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GEM

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  • 14-06-2013 5:58pm
    #1
    Ana27
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭


    Hey, does anyone have any advice on the best course to get into GEM?

    I'm thinking of biological & chemical sciences in UCC. Would I stand a good chance if i got a 2.1 in neuroscience or physiology and did the GAMSAT?

    Also what is the score with getting into medicine in the US?

    Thanks in advance :)


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    #2
    Flange/Flanders
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭Flange/Flanders


    Right, few things to consider.

    1) If you repeated the leaving, would you work harder next year?

    2) Fees. This is the big difference, free fees (registration etc excluded) versus no free fees for GEM. Adding the guts of 70k in debt to your life.

    3) You might actually like your college course and end up wanting to work in that. Its a possibility.

    4) Exams. Think of this, a year of repeating and (if you get in) your medical exams. If you do an undergrad you're adding 3 years of exams before you start medical school.

    5) Gamsat, you might be a few months (and a possible repeat) before you do well enough to get into med.

    In hindsight, I wished I worked harder for the leaving, Id be saving myself a lot of money now for myself!! That said, I had the best 4 years ever in college doing something completely non medical related and some of my best friends I met through that course. I also got a qualification that I believe (well thats what Im telling myself :D ) good life experience. I wouldnt worry too much about the college course, just do something that you think you'll enjoy and more importantly, get at least a 2.1 in. Im not gonna tell you to repeat, thats a decision you should take over with your family and decide yourself.


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    #3
    caroline1111
    Registered Users Posts: 224 ✭✭caroline1111


    If you believe you have the ability to get around 575 and like 85th percentile in the hpat or whatever is needed these days then repeat, it's quicker and cheaper.
    Otherwise you can always go the grad route, I don't get why you wouldn't do a course related to medicine if u want to study medicine ultimately, that should be the area that interests you the most.
    As for getting in in America I'd say its harder than here and more expensive but I don't actually know, never heard of anyone doing it. It's usually the other way around.


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    #4
    PLAYSTATION4
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭PLAYSTATION4


    Regarding the US route, admissions is a bit more difficult than Ireland, especially for an international student. Not to discourage you, but unless you have a 1:1 degree and a 33+ MCAT I think you would be hard pressed to get into an American school, and would probably have difficulty even with that. The cheapest tuition you'll find is going to be about $40,000 (€30,000) per year. Most likely you'll have to pay about $50,000 per year.

    Additionally, you will have to take MCAT, which is the American admissions test, in my experience GAMSAT is a bit easier because they give you more time per question than MCAT. Also, you're required to have a great deal of knowledge entering the test (you're responsible to know, in great detail, general chemistry, organic chemistry, general physics, general biology, and college mathematics), whereas GAMSAT is more of a reasoning test.

    To put MCAT vs GAMSAT in perspective I scored 27 on MCAT, and couldn't get an offer for any US school as a US citizen, and 63 on GAMSAT.

    As an international student with somewhat weak stats, your best bet might be Australia. I was accepted to the University of Queensland with my 27 MCAT. Although the fees will be similar of what you'll pay in the US.


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    #5
    Ana27
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭Ana27


    Flange/Flanders wrote: »
    Right, few things to consider.

    1) If you repeated the leaving, would you work harder next year?

    2) Fees. This is the big difference, free fees (registration etc excluded) versus no free fees for GEM. Adding the guts of 70k in debt to your life.

    3) You might actually like your college course and end up wanting to work in that. Its a possibility.

    4) Exams. Think of this, a year of repeating and (if you get in) your medical exams. If you do an undergrad you're adding 3 years of exams before you start medical school.

    5) Gamsat, you might be a few months (and a possible repeat) before you do well enough to get into med.

    In hindsight, I wished I worked harder for the leaving, Id be saving myself a lot of money now for myself!! That said, I had the best 4 years ever in college doing something completely non medical related and some of my best friends I met through that course. I also got a qualification that I believe (well thats what Im telling myself :D ) good life experience. I wouldnt worry too much about the college course, just do something that you think you'll enjoy and more importantly, get at least a 2.1 in. Im not gonna tell you to repeat, thats a decision you should take over with your family and decide yourself.

    Thanks for the advice :)
    Tbh the thoughts of repeating this all over again are painful to say the least!
    I love science and will definitely go for a science degree, and hopefully have a great time!

    I'm just wondering, you say you did your 4 years in college, are you now doing graduate medicine?


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    #6
    Flange/Flanders
    Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭Flange/Flanders


    I studied maths in college, then became an accountant and I will be starting (more than likely) in UCD in September.


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    #7
    joydivided23
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭joydivided23


    Hey, I got 64 in the GAMSAT this year (2013) and was just wondering how you are deciding between RCSI and UCD. Having serious problems here!

    Cheers


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    #8
    beardedmaster
    Registered Users Posts: 614 ✭✭✭beardedmaster


    joydivided23 wrote: »
    Hey, I got 64 in the GAMSAT this year (2013) and was just wondering how you are deciding between RCSI and UCD. Having serious problems here!

    Cheers

    There's a huge thread on it here...


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