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

UCD or RCSI?

2456712

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 6,124 ✭✭✭wolfpawnat


    JennyJ87 wrote: »
    There are more than a few backdoors in from what I've heard

    I have heard that too, but I am not sure is it true. I know there was an odd case of one person failing a year three times even though the policy was they're out if they failed more than twice:confused:

    Well it was a Canadian that said it to my partner and his friend and since I repeated my LC with them, I can confirm they worked their asses off to get in. But then again, we have a different exam system to them and they don't realise getting nigh on 600 points was very hard for most people. But it was insulting all the same!


  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    JennyJ87 wrote: »
    It's hard to comment on this question as I haven't been to both but I can say UCD is a superb medical school and from any of the objective measures seems to be in a different league to RCSI.

    I'd rather be taught in a group of 50 by a consultant than in a group of ten by a junior doctor, that's my opinion as a final year.

    Good doctors come out of both but if your daddy isn't paying for your ski holidays and your mini cooper you'll probably be better off in UCD, ironic I know.

    Which objective measure are you referring too? I read that consultants teach the rcsi course as well. Maybe some of the clinical exposure is taken by junior doctors?

    Like I say I've been speaking to a guy who has a kid in each and they're saying rcsi.

    I take great offence to that mini jab as my girlfriend drives one, although she did for it herself!! Besides last time I checked there was no shortage of daddy's girls/boys in ucd.

    If there was an obvious choice between the two then there wouldn't be as much comment on boards and other sites about it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,124 ✭✭✭wolfpawnat


    WoolahUrma wrote: »
    Which objective measure are you referring too? I read that consultants teach the rcsi course as well. Maybe some of the clinical exposure is taken by junior doctors?

    The vast majority of my partners lecturers were either consultants or retired consultants, mostly from Beaumont in particular and the Rotunda for obstetrics. It caused major irritation in second year as many of the students had to travel to Beaumont for lectures as they were fitted around consultants times.


  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    wolfpawnat wrote: »
    My partner studied in both for a while (don't ask) he thought that though UCD had the better facilities, RCSI was better with less bs labs and random microbiology lectures that made little/no sense!

    Oh and JennyJ is right, RCSI is still very much a daddy's little rich kid exclusive club! They come from America with their money and think they are better than you. A few thought their parents paying nearly 50grand a year meant they were better than you even though the Irish students got their solely on academics! Though in all fairness, that attitude is in a lot of areas of life!

    What was his take on the different teaching styles? Hospitals? Lecturers? Fellow Irish students?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,124 ✭✭✭wolfpawnat


    WoolahUrma wrote: »
    What was his take on the different teaching styles? Hospitals? Lecturers? Fellow Irish students?

    Fellow Irish students, and students in general, a mixed batch, a lot from the Institute and other private leaving cert schools, others from regular schools (more so in UCD though) there are a lot of Malaysians in both colleges, they tend to stick mostly to themselves. In RCSI there is a greater variety of nationalities which of course meant getting to know a lot of people from all over the world. Both colleges had their fair share of "Do you know who my father is, he is a consultant neurologist at X hospital" (genuine, hand on my heart quote from one twat!) and "And then we went to NZ to watch the Lions, far better than watching it on TV, sure you know yourself" A lot of the kids came from privileged backgrounds and they were a dose, but seriously, no matter where you go in life, there are those sorts everywhere.

    A random side note, two friends of mine met studying there, one from Asia, one from Central America and they are happily married and settled in Ireland now with a family :)

    Teaching, though UCD's facilities are outstanding with their nice new building, he preferred RCSI. The module method used by UCD in his opinion made everything so rushed. The best example being microbiology. They lecture notes, for the most part, had one group of information, the lecturer would then spend the lecture cramming more information from slides the students didn't have onto the notes, then they were given a reading list of a few books (more than you would expect for an 8 week module) and the exams were literally all over the place. There was a lot of labs that were clearly just UCD wasting money and charging fee paying students through the teeth for, they were completely irrelevant to students unless they left the practice side of medicine and went into lab fields. RCSI did not waste time on such things and the microbiology actually made sense according to my partner. Both were excellent with the dealing of cadavers and learning from them, but again, UCD's facilities were superior, though he felt the lecturers in RCSI (practicing and retired surgeons) were better, a few of the UCD anatomy lecturers had done biology degrees, not medicine.

    Styles, both had their pro's and cons. In RCSI there were a few continual assessment oral exams in anatomy. Though terrifying at the time, it helped to have a percentage done and scores known before the larger written exams. UCD I cannot remember had they this. I just recall one instance my partner was nearly on deaths door (self inflicted) and somehow managed to pull a B in an oral exam by picking himself up for a few minutes. Apparently it was hilarious to behold! :rolleyes: He preferred RCSI's smaller room sizes.

    Hospitals were similar. Both colleges demanding a good sense of decorum and respect for the patients. They did go to different hospitals, UCD's being more centrally based, as I stated already, Beaumont was RCSI's main hospital, so a bit of a trek for many. Crumlin was the children's hospital for both and RCSI had the Rotunda while UCD went to Holles Street for obstetrics.

    RCSI had a nice smaller cosier feel to it. Most everyone knew everyone. The sports teams were all close knit and there was a laptop included with your fees, replaced then in either 3/4 year. But UCD had a greater variety of clubs, it is after getting a fantastic new gym and swimming pool and the campus as a whole gets better guest speakers and the like.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    wolfpawnat wrote: »
    Fellow Irish students, and students in general, a mixed batch, a lot from the Institute and other private leaving cert schools, others from regular schools (more so in UCD though) there are a lot of Malaysians in both colleges, they tend to stick mostly to themselves. In RCSI there is a greater variety of nationalities which of course meant getting to know a lot of people from all over the world. Both colleges had their fair share of "Do you know who my father is, he is a consultant neurologist at X hospital" (genuine, hand on my heart quote from one twat!) and "And then we went to NZ to watch the Lions, far better than watching it on TV, sure you know yourself" A lot of the kids came from privileged backgrounds and they were a dose, but seriously, no matter where you go in life, there are those sorts everywhere.

    A random side note, two friends of mine met studying there, one from Asia, one from Central America and they are happily married and settled in Ireland now with a family :)

    Teaching, though UCD's facilities are outstanding with their nice new building, he preferred RCSI. The module method used by UCD in his opinion made everything so rushed. The best example being microbiology. They lecture notes, for the most part, had one group of information, the lecturer would then spend the lecture cramming more information from slides the students didn't have onto the notes, then they were given a reading list of a few books (more than you would expect for an 8 week module) and the exams were literally all over the place. There was a lot of labs that were clearly just UCD wasting money and charging fee paying students through the teeth for, they were completely irrelevant to students unless they left the practice side of medicine and went into lab fields. RCSI did not waste time on such things and the microbiology actually made sense according to my partner. Both were excellent with the dealing of cadavers and learning from them, but again, UCD's facilities were superior, though he felt the lecturers in RCSI (practicing and retired surgeons) were better, a few of the UCD anatomy lecturers had done biology degrees, not medicine.

    Styles, both had their pro's and cons. In RCSI there were a few continual assessment oral exams in anatomy. Though terrifying at the time, it helped to have a percentage done and scores known before the larger written exams. UCD I cannot remember had they this. I just recall one instance my partner was nearly on deaths door (self inflicted) and somehow managed to pull a B in an oral exam by picking himself up for a few minutes. Apparently it was hilarious to behold! :rolleyes: He preferred RCSI's smaller room sizes.

    Hospitals were similar. Both colleges demanding a good sense of decorum and respect for the patients. They did go to different hospitals, UCD's being more centrally based, as I stated already, Beaumont was RCSI's main hospital, so a bit of a trek for many. Crumlin was the children's hospital for both and RCSI had the Rotunda while UCD went to Holles Street for obstetrics.

    RCSI had a nice smaller cosier feel to it. Most everyone knew everyone. The sports teams were all close knit and there was a laptop included with your fees, replaced then in either 3/4 year. But UCD had a greater variety of clubs, it is after getting a fantastic new gym and swimming pool and the campus as a whole gets better guest speakers and the like.

    Have you a problem with the lions loike? Yeah, funny, a friend of mine from secondary school did undergrad med and as he said himself, it's hard not to have a superiority complex when med runs in the family. That kinda stuff doesn't bother me at all, people can think what they like about themselves, good luck to them.

    The impression I'm getting is that rcsi have the cosy factor of the small class and the early clinical stuff really appeals to me. I'm driving ( a humble jetta ) so the hospital
    commute won't be a massive deal.

    Did he do any international summer work or after the degree? I've read mixed reports about much the college help with this


  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    I'm gonna head up next week for a nosy, the only off putting thing is the sandy ford complex which I've read is dour?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3 JennyJ87


    Early clinical stuff? You do GP visits in GEM1 semester 2 UCD, you do 1 month in vinnies and the mater in GEM2 aswell as time in Holles Street, the Coombe, Harolds Cross Hospice and other places

    Early clinical experience isn't really a big deal

    Free laptop in RCSI, whats the yearly IT fee again? 600 quid or something like that? lol

    Why would you want a smaller class? Bigger class, know more people, better network etc

    I'm ducking out of this thread now, good luck where ever you all end up


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,124 ✭✭✭wolfpawnat


    WoolahUrma wrote: »
    Have you a problem with the lions loike? Yeah, funny, a friend of mine from secondary school did undergrad med and as he said himself, it's hard not to have a superiority complex when med runs in the family. That kinda stuff doesn't bother me at all, people can think what they like about themselves, good luck to them.

    The impression I'm getting is that rcsi have the cosy factor of the small class and the early clinical stuff really appeals to me. I'm driving ( a humble jetta ) so the hospital
    commute won't be a massive deal.

    Did he do any international summer work or after the degree? I've read mixed reports about much the college help with this

    He never completed the degree in either college, he quit UCD when his dad was really sick and then passed away and went back to medicine in RCSI then. Then he decided he should have followed his own dream instead of his mothers, pulled out after a year or two and went into veterinary :rolleyes: But he befriended a lot of the International students and many were willing to help look after their Irish colleagues if they went to their country. The colleges themselves seemed to just leave it more to the students. Only signing paperwork if needed.

    RCSI Sandyford I gathered from most people's giving out, the irritation was with the commute more than anything. It is not a great facility from the outside. But the luas goes from outside the door of the main college to outside the door of the Sandyford one ever 5-7 minutes.


  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    JennyJ87 wrote: »
    Early clinical stuff? You do GP visits in GEM1 semester 2 UCD, you do 1 month in vinnies and the mater in GEM2 aswell as time in Holles Street, the Coombe, Harolds Cross Hospice and other places

    Early clinical experience isn't really a big deal

    Free laptop in RCSI, whats the yearly IT fee again? 600 quid or something like that? lol

    Why would you want a smaller class? Bigger class, know more people, better network etc

    I'm ducking out of this thread now, good luck where ever you all end up

    I suppose that's the flip side of the argument. Smaller class more individual attention but it is a coin toss.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 383 ✭✭Biologic


    JennyJ87 wrote: »
    It's hard to comment on this question as I haven't been to both but I can say UCD is a superb medical school and from any of the objective measures seems to be in a different league to RCSI.

    I'd rather be taught in a group of 50 by a consultant than in a group of ten by a junior doctor, that's my opinion as a final year.
    Fantastic. Care to share all of these objective measures then? It'd be a lot more useful to people on this forum if you actually posted an honest account of the strengths and weaknesses of your programme, rather than just starting an uneducated defamation campaign of other programmes. And the teaching in RCSI is done mostly by consultants at class level (group of 60) and also at group level (of 10) with either GPs, consultants or junior doctors.

    JennyJ87 wrote: »
    Good doctors come out of both but if your daddy isn't paying for your ski holidays and your mini cooper you'll probably be better off in UCD, ironic I know.
    wolfpawnat wrote: »
    Oh and JennyJ is right, RCSI is still very much a daddy's little rich kid exclusive club! They come from America with their money and think they are better than you. A few thought their parents paying nearly 50grand a year meant they were better than you even though the Irish students got their solely on academics! Though in all fairness, that attitude is in a lot of areas of life!

    Where are you people getting this from? It's total rubbish. All the Americans I know in my class are on massive government loans, and there's none of the snobbery mentioned. And the US students generally have much more impressive academics than the Irish in my class.
    JennyJ87 wrote: »
    Why would you want a smaller class?
    This is getting silly. It doesn't take a whole lot of common sense to see why smaller class sizes are better.


  • Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭pc11


    wolfpawnat wrote: »
    Fellow Irish students, and students in general, a mixed batch, a lot from the Institute and other private leaving cert schools, others from regular schools (more so in UCD though) there are a lot of Malaysians in both colleges, they tend to stick mostly to themselves. In RCSI there is a greater variety of nationalities which of course meant getting to know a lot of people from all over the world. Both colleges had their fair share of "Do you know who my father is, he is a consultant neurologist at X hospital" (genuine, hand on my heart quote from one twat!) and "And then we went to NZ to watch the Lions, far better than watching it on TV, sure you know yourself" A lot of the kids came from privileged backgrounds and they were a dose, but seriously, no matter where you go in life, there are those sorts everywhere.

    A random side note, two friends of mine met studying there, one from Asia, one from Central America and they are happily married and settled in Ireland now with a family :)

    Teaching, though UCD's facilities are outstanding with their nice new building, he preferred RCSI. The module method used by UCD in his opinion made everything so rushed. The best example being microbiology. They lecture notes, for the most part, had one group of information, the lecturer would then spend the lecture cramming more information from slides the students didn't have onto the notes, then they were given a reading list of a few books (more than you would expect for an 8 week module) and the exams were literally all over the place. There was a lot of labs that were clearly just UCD wasting money and charging fee paying students through the teeth for, they were completely irrelevant to students unless they left the practice side of medicine and went into lab fields. RCSI did not waste time on such things and the microbiology actually made sense according to my partner. Both were excellent with the dealing of cadavers and learning from them, but again, UCD's facilities were superior, though he felt the lecturers in RCSI (practicing and retired surgeons) were better, a few of the UCD anatomy lecturers had done biology degrees, not medicine.

    Styles, both had their pro's and cons. In RCSI there were a few continual assessment oral exams in anatomy. Though terrifying at the time, it helped to have a percentage done and scores known before the larger written exams. UCD I cannot remember had they this. I just recall one instance my partner was nearly on deaths door (self inflicted) and somehow managed to pull a B in an oral exam by picking himself up for a few minutes. Apparently it was hilarious to behold! :rolleyes: He preferred RCSI's smaller room sizes.

    Hospitals were similar. Both colleges demanding a good sense of decorum and respect for the patients. They did go to different hospitals, UCD's being more centrally based, as I stated already, Beaumont was RCSI's main hospital, so a bit of a trek for many. Crumlin was the children's hospital for both and RCSI had the Rotunda while UCD went to Holles Street for obstetrics.

    RCSI had a nice smaller cosier feel to it. Most everyone knew everyone. The sports teams were all close knit and there was a laptop included with your fees, replaced then in either 3/4 year. But UCD had a greater variety of clubs, it is after getting a fantastic new gym and swimming pool and the campus as a whole gets better guest speakers and the like.

    I take it that much of this, particularly the UCD criticism, refers to undergrad med, yes? I assume there is much less time in GEM for random microbiology labs.


  • Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭pc11


    WoolahUrma wrote: »
    I'm gonna head up next week for a nosy, the only off putting thing is the sandy ford complex which I've read is dour?

    I really like the Sandyford building as it's small, self-contained, relaxed and personable. Also, I like the lounge and catering facilities.

    I found the UCD med building to be mayhem with hundreds of students thronging the place.

    That said, I would love to be near the UCD pool as I'm a keen swimmer.


  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    Biologic wrote: »
    Fantastic. Care to share all of these objective measures then? It'd be a lot more useful to people on this forum if you actually posted an honest account of the strengths and weaknesses of your programme, rather than just starting an uneducated defamation campaign of other programmes. And the teaching in RCSI is done mostly by consultants at class level (group of 60) and also at group level (of 10) with either GPs, consultants or junior doctors.






    Where are you people getting this from? It's total rubbish. All the Americans I know in my class are on massive government loans, and there's none of the snobbery mentioned. And the US students generally have much more impressive academics than the Irish in my class.


    This is getting silly. It doesn't take a whole lot of common sense to see why smaller class sizes are better.

    Any insight on summer placements? Is it true that they have someone assigned to usmle applications? What's the take on sandy ford? How much time do you spend in Stephens green?

    I have no experience of the people that attend either college but in my experience med does throw up a few status hungry peaches.


  • Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭pc11


    WoolahUrma wrote: »
    What's the take on sandy ford?
    .

    Gahh, this is making me twitch! :-)


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,124 ✭✭✭wolfpawnat


    Biologic wrote: »
    Where are you people getting this from? It's total rubbish. All the Americans I know in my class are on massive government loans, and there's none of the snobbery mentioned. And the US students generally have much more impressive academics than the Irish in my class.

    This is getting silly. It doesn't take a whole lot of common sense to see why smaller class sizes are better.

    Well the Canadian I was referring to in particular, as you can see from my post was an individual and was funded by her parents. Some of them are from wealthy backgrounds.

    Smaller size does not guarantee better teaching, but my partner preferred it personally.
    pc11 wrote: »
    I take it that much of this, particularly the UCD criticism, refers to undergrad med, yes? I assume there is much less time in GEM for random microbiology labs.

    Yeah, undergrad.


  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    pc11 wrote: »
    Gahh, this is making me twitch! :eek:

    Auto correct on iPhone


  • Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭pc11


    wolfpawnat wrote: »

    Yeah, undergrad.

    Then, in fairness, it's not helping this discussion.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,124 ✭✭✭wolfpawnat


    pc11 wrote: »
    Then, in fairness, it's not helping this discussion.

    Didn't realise the OP was asking for postgrad, my apologies.


  • Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭pc11


    WoolahUrma wrote: »
    Auto correct on iPhone

    I'll add it to the list of reasons why I hate the iPhone... :D


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    wolfpawnat wrote: »
    Didn't realise the OP was asking for postgrad, my apologies.

    A lot of the info was very useful, thanks


  • Registered Users Posts: 383 ✭✭Biologic


    WoolahUrma wrote: »
    Any insight on summer placements? Is it true that they have someone assigned to usmle applications? What's the take on sandy ford? How much time do you spend in Stephens green?

    I have no experience of the people that attend either college but in my experience med does throw up a few status hungry peaches.

    Anyone I know of in RCSI that went for Summer placements ended up getting what they wanted. The placements were pretty varied. Some did research and got paid for it, though it wasn't much. One person shadowed the state pathologist for a while (she lectures us in 2nd year), which seemed really cool.
    Yeah there's a vice dean in RCSI who is specifically assigned to manage USMLE stuff. And there's a department in Beaumont that does the same.
    In the whole first 2 years you don't spend much time in Stephen's green. Anatomy is done there, so that's 2 afternoons per week in first year. Then for 3 days in second year you go there for some tropical medicine stuff.


  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    Biologic wrote: »
    Anyone I know of in RCSI that went for Summer placements ended up getting what they wanted. The placements were pretty varied. Some did research and got paid for it, though it wasn't much. One person shadowed the state pathologist for a while (she lectures us in 2nd year), which seemed really cool.
    Yeah there's a vice dean in RCSI who is specifically assigned to manage USMLE stuff. And there's a department in Beaumont that does the same.
    In the whole first 2 years you don't spend much time in Stephen's green. Anatomy is done there, so that's 2 afternoons per week in first year. Then for 3 days in second year you go there for some tropical medicine stuff.

    What do you think of the year? As in classmates. Do you have much time off?


  • Registered Users Posts: 383 ✭✭Biologic


    WoolahUrma wrote: »
    What do you think of the year? As in classmates. Do you have much time off?

    Check out the thread I started a while ago, I think it's called RCSI GEP1 summary. It has all this stuff and more in it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 44 House_QC


    pc11 wrote: »
    I'll add it to the list of reasons why I hate the iPhone... :D

    Just turn the auto-correct function off. I have.


  • Registered Users Posts: 44 House_QC


    The general feel I'm getting from this thread is that, given the opportunity, most people would opt for RCSI over UCD.

    The organisation issue makes me a little wary of UCD. Can it really be disorganised? The fees are fairly similar in the wider scheme of things, i.e. they're both very expensive! If I'm going to fork out over 60-70k for a four-year course + another 40-50k on accommodation and living expenses, I want to make sure the course is well-organised.

    Smaller class size doesn't really matter to me. Four years is long enough to get to know everyone in the class - so a larger class might be more interesting.

    I'm more concerned about accommodation and living expenses at this point. Can anyone offer a realistic estimate for accommodation and living expenses in Dublin for someone coming from abroad, please? Also, is it easy enough to cycle around Dublin, including to further out venues at RCSI? I don't have a "mini-cooper".

    Thanks!


  • Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭pc11


    House_QC wrote: »
    Just turn the auto-correct function off. I have.

    If I had an iPhone I would. Of course in a modern smartphone you can easily control the auto correct. ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    pc11 wrote: »
    If I had an iPhone I would. Of course in a modern smartphone you can easily control the auto correct. ;)

    My spelling is bad so I do like it overall.

    Was that a snooty jab at my precious iPhone?

    If so, how dare you!! (Winkey face)

    I got it on a two year contract and although I do love it I've paid we'll for it by now. My mate works in a phone shop and he likes the galaxy series.

    I am looking forward to a new laptop, rcsi or not.


  • Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭WoolahUrma


    House_QC wrote: »
    The general feel I'm getting from this thread is that, given the opportunity, most people would opt for RCSI over UCD.

    The organisation issue makes me a little wary of UCD. Can it really be disorganised? The fees are fairly similar in the wider scheme of things, i.e. they're both very expensive! If I'm going to fork out over 60-70k for a four-year course + another 40-50k on accommodation and living expenses, I want to make sure the course is well-organised.

    Smaller class size doesn't really matter to me. Four years is long enough to get to know everyone in the class - so a larger class might be more interesting.

    I'm more concerned about accommodation and living expenses at this point. Can anyone offer a realistic estimate for accommodation and living expenses in Dublin for someone coming from abroad, please? Also, is it easy enough to cycle around Dublin, including to further out venues at RCSI? I don't have a "mini-cooper".

    Thanks!
    Well if you want to get along, the mini is a must apparently. I'm going to stick a few racing stripes onto the jetta and pass myself off that way.

    If you have enough for Dublin I'd be on daft.ie now. I'm looking at goats town for first year at least. Leave it long enough and you'll be caught out on price, housemates or both.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭pc11


    This may be a bit premature but are there any peeps who will be commuting from Dublin 1/3/5 to either RCSI or UCD? (I haven't decided yet!) Sharing a drive could be a major cost saver for us both.

    I'm getting a moped or bike soon anyway as a cheap travel option, but nice to have other options too.


Advertisement