Atlantic Bridge Program - How competitive?

[bonoz]

I am interested in applying to this program. I would love to study medicine Ireland. Sounds like a good experience. My stats are 3.77 cum. GPA, and 3.8+ science GPA, with a high score of a 27 on the MCAT.

I have a good amount of ECs from teaching, clinical, research, leadership, to philanthropy.

I want to know just how competitive this program is. Whenever I call them I am left with a good feeling that I have a decent shot. They also told me that some schools don't even look at the MCAT (good for me because I have a low score). So I'd like to know just hopeful can I be of having a shot at this? They told me that they get about 800 applications every year and of those they take 200 people.

Thanks

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[Handsome88]

I am interested in applying to this program. I would love to study medicine Ireland. Sounds like a good experience. My stats are 3.77 cum. GPA, and 3.8+ science GPA, with a high score of a 27 on the MCAT.

I have a good amount of ECs from teaching, clinical, research, leadership, to philanthropy.

I want to know just how competitive this program is. Whenever I call them I am left with a good feeling that I have a decent shot. They also told me that some schools don't even look at the MCAT (good for me because I have a low score). So I'd like to know just hopeful can I be of having a shot at this? They told me that they get about 800 applications every year and of those they take 200 people.

Thanks

You should first read the threads around this forum.
You have a good shot. You're MCAT isn't great but you may still be able to get accepted at a 4 yr program. If not then you have a really good shot at a 5-yr program as your GPA is good.

 

[bonoz]

You should first read the threads around this forum.
You have a good shot. You're MCAT isn't great but you may still be able to get accepted at a 4 yr program. If not then you have a really good shot at a 5-yr program as your GPA is good.

I did read them. There are only a handful of threads on ABP and most are dated.

What is the 5-year program about?

 

[asd979]

I got into UCC with a worse GPA than you and the same MCAT score, if that makes you feel better.

 

[bonoz]

I got into UCC with a worse GPA than you and the same MCAT score, if that makes you feel better.

That certainly does make me feel better. Could you please tell me more details about your application? When did you apply? What are your ECs like? How did you fill out the applications? Got any advice for me?

Feel free to PM me that stuff.

Thanks

 

[smartlee]

I got into UCC with a worse GPA than you and the same MCAT score, if that makes you feel better.

Hi There-
When you said your gpa was worse upon acceptance...was it above 3.0 or below? I wonder if they base the selection just on gpa or they look at everything as a whole??

 

[rayjay]

this might cancel out the good feeling you got but I have a much worst cGPA than you (<3.0) but a high grad GPA. My MCAT is also slightly higher than yours.

ABP told me I'd have a good shot...Now that may be good because you are WAY higher than my stats so you'd have a "great" shot. But at the same time, it makes me question what they consider a "good shot" because I know my shot at a Canadian school is laughable and my shot at a bottom-tier US school is 50/50 at best.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Hi,

Same Question as below but worse stats
Graduated with BSC
CUM GPA - 3.0
Science - 3.38
MCAT - 29 O (9PS/11BS/9VR) - considering retaking it
GCE A levels- A Bio, A Math, B Physics (89%) C Chem (79%)
SAT II- Math IIC-780 Physics-780 Chem-770 (probably dont even matter anymore)

Research Experience in Epidemiology, and wet bench experience in a Cancer research lab. TA position held in Physiology, volunteer experience with St Johns Ambulance, Started up and manage a fund raising group for natural disaster relief. Was on exec for human rights organizations school branch.

Do you guys think I've got a decent shot?

 

[IamSuperDoctor]

you guys should go all out with your application to maximize your chances. get the best possible reference letter, write a template letter for ur referees if you have to. Get a good essay in, fill in that app as best u can. I have a 3.52 and a 32 mcat, and im not considering myself accepted yet. Im doing my best on the application.

 

[slick27]

I have competitive stats with a 3.8 GPA and 29O mcat, but I was recently dismissed from a US DO program, do you think that I would be considered for admission?

 

[schroon]

You may wish to check but I believe the app deadline has already passed for the August 2011 term.

 

[med2UCC]

You may wish to check but I believe the app deadline has already passed for the August 2011 term.

As pointed out in many posts in many other threads on this forum, those deadlines are rather like buses. Miss one and another one will come along soon. In my class there was a fellow who applied in July and got in, and 2 years later another got accepted in August. Don't sweat the dealines - apply.
Cheers,
M

 

[schroon]

med2UCC:

Thanks for your input.

I would appreciate if you would please answer a few quick questions:

1. How has studying in Ireland worked out for you? Has it meet your expectations in terms of both academics and living accommodations?

2. What month did you receive your acceptance?

3. Were you invited to an interview? if so, was it in Ireland?

4. Do you plan to do your rotations and residency in the US? If so, do you anticipate any problem lining up the slots?

5. From your observations is there a strict MCAT 30 cutoff for admission to the 4 year UCC program?

Congrats and best wishes.

 

[med2UCC]

med2UCC:

Thanks for your input.

I would appreciate if you would please answer a few quick questions:

1. How has studying in Ireland worked out for you? Has it meet your expectations in terms of both academics and living accommodations?

Studying in Ireland worked out fine for me. There were a few bumps on the road, parts of the program that I thought were poorly done, but you get that everywhere. I'm very happy iwth the education I received and am doing fine as an attending.

2. What month did you receive your acceptance?

April - the 26th, 4 days before I was due to move into a house.

3. Were you invited to an interview? if so, was it in Ireland?

No interview. RCSI is the only one that interviews and they interview in North America, various venues.

4. Do you plan to do your rotations and residency in the US? If so, do you anticipate any problem lining up the slots?

You can only do a very limited number of rotations outside of Ireland. When I was at UCC we were able to do electives one summer between 4th and 5th year. Otherwise you were expected to be on campus for the school year. If you want to do your rotations in the US, go to the Caribbean schools - they are organised so you can do this.
I did my residency in Canada. I had no problem lining up either the electives I did or the residency.

5. From your observations is there a strict MCAT 30 cutoff for admission to the 4 year UCC program?

No idea, but I doubt it. I had an MCAT of 28R and got into the 5 year program no problem.

Good lluck,
M

 

[wolfnscale]

(My third attempt at bringing life to these AB threads, lol, excuse me if you've seen me post everywhere like a maniac. I'm trying to reach out to this audience )

Anyone mind if I bump this thread back to life?

I'm applying to three 5-year programs via Atlantic Bridge and I'd really love it if anyone accepted within the past 5 cycles (to anywhere, lol) would mind sharing their stats (GPA, sGPA, ecs)? Also, their experiences with interviews, etc. The GPA range for acceptance seems super varied and although I'll remain positive, I'm a bit concerned for myself LOL! I've good experience and ECs, although won't be taking the MCAT in time for this cycle. I actually have a BS (GPA=3.54) and an MS (GPA=3.83) in a natural sciences area (aka not biomedical related). My BPCM-GPA atm is around 3.19 (all As and Bs, but messed up in two physics courses with Cs, two chem courses D and a C+, and two calc courses Ds). But, I'm actually enrolled in a part-time post bacc program now, fixing my chem grades and eventually my physics ones. If I am accepted, I'll be finished 'fixing' poor grades before attending. Do they take postbacc into account?

Ah! So many questions! Is anyone willing to share some info with me? I'd also love to pester you about what you're enjoying and what you find challenging at any of the schools associated with AB.

 

[mcat_taker]

(My third attempt at bringing life to these AB threads, lol, excuse me if you've seen me post everywhere like a maniac. I'm trying to reach out to this audience )

Anyone mind if I bump this thread back to life?

I'm applying to three 5-year programs via Atlantic Bridge and I'd really love it if anyone accepted within the past 5 cycles (to anywhere, lol) would mind sharing their stats (GPA, sGPA, ecs)? Also, their experiences with interviews, etc. The GPA range for acceptance seems super varied and although I'll remain positive, I'm a bit concerned for myself LOL! I've good experience and ECs, although won't be taking the MCAT in time for this cycle. I actually have a BS (GPA=3.54) and an MS (GPA=3.83) in a natural sciences area (aka not biomedical related). My BPCM-GPA atm is around 3.19 (all As and Bs, but messed up in two physics courses with Cs, two chem courses D and a C+, and two calc courses Ds). But, I'm actually enrolled in a part-time post bacc program now, fixing my chem grades and eventually my physics ones. If I am accepted, I'll be finished 'fixing' poor grades before attending. Do they take postbacc into account?

Ah! So many questions! Is anyone willing to share some info with me? I'd also love to pester you about what you're enjoying and what you find challenging at any of the schools associated with AB.

My personal opinion is you won't get much traction at even the 5 year schools without a good MCAT. Its the most objective measure schools use to determine how competitive you are. But you should ask AB what they think. I get that you are working on science GPA repair right now, but given that your overall GPA and MS GPA are not bad, you should have been focusing on the MCAT.

I think overall people applying to AB schools fail to realize that these schools are all fairly competitive even relative to U.S. schools so there are still no shortcuts here. Each of those schools only take a handful of NAs per year-- guaranteed that even at Trinity and NUIG applicants will have MCAT scores, as most students apply to all 6 Irish schools at once (4 and 5 year programs) and hope they get in to one of them. You are doing yourself a disservice and limiting your options by not having an MCAT score (even if those 2 schools technically might not require it for the 5 year program). Like I said, there are no shortcuts here.

 

[Medeire]

Maybe things have changed since I was accepted to Irish medical school (2009); however, I see people putting a huge emphasis on MCAT and freaking out if they don't do that well on it.
I was living in the US, applied via ABP and got accepted to Irish medical school using the GAMSAT exam. In my opinion, the GAMSAT is much easier than the MCAT and is recognized by all of the Irish medical schools for their graduate entry programs. I contemplated doing the MCAT since that is the most conventional for US students; however, decided against even trying to do the MCAT because I never really took organic chemistry to the type of level that you need for MCAT. I said to hell with it, registered to take GAMSAT, flew over to Dublin, took the exam, stayed a few extra days to tour Dubin, and the rest is history. Now I'm an attending IM physician in the US (just learned today that I passed my ABIM board certification exams).

 

[RNtoMed92]

Maybe things have changed since I was accepted to Irish medical school (2009); however, I see people putting a huge emphasis on MCAT and freaking out if they don't do that well on it.
I was living in the US, applied via ABP and got accepted to Irish medical school using the GAMSAT exam. In my opinion, the GAMSAT is much easier than the MCAT and is recognized by all of the Irish medical schools for their graduate entry programs. I contemplated doing the MCAT since that is the most conventional for US students; however, decided against even trying to do the MCAT because I never really took organic chemistry to the type of level that you need for MCAT. I said to hell with it, registered to take GAMSAT, flew over to Dublin, took the exam, stayed a few extra days to tour Dubin, and the rest is history. Now I'm an attending IM physician in the US (just learned today that I passed my ABIM board certification exams).

Do you think you need some sort of test score? Trinity and Galway say they don't need an MCAT and given my experience in the medical field (peri-operative nurse) and lack of experience in O-chem etc. I would rather not take it. ABP said I am eligible but wondering if that makes me uncompetitive.