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mature entry to medicine trinity/ucd

  • 08-12-2009 3:54pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭


    Hi All
    Im 26, completed my gcses in england, started my a levels towards medicine but half way through decided to take a year out and came over to ireland. I ended up getting a part time job in a toy superstore and stayed for 7 years working my way up to store manager. I then decided now was the time for me to go backand study what i wanted and im looking at trinity or ucd. Im planning on doing the leaving cert in bio.phys/chem and maths and confident ill get an a/b. I also have shaddowing in GOSH and with my gp. Ihave also applied to do access to medicine in england. So i guess my main question is do i stand a chance and if not how can i improve my chances
    Thanks
    Peter


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 39 neurodegenerate


    petemg wrote: »
    Hi All
    Im 26, completed my gcses in england, started my a levels towards medicine but half way through decided to take a year out and came over to ireland. I ended up getting a part time job in a toy superstore and stayed for 7 years working my way up to store manager. I then decided now was the time for me to go backand study what i wanted and im looking at trinity or ucd. Im planning on doing the leaving cert in bio.phys/chem and maths and confident ill get an a/b. I also have shaddowing in GOSH and with my gp. Ihave also applied to do access to medicine in england. So i guess my main question is do i stand a chance and if not how can i improve my chances
    Thanks
    Peter


    Firstly, do you realise that you'll have to do more than three subjects for the leaving cert? I am aware in England you do three or four for A levels but in for the leaving cert you need six subjects minumun. That could be the best way of improving your chances;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭petemg


    Firstly, do you realise that you'll have to do more than three subjects for the leaving cert? I am aware in England you do three or four for A levels but in for the leaving cert you need six subjects minumun. That could be the best way of improving your chances;)

    Hi Neurodegenerate

    so you would suggest sitting the whole leaving cert?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,759 ✭✭✭Jessibelle


    Hi Petemg,
    As a mature student you have to, at a minimum, fufill the matriculation requirements for the university that you're applying to to be considered. This varies from 1/2 lab sciences and a language and maths requirement, depending on the university. It's outlined in the college prospectus though so check the requirements there. Mature students are considered on other factors other than leaving cert points, so technically you wouldn't require the full 600 points, however, if you don't get accepted as a mature student, you can be considered as an undergraduate in the normal points race, at which point the more high scoring LC subjects you have under your belt the better. Don't forget though that regardless of trying for entry as a Mature student or undergrad, you have to sit the HPAT exam, and before you can register for that, you must have registered with the CAO.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 85 ✭✭Prime Mover


    To be honest, I don't think your chances are very good with the route you are taking.

    Firstly there are very few mature places. I don't know if UCD even do that option any more now they have GEM.

    I really doubt you would get a place with only GCSEs and no other academic qualifications. They will want assurance you can get through a med workload. If you go back and do your leaving they will want to know why you only took 3 subjects and not the full 6 plus HPAT.

    I'm not sure if a bit of shadowing will cut it against another candidate who has previous healthcare experience or volunteer work.

    I think your best option for Ireland is to sit the full leaving and HPAT.

    I don't mean the above to sound harsh, I'm just being realistic. You should call the colleges directly, they might give you an idea of your chances of success.


  • Registered Users Posts: 39 neurodegenerate


    petemg wrote: »
    Hi Neurodegenerate

    so you would suggest sitting the whole leaving cert?

    Yes. If you want to go in the undergraduate route you'd to do what every other undergrad applicant does here and sit the leaving cert - the whole leaving cert! You can't just do three subjects or you'd only be able to get 300 points and as was mentioned you need to meet the matriculation requirements - languages, a certain number of science subjects etc. Check out cao.ie for help and get onto ucd and trinity. And yes you'd have to do that hpat, an aptitutde test.
    There's a lot to consider! If you are considering going the undergrad route you should decide soon - six subjects is a considerable work load to get through and it's december now, do you think you could get up to an A/B standard in six subjects for june? I think you'd have a slim chance of getting in as a mature student, I think applicants usually have a degree and definitely a leaving cert or a levels. Good luck whatever you decide to do!:)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 351 ✭✭jenga-jen


    Hi OP, just a quick word on the availability of mature entry places for medicine.

    As far as I know, the colleges are still offering the mature entry places as before. The only stipulation being that you can't apply for mature entry if you qualify for the GEM route (ie already hold a degree). However, they may look at your life experience, work and maybe why you want to do medicine so I think the application process is a little more detailed.

    +1 on needing the 6 subjects for the Leaving Cert though, works very differently from the UK system although I think you can use A levels to apply.

    Best bet is to contact the admissions offices in the various institutions directly

    Good luck :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭petemg


    thanks for all the advice guys, im bascially going to domy leaving and aim for the 600 mark (i know my storng subjects ill be grand and ill get grinds in the others) and take it from there. I went to the trinity open day and was impressed with it. thanks again guys the advice is appreciated

    Pete


  • Registered Users Posts: 328 ✭✭eagle_&_bear


    very best of luck pete


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