FYI:New Graduate Entry programs at UCC, UCD and Galway

[med2UCC]

Thought you all might be interested to know that the new graduate entry programs are finally being rolled out for 2008 (Galway comes online in 2010). Although the UCC site is currently only advertising them for Irish grads, the original proposal was to have some spots for the North American students as well. I will be interested to see if any of the people applying this year get accepted for this program instead of the 5 year program. Good luck to you all,
M

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[TristanB]

This is pretty awesome...I will be applying soonish 2009, once the programs have been established and all of the quirks are dealt with...

 

[bartonaw]

Well, I would be more than happy to help work out the kinks and quirks this year

I have definately dealt with enough new ventures and there respective "hiccups" that it would be a nice challenge to be part of the initial few

 

[Atossa]

Hi med2ucc,

UCC has it out for 2008. I got my acceptance letter last Thursday. The only downside is that it costs 38,500 euros , which is around 58,000 CAD. And here I thought acceptance letters made you happy!

Thought you all might be interested to know that the new graduate entry programs are finally being rolled out for 2008 (Galway comes online in 2010). Although the UCC site is currently only advertising them for Irish grads, the original proposal was to have some spots for the North American students as well. I will be interested to see if any of the people applying this year get accepted for this program instead of the 5 year program. Good luck to you all,
M

 

[buena suerte]

The only downside is that it costs 38,500 euros , which is around 58,000 CAD.

Congrats and thanks for the info. Could you please share what the deposit is and when it is due by?

 

[MoonUnderwater]

Hey Buena Suerte,
Como estas? I also received an acceptance letter last week from UCC for entry into the 4-year program. Unfortunately they have only given me 10 days to get my deposit in to them. The deposit is a whopping 4,400 euro, which means I now have to decide wether I'm going to go to UCC or wait for news from other locations. It's unfortunate that they give us so little time to hear back from alternatives. It's a bit debilitating in that it prevents us from seeing the big picture and taking in all of our options. Right now I am also accepted into Ross University of the Caribbean, whose deposit is only 500 US dollars, though I won't receive a request for the deposit for another few weeks.

And yes, congratulations to you Atossa!

 

[med2UCC]

Hi med2ucc,

UCC has it out for 2008. I got my acceptance letter last Thursday. The only downside is that it costs 38,500 euros , which is around 58,000 CAD. And here I thought acceptance letters made you happy!

Wow, and I thought our tuition was painful. I'm not surprised though, since the Dean of Medicine at the time was saying that all the North Americans should be paying 40,000 euro a year and be grateful for the spot and shut up. Looks like they pitched it to be slightly more expensive than the 5 year program. Bet the Irish Medical Council wil be unimpressed, given that they already have reservations about what we are paying for tuition. Congratulations on your acceptance.
Med2UCC

 

[Atossa]

Thank you! I have to wire them 4,000 euros by March 14th.

Congrats and thanks for the info. Could you please share what the deposit is and when it is due by?

 

[Unch]

Hey Buena Suerte,
Right now I am also accepted into Ross University of the Caribbean, whose deposit is only 500 US dollars, though I won't receive a request for the deposit for another few weeks.

Despite some hiccups here (and the cost), I'd definitely choose UCC over Ross. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Lawliet2008]

Hey Buena Suerte,
Como estas? I also received an acceptance letter last week from UCC for entry into the 4-year program. Unfortunately they have only given me 10 days to get my deposit in to them. The deposit is a whopping 4,400 euro, which means I now have to decide wether I'm going to go to UCC or wait for news from other locations. It's unfortunate that they give us so little time to hear back from alternatives. It's a bit debilitating in that it prevents us from seeing the big picture and taking in all of our options. Right now I am also accepted into Ross University of the Caribbean, whose deposit is only 500 US dollars, though I won't receive a request for the deposit for another few weeks.

And yes, congratulations to you Atossa!

Hey Atossa and MoonUnderwater, congrats to you both. I was just wondering what your stats were and how you were contacted.

Ouch! That tuition is making me flinch. Anyone know what cost of living is like in Ireland?

 

[MoonUnderwater]

Hey Atossa and MoonUnderwater, congrats to you both. I was just wondering what your stats were and how you were contacted.

Ouch! That tuition is making me flinch. Anyone know what cost of living is like in Ireland?

I was sent an acceptance packet from the Atlantic Bridge Program. I had a 32 on the MCAT and a cumulative GPA of 3.35 (awful first year, but roughly a 3.8 for the next 3 years)
As far as cost of living:
I studied in Montreal with someone currently at UCC. I asked him a while ago about the cost of living and here is a direct quote from his response:
"I currently live in an apartment-style student accomodation that is a little farther away from the campus than most people (about a 25-minute walk to med school building). I personally like it this way because it provides a separation between school and home. Most other people I know live in student accomodation right now. I plan to stay in the same accomodation next year. I'll definitely move closer to school and where the hospitals are in my 3rd year. Student accomodations are quite nice here....and they tend to be a bit cheaper than other places you will find in the city. I'm currently paying 4000 Euro for the academic year for accomodation (so about 400 Euro a month).....about the same as what I paid in Montreal. All furniture, kitchen ware and high-speed internet are provided. Heating/electricit is extra (you give a 150 Euro deposit at the beginning of the term and they refund any leftover money to you at the end of the semester)."
He also said cost of goods is comparable to those in USA and Canada, so it's definitely not 'cheap'

 

[Lawliet2008]

I was sent an acceptance packet from the Atlantic Bridge Program. I had a 32 on the MCAT and a cumulative GPA of 3.35 (awful first year, but roughly a 3.8 for the next 3 years)
As far as cost of living:
I studied in Montreal with someone currently at UCC. I asked him a while ago about the cost of living and here is a direct quote from his response:
"I currently live in an apartment-style student accomodation that is a little farther away from the campus than most people (about a 25-minute walk to med school building). I personally like it this way because it provides a separation between school and home. Most other people I know live in student accomodation right now. I plan to stay in the same accomodation next year. I'll definitely move closer to school and where the hospitals are in my 3rd year. Student accomodations are quite nice here....and they tend to be a bit cheaper than other places you will find in the city. I'm currently paying 4000 Euro for the academic year for accomodation (so about 400 Euro a month).....about the same as what I paid in Montreal. All furniture, kitchen ware and high-speed internet are provided. Heating/electricit is extra (you give a 150 Euro deposit at the beginning of the term and they refund any leftover money to you at the end of the semester)."
He also said cost of goods is comparable to those in USA and Canada, so it's definitely not 'cheap'

Thanks MoonUnderwater. That's got to be the most useful information I've seen on SDN!

 

[Atossa]

Thank you MoonUnderwater! A well-deserved congratulations to you too!!


We are in the same boat! Its very frustrating, since with some schools I wouldn't know if i will get an interview until June! But who knows, we might be in the same class this fall!!! Are you from Canada?

Hey Buena Suerte,
Como estas? I also received an acceptance letter last week from UCC for entry into the 4-year program. Unfortunately they have only given me 10 days to get my deposit in to them. The deposit is a whopping 4,400 euro, which means I now have to decide wether I'm going to go to UCC or wait for news from other locations. It's unfortunate that they give us so little time to hear back from alternatives. It's a bit debilitating in that it prevents us from seeing the big picture and taking in all of our options. Right now I am also accepted into Ross University of the Caribbean, whose deposit is only 500 US dollars, though I won't receive a request for the deposit for another few weeks.

And yes, congratulations to you Atossa!

 

[Lawliet2008]

Thank you MoonUnderwater! A well-deserved congratulations to you too!!


We are in the same boat! Its very frustrating, since with some schools I wouldn't know if i will get an interview until June! But who knows, we might be in the same class this fall!!! Are you from Canada?

Hey Atossa, congrats to you again! Just wondering what were your stats? Did you receive your acceptance via snail mail like MoonUnderwater?

 

[Atossa]

Hey Lawliet2008!

Like I heard from others, no news is good news. ABP usually sends out offers in mid march! Just hang in there!

Hey Atossa and MoonUnderwater, congrats to you both. I was just wondering what your stats were and how you were contacted.

I got a package in the mail through the Atlantic Bridge Program.

I graduated from the University of Western Ontario with an honours degree in physiology and pharmacology with a 3.81 OMSAS /3.91 GPA (AMCAS). I wrote the MCAT twice.. I got 34 Q in August 2006 (13P, 13Q, 8V) and the second time i wrote it, I dropped to a 29N (11P, 12B, 6V).

 

[Live4Life]

Atossa, with a GPA and MCAT score as high as you have, were you not able to gain admission to a US school? I know that with those stats as a US student, I could get into a lot of schools. I know its more difficult for international students but I figure if you didn't apply to the best medical schools you would definitely get an acceptance somewhere.

 

[Atossa]

Being an international student is much harder to get into an American school when compared to a state resident. Not all schools except foreigners and not all look at the best MCAT score. My verbal is still low - some schools advise people to retake if you have less than a 9.

I applied to few mid-tier schools who would look at my best MCAT and took many international students (plus I applied late). I already have a rejection letter from SUNY upstate!!!

Atossa, with a GPA and MCAT score as high as you have, were you not able to gain admission to a US school? I know that with those stats as a US student, I could get into a lot of schools. I know its more difficult for international students but I figure if you didn't apply to the best medical schools you would definitely get an acceptance somewhere.

 

[spshooter]

congrats on the acceptance to both of you! A quick question, do you know how many spots there are for the GEP at UCC? I have similar stats to both of you GPA 3.6 and MCAT of 31 but still haven't heard. I guess I'm a wee bit bellow the cut off....

 

[Arsenal]

Congrats guys on the acceptances I was just wondering when did you apply? I guess I was unaware that there were two deadlines... so I'm wondering if this whole thing is truly rolling and those of us who applied after Nov are deep in the ditch of apps! If so, then I know I need to not think about this for three months!!!!

 

[Blizzardcake]

Thought I'd let everyone know that I just got accepted to the UCD 4 year program! The tuition is 38 500 Euros (seems to be the same as UCC).

I will be going

 

[Arsenal]

That is so awesome Blizzardcake... to get accepted on St. Pat's Day! Get down to the pub and grab some green beer. You have something to REALLY celebrate tonight!
Congrats!

 

[med2UCC]

Thought I'd let everyone know that I just got accepted to the UCD 4 year program! The tuition is 38 500 Euros (seems to be the same as UCC).

I will be going

The tuition being the same is not a surprise - it always has been for the NUI schools. In theory they are all equal, and you get the same degree in the end, so the same fee is charged. Congratulations to all of you on your acceptances, and good luck.
M

 

[DrBingley]

med2ucc, would there be any reason to reject UCC and lose 4000 euro for UCD?

I was under the impression that UCD's grad program has been around longer, so less bugs.

 

[med2UCC]

med2ucc, would there be any reason to reject UCC and lose 4000 euro for UCD?

I was under the impression that UCD's grad program has been around longer, so less bugs.

I don't think UCD has had graduate entry before this year. If they have, they only have a one year advantage over UCC as they were supposed to be part of the joint bid two years ago that UCC was putting together.
In terms of program, I think you should go where you are accepted. If you have a deposit down, I would go with the school where you have put down the deposit. Cheers,
M

 

[DrBingley]

So there is no difference in the programs?
I am accepted to both. I have put a deposit down for UCC and I was set on going, but a few people have said that Dublin may have better clinicals because it's in a bigger city.

I am leaning towards UCC because of the cheaper living (assuming the programs are the same). If the programs are not identical, then I am at a draw.

 

[Unch]

Don't know about better clinicals but remember that in Cork you'll be attending the only medical school in the whole Southern Health Region (I'm not counting Limerick yet as they just started and they'll be small). So you have access to all the best consultants here (versus in Dublin where you'll be in the hunt with students from three med schools, each of which is considerably bigger than UCC). Don't know how this pans out in the end since each Dublin school has its "turf" but I don't mind being high on the radar of the top people here in Cork. Also, Cork (officially) has the only Level 1 trauma centre in Ireland!

As for quality or reputation of, say, UCD versus UCC... everyone will have an opinion but all the schools follow approximately the same "national curriculum" and I wouldn't put much stock in substantial differences, from the Irish perspective or the NAmerican perspective.

 

[spshooter]

Got accepted to RCSI on st. patty's day!. Still waiting for the other schools (UCC, UCD, trin)

 

[buena suerte]

Got my acceptance package from UCD

 

[Lawliet2008]

Got my acceptance package from UCD

Congratulations!

 

[roo]

Got accepted to RCSI on st. patty's day!

Congrats on your success.

That's funny, never noticed that. Acceptances going out in March when its month that Ireland is in the media spotlight anyways.