it was just the postman obviously with the news

    well done to everyone, it really is a great time(getting offers/getting ready for college) so enjoy it

    and IMHO 600 points in the LC does not necessarily equate with being a good doctor, hence the HPAT I suppose (conspiracy theories of evening up the M:F ratios aside...)


  • #23
    Piste
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,440 ✭✭✭✭Piste


    cGirl wrote: »
    Are all you RCSIer's (and everyone else, I suppose) doing the 5 or 6 year course?

    I'll be going to RCSI doing the 5 year course. I was a little worried about the physics but apparently it doesn't come up much in subsequent years so I'm happy enough!
    knuck wrote: »
    All Uk Universities admit students to medicine based on a combination of A-level results, UKCAT Tests (which is the UK version of the HPAT), Personal Statement and Interviews.

    I think it is a fair fairer system all round. HPAT and UKCAT exams test one's natural intelligence and aptitude.

    As far as I know, UKCAT has a science side, which tests actual knowledge, which is unlike the HPAT, as that tests "latent ability".

    I don't see how the HPAT qualifies anyone to do medicine more than the LC. I just can't see how a high score in the HPAT translates to succeeding in Med School.


  • #24
    tallaght01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,778 ✭✭✭tallaght01


    Physics doesn't come up a huge amount. It's handy for stuff like orthopaedics and biomechanics stuff. It also has some relevance to biochemistry and physiology.

    But if you just understand the concepts you can work stuff out. It doesn't involve learning a lot.

    I wouldn't stress about not having much physics under your belt. Chemistry and biology are way more important.

    A guy in my class had a first class honours degree in physics, and a physics PhD, and he struggled with the first few years like everyone else (I had a biomedical sciences degree and I struggled too!).

    You'll see when you start that someone who's bright enough to get 500+ points in the leaving is capable of doing well at med school, one way or the other. It's a bloody hard course, but you guys are bloody smart.


  • #25
    nesf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,644 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    tallaght01 wrote: »
    A guy in my class had a first class honours degree in physics, and a physics PhD, and he struggled with the first few years like everyone else (I had a biomedical sciences degree and I struggled too!).

    Physics wouldn't be any use to you outside of the statistics modules (you should find them trivial if you're capable of PhD level Physics). I suppose having physics is good from an "all round science" perspective but I really struggle to see its relevance to medicine outside of real specialist stuff like biomechanics (where it's trivial really) and advanced radiology like MRI machines (where it's non-trivial but you don't really need to understand the technology and be able to work out the Fourier Transforms to know when an MRI is needed etc).


  • #26
    tallaght01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,778 ✭✭✭tallaght01


    It's all basic physics. Mechanism of injury. Learning about imagine. Learning about enzyme kinetics and energy production and metabolism. There's lots of applications for basic physics in medicine. But I'm dire at physics and maths and I managed fine.

    Any of these 500+ points kids will manage if they try. I can think of only one medical student who had the massive grades in school who was literally unable to do medicine. It takes a lot of work, and you need to e bright. But, in my opinion, the med students who fail do so because they realise they're not interested, or because they don't try hard enough. Some of them have nervous breakdowns etc, but I would say it's rarely that they can't actually cope with the work.

    These guys are in the top couple of % in the country in terms of academic ability, so they can all do a medical degree if they work hard enough.


  • #27
    tallaght01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,778 ✭✭✭tallaght01


    I've tidied up this thread a bit. Moved the HPAT debate posts to a new thread, so that this thread is just about welcoming our new colleagues to the professions :D


  • #28
    JSK 252
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭JSK 252


    tallaght01 wrote: »
    I've tidied up this thread a bit. Moved the HPAT debate posts to a new thread, so that this thread is just about welcoming our new colleagues to the professions :D

    Ah yah and new pharmers will always play second fiddle...:pac:


  • #29
    UCCmed09
    Closed Accounts Posts: 45 ✭UCCmed09


    JSK 252 wrote: »
    Ah yah and new pharmers will always play second fiddle...:pac:

    nah...i've spent a year with 60 pharmers-to-be and none of them will ever play second fiddle lol!


  • #30
    JSK 252
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭JSK 252


    UCCmed09 wrote: »
    nah...i've spent a year with 60 pharmers-to-be and none of them will ever play second fiddle lol!

    As in they are competitive?


  • Advertisement
  • #31
    UCCmed09
    Closed Accounts Posts: 45 ✭UCCmed09


    JSK 252 wrote: »
    As in they are competitive?

    no didnt mean it like that...just that the class match the equivalent meds every step of the way with their brains!!but obviously every class has its competitive few...we all are competitive to some degree and some more than others then maybe!


Advertisement