Irish Unis

May2013

What's the best uni (in Ireland) in terms of teaching and being world-renowned for Medicine, bearing in mind that I'm hoping to return to the UK to practice.

I've got 4 days before I send away the CAO form. Thanks in advance!

Reply 1

gutenberg

Original post by May2013

When it comes to medical schools, rankings really aren't helpful. A medical school is a medical school and they all have to meet the same criteria to be able to award medical degrees. I gather that all the Irish medical schools are very well respected abroad, and are acknowledged as training very good doctors. In terms of teaching, all the schools will have a mixture of academics and practising physicians, and in the case of the latter they are scattered throughout the country at the various hospitals, and so will be scattered around the various medical schools.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2

May2013

Original post by gutenberg

Thanks, but I have heard this countless times and it is not true!
Medical schools teaching standards and reputation are NOT the same for all unis.

Reply 3

ahala90

Original post by May2013

Thanks, but I have heard this countless times and it is not true!
Medical schools teaching standards and reputation are NOT the same for all unis.

Then go research yourself! The first step to medicine is taking the initiative, not being spoon-fed by other people...

Reply 4

May2013

Original post by ahala90

Then go research yourself! The first step to medicine is taking the initiative, not being spoon-fed by other people...

Really? I didn't know that!!

On a different note, are there any students from RSCI or UCD who can share their uni experiences? I have yet to decide on whether to put UCD or RSCI as first on the CAO form.
I have no connections in Ireland and my uni choices will be primarily based on their quality of teaching.

Reply 5

gutenberg

Original post by May2013

Thanks, but I have heard this countless times and it is not true!
Medical schools teaching standards and reputation are NOT the same for all unis.

You forget that Ireland is a small country, and the fact that there are only six medical schools means that they are all keeping an eye on each other & ensuring their standards are kept up. So I think it is true to say that they are all around the same level.

With regards to your question about UCD & RCSI, from my knowledge UCD's teaching across the university has come under criticism since they moved to a modular system, but I cannot comment on medicine specifically. It also has a reputation for being badly organized administratively. With RCSI, its students have often complained that because it only offers health sciences it can be quite a stifling experience, with not as many opportunities to experience 'student life'. It is well-regarded for its medical school though.

In terms of overall prestige then TCD is the one to go for; it is the top-ranked university in Ireland & best-known outside Ireland.

Reply 6

May2013

Original post by gutenberg

With regards to your question about UCD & RCSI, from my knowledge UCD's teaching across the university has come under criticism since they moved to a modular system, but I cannot comment on medicine specifically. It also has a reputation for being badly organized administratively. With RCSI, its students have often complained that because it only offers health sciences it can be quite a stifling experience, with not as many opportunities to experience 'student life'. It is well-regarded for its medical school though.

In terms of overall prestige then TCD is the one to go for; it is the top-ranked university in Ireland & best-known outside Ireland.

That's very helpful. Thank you!

If anyone else has other views please share them, I've got till Sunday to send the form.

Reply 7

Lifesaver

Original post by May2013

That's very helpful. Thank you!

If anyone else has other views please share them, I've got till Sunday to send the form.

I would have to agree in relation to Trinity. It is, among Irish students (in general), regarded as the place to go. Some people will of course differ on this, mainly because of geographical and familial prejudices.

A typical Irish student applying to study medicine will apply in this order to the Irish medical schools: 1. Trinity, 2. UCD, 3. RCSI, 4. UCC, 5. NUIG. That doesn't necessarily mean that their learning outcomes will be improved by attending Trinity, it merely means that the general student body is prejudiced in this way. This is partly because of the points system that operates in Ireland and also partly because of other factors such as Trinity's shorter course (5 years as opposed to UCD's 6 years), RCSI's specialist nature (some prefer to mix with a broader range of students) and the relative geographical isolation of UCC and NUIG from the major population centre.

In terms of teaching quality I can't give you an opinion but I do know that Trinity operate a partial PBL system and use dissection as opposed to prosection. There would be international students at all of these colleges but RCSI in particular would have a reputation for recruiting a diverse mix of nationalities.

NUIG and UCC have their own particular quirks. UCG offer the option of an 8 year course incorporating an "embedded" PhD (mostly to sell themselves to the better students). UCC has considerably improved its international standing as a science college and has forged links with some of the major pharmaceutical companies which are based in the Cork Harbour area.

Both Trinity and UCD have/are changing their Head of School of Medicine. Trinity has an Interim Head of School and UCD are presently advertising for the post.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 8

Peaco9

I'm at RCSI, I got offered it first round, got offered UCD second round. Took RCSI, don't regret it one bit. I also hope to move back to the UK for F1 and beyond. From what I've experienced, the teaching standards are excellent as is the support network due to its smaller size as a college. I've been able to make friends with people from literally EVERY single corner of the world, I know that most colleges are diverse but RCSI is like nowhere else in that respect. There absolutely are limitations to being smaller with regards to social events and things like this, however, getting involved with clubs and societies goes a LONG way to alleviating this.

I hope this helps, I know I'm a little late. If you have any questions, shoot me a message or a reply and I'll try to answer them!

Reply 9

May2013

Original post by Peaco9

Thank you very much for your reply.

How did you reconcile the fact that you'll be ~£56 000 in debt for tuition fees (excluding living expenses) upon graduation?

Reply 10

Lifesaver

Original post by May2013

Thank you very much for your reply.

How did you reconcile the fact that you'll be ~£56 000 in debt for tuition fees (excluding living expenses) upon graduation?

£56,000? Is this for a post-graduate student? Can you tell us how you arrived at this figure?

My understanding is that UK undergraduate students in Ireland are treated in the same way as Irish students because they are from an EU member state. Irish students are (presently and for the foreseeable future) entitled to "free" tuition in Ireland but do have to pay an annual student contribution (€2,500 in 2013, €2,750 in 2014 and €3,000 in 2015 and subsequent years). That would total €14,250 (£11,400) for a 5 year course, at RCSI or Trinity, and €17,250 (£13,800) for a 6 year course, at UCD or RCSI.

If an EU student were to study at RCSI for a post-grad, then the additional tuition fees would be €4,170 for the first two years and €2,060 for the last two years meaning a total bill, including the student contribution, of €23,710 (£18,968) for the four years.

Non-EU students would typically pay in the region of €40,000 per annum to study medicine at the Irish med schools but those fees are often funded by scholarships from national or local governments.

There is no government-led loan structure in Ireland so I presume that any loan obtained would be either commercial or from a UK governmental source.

It is possible for EU students to obtain a grant towards the student contribution and any tuition fees. Check out this link: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/maintenance_grant_schemes_for_students_on_third_level_courses.html

Reply 11

May2013

Original post by Lifesaver

The figure I was quoting is from their website. I assumed it was the annual fee (for RCSI: EUR 16,940x4=EUR 67,760). Is it for the whole 4 years, it doesn't say whether it is annual fees or not? I really hope you are right, but it's too late now, I changed my mind as I didn't like the idea of being in debt for over EUR 100,000 (including living expenses)!

By the way I would be applying as a graduate. Previous degree done in the UK.

Fees
2013 fess have not yet been set. As a guideline 2012 fees were:
TOTAL FEE DUE FROM STUDENT: €16,940
(http://www.rcsi.ie/index.jsp?p=112&n=202&a=746)

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 12

Lifesaver

Original post by May2013

Sorry!

I was trying to figure out how you arrived at that figure and was reading fees from the wrong page on their website. You are right and it is an annual fee of €16,555 for GEP medicine (I am presuming that the capitation fee of €1,500 they mention is the "Student Contribution", although I wouldn't bet on it) with two one-off payments totalling €385 at the beginning of first year.

The undergraduate fees stated in my post are correct.

Are Trinity or UCD cheaper? My reading says that the UCD fees for GEP were €14,915 per annum (2012/2013)(likely to increase by €1,000) and the TCD fees, for graduate entry to Medicine, were €8,456 per annum (will increase by at least €250 per annum over the next three years - min. €8,706 in 2013, €8,956 in 2014, €9,206 in 2015).

UCD link: http://www.ucd.ie/registry/adminservices/fees/undergraduate2012.html

TCD link: http://www.tcd.ie/Treasurers_Office/fees/UG_EU_Fees_2012-13.pdf

As far as I am aware graduates are not entitled to any tuition grants from the Irish student finance authority (SUSI).

Please feel free to correct me!

Reply 13

Peaco9

I don't pay any fees at all, the department of education and learning for Northern Ireland (DELNI) pay the student contribution for Northern Irish students. I pay for IT support which is less than 500 euro. No undergraduate EU students pay the fees, graduate students pay around 16,000 and internationals pay around 50,000. So my debts will be FAR less than my peers at a UK medical school. And also, I read someone saying it's a 6 year course, it's only 6 years for people with an insufficient foundation in the sciences. As in, it's a foundation year just like the one offered at many UK medical institutes.

Rent is a little more expensive, but apart from that, the cost of living is nowhere near what everyone makes it out to be.

Posted from TSR Mobile