Medicine in Dublin

I did my first degree in Trinity, boyfriend did his in UCD, tons of friends doing/did medicine in both, currently living in London.

Generally, studying in Ireland is cheaper (£2000-£2500 a year vs £9000 a year) but there is no government support in terms of a tuition fee loan or maintenance loan. Dublin would be somewhat cheaper than London in terms of day to day living (travel/rent/going out), but compared with elsewhere in the UK (Manchester/Glasgow/Leeds etc) Dublin is much more expensive.

Most Irish students would still be living in their family home, so you don't have the camaraderie of everyone being piled into halls together. But it's great craic, and Irish students tend to be much more openly friendly than English students. Dublin is generally a much, much friendlier city than London.

Medicine would be much more 'traditionally' taught in Ireland: sit in lectures, cram anatomy, worship the consultant versus the more modern 'let's do some PBL and hold hands and sing cumbaya' of some UK universities. In terms of admissions, Irish universities don't give a shite about your work experience or personal statement or reference: it's cold, hard academic achievement all the way.

Trinity vs UCD: Trinity is a 5 year programme, on an Oxbridge style campus right in the city centre, and very traditional in its attitudes and outlook. Both teaching hospitals are a bit crap and far away from the campus. If you stay in halls, they're a 30-40 minute commute from the campus (on-campus accommodation is reserved for final year students). UCD is a 6 year programme (although with good A levels you may be allowed to skip pre-med), based in a sprawling 1960s campus in the southside suburbs. One teaching hospital is down the road, but the other is miles away. Generally they are a little more modern and flexible in their outlook. Halls are right on campus, and there's a fair amount of rentable accommodation within walking/cycling distance.

Thanks - that's really helpful.

What about post degree? As you say Dublin is a great city to be a student and just generally but say that I decided that I wanted to come back to the UK after my degree does that create any difficulties - for example getting into the Foundation Programme?

There shouldn't be a problem at all - loads of graduates from Irish medical schools move to the UK for the foundation years, I've a close friend from Trinity who's just finishing up FY2 in Newcastle this year. The pay is a bit worse in the UK but working conditions and learning opportunities are much better. Plus there's more scope for specialist training: for example, there are four major trauma centres in London, versus none in Ireland (indeed, it's virtually mandatory for specialist trainees to spend some years abroad in England/USA/Australia before getting a consultant job...)

There's also RCSI, based in central Dublin (just up the road from Trinity) which is particularly good if you're planning on doing surgery or moving to the states at any stage.

I did my first degree in Trinity, boyfriend did his in UCD, tons of friends doing/did medicine in both, currently living in London.

Thanks. That has clarified a lot of things for me.

I think that I will apply to the Irish medical schools alongside the British ones.

Hey there, I've applied as an international student. Do you think the same admission rules apply to us as well? (cold-hard academic achievement)

Did anyone hear anything back?

Apparently RCSI has already interviewed and given offers to people. Its weird cos I've not received any emails at all from any of my choices.

I'm pretty much in the same position.....it's *******s, mate