US Atlantic Bridge program 2013

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caitlinc

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Does anyone know how many US applicants were accepted through the Atlantic Bridge last year?

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Does anyone know how many US applicants were accepted through the Atlantic Bridge last year?

I don't know about US specifically, but the website does state that there are 250 US/Canadian matriculations each year.
 
I don't believe those statistics are released.
 
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Does anyone know how many US applicants were accepted through the Atlantic Bridge last year?

Very little and this has always been the case. ABP and the Irish schools strongly prefer to offer spots to Canadians.
 
Very little and this has always been the case. ABP and the Irish schools strongly prefer to offer spots to Canadians.

I've never heard that. I've always believed there were fewer US applicants because US schools are easier to get into and americans had traditionally preferred the Caribbean.

Either way, they have absolutely no reason to prefer Canadians over Americans since both pay the same tuition and at the end of the day that is all that matters. Now if acceptance rates for US applicants is lower than Canadian acceptance rates it may be because on average Canadian candidates present more credentials because of the difficulty to get into Canadian med.
 
I've never heard that. I've always believed there were fewer US applicants because US schools are easier to get into and americans had traditionally preferred the Caribbean.

Either way, they have absolutely no reason to prefer Canadians over Americans since both pay the same tuition and at the end of the day that is all that matters. Now if acceptance rates for US applicants is lower than Canadian acceptance rates it may be because on average Canadian candidates present more credentials because of the difficulty to get into Canadian med.

This is probably accurate. Americans also have an easier time getting into DO schools than Canadians so the applicants who fail to get into US MD schools likely go to DO school first, then the ones who can't get in there will apply internationally but are likely weaker applicants who will end up in the Caribbean. But the 'second option', so to speak, for Canadians is international schools with the better English-language ones obviously being in the UK, Ireland, and Australia.

Furthermore, because of the limited amount of seats in Canadian schools, and the abundance of really strong applicants, there are a lot of outstanding Canadian applicants that apply to Ireland and Australia.
 
I've never heard that. I've always believed there were fewer US applicants because US schools are easier to get into and americans had traditionally preferred the Caribbean.

Either way, they have absolutely no reason to prefer Canadians over Americans since both pay the same tuition and at the end of the day that is all that matters. Now if acceptance rates for US applicants is lower than Canadian acceptance rates it may be because on average Canadian candidates present more credentials because of the difficulty to get into Canadian med.

This is true, I was told by staff that Canadian applicants often outnumber american applicants 10:1. Caribbean schools are much better for Americans due to their connections with hospitals and cheaper tuition. Irish or any UK schools are better for Canadians because Canada has a link to the commonwealth and it gives them a better advantage when they return.
 
I applied for the 2013 application as a United States applicant. I just graduated high school and am currently in my first year of college, so I applied for the 5 year programs at RCSI/Trinity and the 6 year program at UCD. I'm anxiously waiting and hoping to get into the program. Fortunately, I graduated with a 4.0 unweighted/4.8 weighted gpa in high school, and I have good medical experience/extracurriculars. Unfortunately, I didn't do the best I could have done on my ACT (Got a 27) , so my test scores in my application worries me. I'm not really sure where my standing is in the applicant pool. Does anyone know if I would have a chance at getting in, or even be offered an interview? :confused:
 
Would you be leaving college without a degree? Or is the acceptance valid until you graduate, contingent upon good grades?
 
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This is true, I was told by staff that Canadian applicants often outnumber american applicants 10:1. Caribbean schools are much better for Americans due to their connections with hospitals and cheaper tuition. Irish or any UK schools are better for Canadians because Canada has a link to the commonwealth and it gives them a better advantage when they return.

First year GEM program at UCC here, we've got ~30 Canadian and 4 American students in our calss + ~35 Irish students
 
Would you be leaving college without a degree? Or is the acceptance valid until you graduate, contingent upon good grades?

I feel that I won't be accepted, but I would be leaving college without a degree if I am accepted.
 
Wow thats incredible that UCC would take about 35 internationals and 35 irish students. I'm at UL and we've got about 35 non-EU out of 140 and I thought that was a lot of internationals!
 
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Wow thats incredible that UCC would take about 35 internationals and 35 irish students. I'm at UL and we've got about 35 non-EU out of 140 and I thought that was a lot of internationals!

This is a graduate-entry medicine program, so we'll be merging with other 70 irish students next year january, so it rounds up to 35 internationals and ~100 irish.
 
Greeting from Australia.

I came on this site specifically to ask about this ABP.

Having done the GAMSAT and received a score of 59, which is above the official cutoffs as displayed below:

http://www2.cao.ie/points/Graduate Medicine 2013 Round 0.pdf

I have decided to apply for the GEM programs in Ireland.

My main concern is that after browsing through this forum, a lot of you seem to have stellar performances, extra-curriculars, PHD qualifications and highly commendable scores.

1- Is it fair to say that the international students have it tough compared to the EU counterparts? I've noticed in Australia it is opposite, The benchmark for international students is lower...

2- Is the admission requirements different when compared to EU and NON-EU students?

3- does ABP screen and select a certain quota of students? how does it all work *scratches head*
 
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Greeting from Australia.

I came on this site specifically to ask about this ABP.

Having done the GAMSAT and received a score of 59, which is above the official cutoffs as displayed below:

http://www2.cao.ie/points/Graduate Medicine 2013 Round 0.pdf

I have decided to apply for the GEM programs in Ireland.

My main concern is that after browsing through this forum, a lot of you seem to have stellar performances, extra-curriculars, PHD qualifications and highly commendable scores.

1- Is it fair to say that the international students have it tough compared to the EU counterparts? I've noticed in Australia it is opposite, The benchmark for international students is lower...

2- Is the admission requirements different when compared to EU and NON-EU students?

3- does ABP screen and select a certain quota of students? how does it all work *scratches head*

The admissions requirements are lower for internationals compared to EU because internationals pay fees and are not restricted by quota, but they are still higher than they are in Australia.

I can't really answer your 3rd question i don't know.
 
Greeting from Australia.

I came on this site specifically to ask about this ABP.

Having done the GAMSAT and received a score of 59, which is above the official cutoffs as displayed below:

http://www2.cao.ie/points/Graduate Medicine 2013 Round 0.pdf

I have decided to apply for the GEM programs in Ireland.

My main concern is that after browsing through this forum, a lot of you seem to have stellar performances, extra-curriculars, PHD qualifications and highly commendable scores.

1- Is it fair to say that the international students have it tough compared to the EU counterparts? I've noticed in Australia it is opposite, The benchmark for international students is lower...

2- Is the admission requirements different when compared to EU and NON-EU students?

3- does ABP screen and select a certain quota of students? how does it all work *scratches head*

1 - To gain admission as an international student is difficult, and it is probably equally as difficult for the domestic students.

2 - Admission requirements for graduate entry are different. EU students are required to have at least a 2:1 degree classification, or equivalent, in their first bachelor's degree, and from there slots are allocated based on GAMSAT score. International students are assessed on the basis of their GPA, the strength of the programme from which they came, extracurricular activities and an MCAT score.

3 - Atlantic Bridge's role is unclear. There have been murmurings that they play a role in admissions and "recommend" certain applicants to certain schools, but everything regarding their role in the process is going to be hearsay. My personal opinion is that they play a bigger role in selection than they let on so it won't hurt to get in their face and stay there throughout the application cycle.
 
I actually e-mailed Atlantic Bridge regarding their statistics from 2012. They responded with the following information: A total or roughly 1,250 applicants (4 year, 5 year, and 6 year) applied last year. There was a 10/1 ratio of Canadian applicants vs. US applicants. They confirmed that roughly 250 offers were made last year. They denied their being a preference for Canadian vs. US applicants and the overwhelming majority of Canadian applicants may actually suggest the opposite, seeing as it is a diversity program. That being said, I am from Minnesota, which is practically Canada.

I know there are multiple threads discussing IMG and the future prospects of obtaining residency in the US but does anyone know any US citizens studying in Europe who are trying to obtain a US residency position? All of the threads seem to old to be relevant. I ask because the majority of the doctors I work with disagree with the notion that it will become increasingly difficult to obtain residency if one graduates from a European medical school. Additionally, they actually note that multiple of their fellow residents were IMGs and state it was not much more difficult for their European IMG friends to obtain residency (ER) than a US grad. I find this hard to believe, albeit somewhat reassuring. Nonetheless, I know their is a Dermatologist at Mayo who graduated from RCSI. I also currently work with 2 doctors who graduated from Israel and one from the Caribbean, neither of them had trouble.

Additionally, if one does decide to study medicine in Europe, is there be a preference for Irish universities over a university like Jagiellonian or Charles University when trying to obtain a US residency. I ask because Jagiellonian or Charles University are both far cheaper than going to Cork, UCD, RSCI or a US school and, at least in Europe, are likely just as respected as the Irish schools. Also, how does one figure in Australian medical schools such as Melbourne or Queensland and the opportunities they provide to return to the US? I here they are far more forgiving in their application process, and actually only use the last 3 years of ones undergraduate education to determine GPA. This is drastically beneficial to me as it changes my GPA from a 3.51 to a 3.77. Also, Melbourne is ranked amongst the top 5 universities in the world and amongst the top 10 medical schools in the world. If prospects for IMGs due diminish, would it still be difficult to obtain US residency if one were a graduate from Melbourne or another Australian school of similar caliber.

-- Sorry for any SP or grammar errors.
 
I actually e-mailed Atlantic Bridge regarding their statistics from 2012. They responded with the following information: A total or roughly 1,250 applicants (4 year, 5 year, and 6 year) applied last year. There was a 10/1 ratio of Canadian applicants vs. US applicants. They confirmed that roughly 250 offers were made last year. They denied their being a preference for Canadian vs. US applicants and the overwhelming majority of Canadian applicants may actually suggest the opposite, seeing as it is a diversity program. That being said, I am from Minnesota, which is practically Canada.

I know there are multiple threads discussing IMG and the future prospects of obtaining residency in the US but does anyone know any US citizens studying in Europe who are trying to obtain a US residency position? All of the threads seem to old to be relevant. I ask because the majority of the doctors I work with disagree with the notion that it will become increasingly difficult to obtain residency if one graduates from a European medical school. Additionally, they actually note that multiple of their fellow residents were IMGs and state it was not much more difficult for their European IMG friends to obtain residency (ER) than a US grad. I find this hard to believe, albeit somewhat reassuring. Nonetheless, I know their is a Dermatologist at Mayo who graduated from RCSI. I also currently work with 2 doctors who graduated from Israel and one from the Caribbean, neither of them had trouble.

Additionally, if one does decide to study medicine in Europe, is there be a preference for Irish universities over a university like Jagiellonian or Charles University when trying to obtain a US residency. I ask because Jagiellonian or Charles University are both far cheaper than going to Cork, UCD, RSCI or a US school and, at least in Europe, are likely just as respected as the Irish schools. Also, how does one figure in Australian medical schools such as Melbourne or Queensland and the opportunities they provide to return to the US? I here they are far more forgiving in their application process, and actually only use the last 3 years of ones undergraduate education to determine GPA. This is drastically beneficial to me as it changes my GPA from a 3.51 to a 3.77. Also, Melbourne is ranked amongst the top 5 universities in the world and amongst the top 10 medical schools in the world. If prospects for IMGs due diminish, would it still be difficult to obtain US residency if one were a graduate from Melbourne or another Australian school of similar caliber.

-- Sorry for any SP or grammar errors.

Well I think Ireland is still seen as better than Charles or Jagiellonian because Ireland is a western european country and charles and jagiellonian are mostly eastern european. There really is a significant difference between medical care in an English 1st world country and a non-English eastern european country.

I've heard that at Charles there aren't even places to wash your hands properly and the washrooms are dirty and the equipment is old. I've heard at other polish unis from ValueMD (not Jag) that there are 3 deans and none of them actually show up at work.

Ireland is definitely more safe and probably provides you with better training even though it is more expensive.

I'm pretty sure Melbourne isn't a top 5 uni. QS ranked it 31st in the world this year. Although it was ranked in the top 10 for medicine. Either way, its definitely true that going to a school like USyd, or Melbourne or UQ even will benefit you slightly. More so, just going to a 1st world country that values healthcare just as much as the US, will benefit you.

Even if prospects do diminish you won't have trouble getting a residency. It'll be difficult to get maybe a competitive residency or a competitive program, but if you are interested in the less competitive specialties you will be able to find a spot providing you work hard.

As you said, if you take away your 1st year your GPA is 3.77. This really shows that you would be successful.
 
I know there are multiple threads discussing IMG and the future prospects of obtaining residency in the US but does anyone know any US citizens studying in Europe who are trying to obtain a US residency position? All of the threads seem to old to be relevant. I ask because the majority of the doctors I work with disagree with the notion that it will become increasingly difficult to obtain residency if one graduates from a European medical school. Additionally, they actually note that multiple of their fellow residents were IMGs and state it was not much more difficult for their European IMG friends to obtain residency (ER) than a US grad. I find this hard to believe, albeit somewhat reassuring. Nonetheless, I know their is a Dermatologist at Mayo who graduated from RCSI. I also currently work with 2 doctors who graduated from Israel and one from the Caribbean, neither of them had trouble.

Additionally, if one does decide to study medicine in Europe, is there be a preference for Irish universities over a university like Jagiellonian or Charles University when trying to obtain a US residency. I ask because Jagiellonian or Charles University are both far cheaper than going to Cork, UCD, RSCI or a US school and, at least in Europe, are likely just as respected as the Irish schools. Also, how does one figure in Australian medical schools such as Melbourne or Queensland and the opportunities they provide to return to the US? I here they are far more forgiving in their application process, and actually only use the last 3 years of ones undergraduate education to determine GPA. This is drastically beneficial to me as it changes my GPA from a 3.51 to a 3.77. Also, Melbourne is ranked amongst the top 5 universities in the world and amongst the top 10 medical schools in the world. If prospects for IMGs due diminish, would it still be difficult to obtain US residency if one were a graduate from Melbourne or another Australian school of similar caliber.

-- Sorry for any SP or grammar errors.

I am a US citizen, currently studying in Ireland, and am in the interview phase of applying for residency.

It is significantly more difficult for an IMG to get a residency in the US. Can it be done? Absolutely, but you will need to score at least a full standard deviation higher on your USMLEs to be competitive for the same specialties, and with rare exceptions, the top 50% of training programs will not give your application a second look. I think many who embark on this endeavor fail to realize how difficult it is to do this, and those who are successful are embittered that their hard work doesn't receive the recognition it would were they at a domestic school. The unmatched rate at international schools vary by school but they are significantly higher than American schools. Some of this may be due to failure of the selection process (i.e. people getting in who aren't willing or able to put in the work), but I think it's important to consider the possibility that someone (e.g. you) could borrow six figures and work hard for four years and have no job at the end.

To address going to school in the Czech Republic or Poland, though many may disagree with my viewpoint on this, if you think that going to school in a nation where you do not speak the native language (the language which all of your patients will speak natively) is a good idea, then you have a very naive view of what medicine is and what it entails. As far as competitiveness amongst international schools, occasionally people will have heard of the caliber of training that a particular nation produces (usually through working with someone from that country), but 99% of the time, you're simply an IMG and you went abroad because you were a poor applicant at the medical school level, and the onus is entirely on you to flip their opinion of you. Nobody, and I mean nobody, pays any attention to those "rankings" except the recruiters at that school. Reputation is everything in medical education, rankings are absolutely meaningless.

As a summary, medical school abroad gave me an opportunity where US schools did not, and the adventure of living abroad for four years. I worked twice as hard as an American medical student (which is already likely harder than you've ever worked) to get opportunities at the residency level that are half as good. I am one of the lucky/successful ones and I think everyone should be fully aware of what they're getting into when going abroad. As DOs get increasingly integrated into the allopathic training pathway, you will see IMGs being squeezed out. Furthermore, there are many new allopathic medical schools opening up in the last 5 years, and many medical school classes are growing while residency positions have been mostly stagnant. I would be very cautious and realistic about your goals when going abroad. It's only for the very motivated, the very disciplined, and the resilient. It is not easy.
 
I am a US citizen, currently studying in Ireland, and am in the interview phase of applying for residency.

It is significantly more difficult for an IMG to get a residency in the US. Can it be done? Absolutely, but you will need to score at least a full standard deviation higher on your USMLEs to be competitive for the same specialties, and with rare exceptions, the top 50% of training programs will not give your application a second look. I think many who embark on this endeavor fail to realize how difficult it is to do this, and those who are successful are embittered that their hard work doesn't receive the recognition it would were they at a domestic school. The unmatched rate at international schools vary by school but they are significantly higher than American schools. Some of this may be due to failure of the selection process (i.e. people getting in who aren't willing or able to put in the work), but I think it's important to consider the possibility that someone (e.g. you) could borrow six figures and work hard for four years and have no job at the end.

To address going to school in the Czech Republic or Poland, though many may disagree with my viewpoint on this, if you think that going to school in a nation where you do not speak the native language (the language which all of your patients will speak natively) is a good idea, then you have a very naive view of what medicine is and what it entails. As far as competitiveness amongst international schools, occasionally people will have heard of the caliber of training that a particular nation produces (usually through working with someone from that country), but 99% of the time, you're simply an IMG and you went abroad because you were a poor applicant at the medical school level, and the onus is entirely on you to flip their opinion of you. Nobody, and I mean nobody, pays any attention to those "rankings" except the recruiters at that school. Reputation is everything in medical education, rankings are absolutely meaningless.

As a summary, medical school abroad gave me an opportunity where US schools did not, and the adventure of living abroad for four years. I worked twice as hard as an American medical student (which is already likely harder than you've ever worked) to get opportunities at the residency level that are half as good. I am one of the lucky/successful ones and I think everyone should be fully aware of what they're getting into when going abroad. As DOs get increasingly integrated into the allopathic training pathway, you will see IMGs being squeezed out. Furthermore, there are many new allopathic medical schools opening up in the last 5 years, and many medical school classes are growing while residency positions have been mostly stagnant. I would be very cautious and realistic about your goals when going abroad. It's only for the very motivated, the very disciplined, and the resilient. It is not easy.

Rankings don't matter, its the reputation that matters. I cannot name a single reason why Melbourne is good at medicine (no top notch professors, famous discoveries, famous alumni) apart from being one of the best research universities in Australia, so even if it is ranked high, it doesn't mean anything.
 
Thank you for the informative post MEEEP. If accepted, I am aware it will be difficult and that every waking movement will or should be spent studying or in some other way improving my application. What did you do with your first two summers off? Again, if accepted, do you have any suggestions on ways to utilize the first two summers in terms of improving application status such as doing research, early USMLE studying, trying to obtain early rotations, all of the above, etc? From what it sounds like, you worked your &%% off during your 4-5 years in Ireland. Don't be bitter about it. It seems as though it paid off in obtaining residency, I am sure that it will also pay off during your residency as well as your future career.

Additional question for you: I took my MCAT too late this year to apply to US schools. Therefore, I have not yet tried my chances in the US cycle. Would you suggest trying my chances in the US cycle prior to going oversees, even if accepted? I know life is not a race, but waiting another year in limbo sounds awful, not to mention living in Ireland sounds so exciting -- my naive side showing through.

If I may ask, what school did you graduate from? What field did you obtain your residency position in?
 
Jssl9087:

I had a research position lined up for my first summer which fell through, so I spent the summer doing things I enjoyed, and working renovating homes, helping my family, etc. (i.e. nothing medically related). The second summer I spent exclusively studying for step 1, which is standard for anyone in this position, and many US students as well. In the third summer I did two rotations at two US institutions. Rotations in the US are difficult to get, extremely limited for international students, and difficult to schedule. If I am bitter it is only that someone with my stats would get any residency he/she chooses, and it is the admissions boards of medical schools four years ago that will forever impact my career.

You should absolutely try your chances in the US cycle before going overseas, and I would recommend you try more than once. Apply broadly, including locally and lower tier schools in other states that tend to take large numbers of out-of-state residents. Among my many mistakes prior to matriculating to medical school here was unwise application strategy, in several parameters, including where I applied. I would not dare go overseas until I had exhausted all possibilities domestically, and am 100% satisfied that my application is as optimal as my potential. Don't spend the year in limbo; spend it enjoying pre-medical life and making yourself a stronger candidate. Trust me, you will not regret it.

I would rather refrain from identifying myself further until the match cycle is over, but suffice it to say that I am in my top preference of schools here (and in retrospect the only school I would have gone to), and I am applying for a middle-to-highly competitive specialty. We'll see on March 21st if this was all worth it, or not.
 
Someone PMed me this, and I thought I would answer it anonymously for the benefit of anyone else who may be in a similar position:

I just wanted to know what your opinions are regarding participation in the Atlantic Bridge program versus DO. I personally am weighing the pros and cons of staying stateside at a DO program (in NY) where rotations are not of the highest caliber and the degree is not internationally recognized, but where residency is easier to come by as are rotations I can use to make connections. On the other hand, the prospect of studying abroad in a 1st world country and getting an internationally recognized medical degree is very attractive, and it's hard to comprehend the residency process for those of us who aren't doing it. Were you able to do any rotations in the US to help with the process? Do you think joining a program where rotations are done stateside is beneficial. (My interest right now is in IM, with the eventual goal of going into oncology, and my understanding is that it's an easier residency to obtain than most.)

Don't get me wrong, this is a difficult decision: going DO versus abroad. First you're correct in that the DO education, by and large, is not as high-quality as allopathic, at least not at this point in time. The education here, at least at my school, is excellent, but it is different to the US in many ways. It requires a great deal of motivation, self-discipline, and initiative to do well here, and it is very easy to fall behind, or fail entirely. If you want it, it is there for you, but it is very difficult and many do fail.

An internationally recognized degree only matters if you plan to work internationally in any significant capacity. It's safe to say that the vast majority of physicians trained in the US, and particularly citizens, work exclusively in the US, and so that is a non-issue.

In terms of residency competitiveness, I would venture to say that, from my observations, on the whole, DOs tend to do as well as well-qualified IMGs in the match, but this is a gross generalization. (Well-qualified IMG can be loosely defined here as: good english, 1st world degree, good USMLEs, etc.) It really comes down to what the individual applicant has to offer in various parameters (outside of school reputation, obviously), as well as that particular program director's experience with applicants/residents in that category.

One thing that you virtually must do as an IMG is rotate in the US for both clinical experience and letters of reference from US physicians, preferably those in academia whose names (or at least their letterhead) carry weight. This is difficult to do for several reasons. One is the simple fact that scheduling tends to be tight for many international schools and time for "electives" is very limited. The second, and more significant hurdle, is that many US institutions simply do not allow international students to rotate there. This has gotten worse with the advent of VSAS (visiting student application service) and I think will continue to be difficult. This can be somewhat ameliorated by schools with institutional ties to US programs, but many schools are uninterested in establishing these (or at least seem so), probably because there are very few American students at each. It's my understanding that those at DO schools have the ability to apply for rotations at any allopathic institution for their elective time, and though they may need to overcome some preference and bias, will have the opportunity to demonstrate their caliber and quality. I can't speak to that experience directly, but I'm sure you could find out (and should).

Lastly, let me just say that medical training is a long, long road, and that there are no shortcuts. There will be hierarchies all along the way, from school to residency to fellowship to hiring, and your career will always be best served by achieving your potential at each iteration. Do your absolute best to get into the best school you can (domestic allopathic if possible), because you don't know if you'll change your mind about what residency you want, and even if you continue in IM, for example, you'll want the best possible training at the residency level (which will always be competitive for every specialty). The best training there will get you the best fellowship, and best prepare you for your career. Don't settle for good-enough; I don't believe there is such a thing as good-enough in medicine.
 
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Hi, I noticed the deadline for this program has passed, but I've also read they accept late applicants. Anyone know how long they accept late applicants for?
 
The Atlantic Bridge doesn't follow strict deadlines. Usually you just pay an additional application fee for applying late. Best reach out to them and if they agree to send you an application then you are good to go.

I would guess an unofficial late deadline would be sometime between March and April. I know in the past people have turned in applications at least as late as the end of January.
 
Hi, I noticed the deadline for this program has passed, but I've also read they accept late applicants. Anyone know how long they accept late applicants for?

The "deadline" doesn't really exist. They told me they send the first batch of applications in January, but there are rolling admissions until something like April/March.
 
hey guys, i'm Nigerian and applying to the 5 yr programs at TCD and NUIG....dyu knw of any Nigerians or Africans in those schools and what stats they had on applying.
 
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