Deadline for Irish Medical Colleges

[CanAmPremed]

Hello everyone,

I am considering applying for Irish Medical schools. UCD to be particular. I got pretty low on my MCAT (22 ) but I know they don't look at MCAT. I was wondering, since UCD is the only school I want to apply to, when I request the application should I skip entering in my 22 MCAT score and leave it blank since they don't look at it anyways because I think it would work to my disadvantage. Or will it not matter since officially they say they don't look at it and will not receive it from the application service??

Also is it too late to apply for Oct 2007 at this point?

My stats are a 3.5 gpa with a fair bit of volunteering in both medical and non-medical settings.

Thanks in advance !

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[JediBookworm]

Check www.atlanticbridge.com/med/...sorry to disappoint you, but the Irish med schools DO look at, and require, the MCAT...except Trinity.

Officially, they review applications starting in mid-January (a.k.a. now), and send offers in March. In the past, people have been accepted applying in March, but not sure about this year...

 

[Mr. McDuck]

He may be looking at the 6-year program, which doesn't require the MCAT. I'm not really sure what would be ethical though. I forget if the application asks whether you took it or just to report your scores if required. Anyway, I thought they stopped taking applications in November. Is this just time frame to get everyone motivated to get their apps in earlier rather than later?

Edit: Dammit, March is so damn far away. I thought I read in their email that it was Feb/Mar--or maybe I read that somewhere on here. I just want to know, dammit.

 

[Mr. McDuck]

So, I was supposed to send in an updated transcript when my grades for this semester were posted. Unfortunately, one of my professors made a mistake and gave me a D+ instead of a B for a course, so I obviously couldn't send it in when they were posted. They still haven't fixed it, and apparently it could take until the end of this week before it's done. Then, I have to have it sent, which could take them God knows how long. Am I just being paranoid, or is this going to hurt me?

 

[docolive]

So, I was supposed to send in an updated transcript when my grades for this semester were posted. Unfortunately, one of my professors made a mistake and gave me a D+ instead of a B for a course, so I obviously couldn't send it in when they were posted. They still haven't fixed it, and apparently it could take until the end of this week before it's done. Then, I have to have it sent, which could take them God knows how long. Am I just being paranoid, or is this going to hurt me?

Don't worry. I was supposed to send in an updated transcript; however, I am waiting for the admin. to enclose my graduation status...this takes about 8 weeks (fr. Dec. 15th)....so it should be done by the beginning of February. I would contact the ABP via email and they may note this on your file. I would not be too concerned

 

[Mr. McDuck]

Thanks. I emailed them and he told me to just email my resume and have the school send the transcript whenever it is ready. I have to say, I'm very pleasantly surprised with this whole process. Everytime I've emailed them to either update something or ask a question, I've gotten a response the same day only a few hours later. The only exception was this time, but I emailed it on a Saturday, and this morning I had a response.

Anyway, I'm just paranoid that I'm going to get left at the bottom of the pile because I took too long to get everything done. At least I'm not the only one.

 

[roo]

Unfortunately, one of my professors made a mistake and gave me a D+ instead of a B for a course, so I obviously couldn't send it in when they were posted. Am I just being paranoid, or is this going to hurt me?

If it allays your concerns any, I had a single D (and wasn't a typo/admin error) on a transcript. Rest of the marks of the year and surrounding years were in the A range with perhaps a rare B range popping up. Didn't make a difference for acceptance to Ireland as the D was an outlier.

The D arose from unusual circumstances: a Biochemistry course [which was my major] was unusual for having a 50% weighted midterm, and a 50% final. I got sick before the midterm (unfortuately didn't wash after shaking hands with people back then), and had to miss the midterm. They accidentally made an easy midterm so that nearly everyone got a perfect score. Their reasonable subsequent plan thus was to make a difficult final to get things back towards an acceptable overall average class final mark in the C+ to B+ range. My final was full weighted since missed midterm so I got stung with the low final score without the boost from a perfect midterm. Oh well, stuff happens.

My recollection was that the score was in fact a F, but the department had convened and changed it on their own accord, so I wouldn't miss the course credit [which was nice on their part, and took into account the unusual circumstances].

If I was in interviews nowadays though and someone was to ask me about a lone D on a multi-year transcript, I'd just say "It's an outlier", and not even bother spending breath on it unless they asked again further and really wanted the details.

Hope that helps,
roo

 

[docolive]

If it allays your concerns any, I had a single D (and wasn't a typo/admin error) on a transcript. Rest of the marks of the year and surrounding years were in the A range with perhaps a rare B range popping up. Didn't make a difference for acceptance to Ireland as the D was an outlier.

That's stressful to say the least. Glad everything worked out in the end??

 

[Mr. McDuck]

So, they finally changed the grade today. I'm going to have them send out the transcript tomorrow; well, I'll request that they send it out tomorrow. Who knows how long it will take for them to actually do it.

Anyway, the final countdown is about to start, so hopefully everyone will hear good news in the month(s) to come.

 

[docolive]

So, they finally changed the grade today. I'm going to have them send out the transcript tomorrow; well, I'll request that they send it out tomorrow. Who knows how long it will take for them to actually do it.

Anyway, the final countdown is about to start, so hopefully everyone will hear good news in the month(s) to come.

Good thing that you don't have to worry about that one. I know it's a rather private matter, but I wonder when students might start hearing from RCSI. I believe interviews are to be conducted this coming February.

 

[docolive]

Hello everyone,

I am considering applying for Irish Medical schools. UCD to be particular. I got pretty low on my MCAT (22 ) but I know they don't look at MCAT. I was wondering, since UCD is the only school I want to apply to, when I request the application should I skip entering in my 22 MCAT score and leave it blank since they don't look at it anyways because I think it would work to my disadvantage. Or will it not matter since officially they say they don't look at it and will not receive it from the application service??

Also is it too late to apply for Oct 2007 at this point?

My stats are a 3.5 gpa with a fair bit of volunteering in both medical and non-medical settings.

Thanks in advance !

best wishes and I think the application is open to fall 2007 applicants. I had read of students applying mid-spring and receiving acceptances.
Stay positive!!

 

[Mr. McDuck]

For a second I got scared because I hadn't heard anything about an interview for next month, but then I realized I hadn't sent in my updated transcript yet. Are they letting us know next month, or are the actual interviews next month? I thought they weren't until May or so.

 

[JediBookworm]

Yea, it's sort of weird..on the RCSI GEP website, they say interviews are going to be conducted in February (yes, for NA applicants, if I read it correctly)...I then emailed ABP back in December and they said they still had info that it was May/June...

I have a feeling it's still going to be May/June, since they start to review apps in mid-January, or so they say...plus we would have heard something by now if interviews were to be in February, even though they're still in Canadian or US cities...

But the other 3 schools are definitely in March (unconditional offers), so good luck everyone!

 

[bigchoader]

You guys are talking about interviews for entering this fall, right?

 

[Mr. McDuck]

Yes, this is for the class beginning Fall 2007. So UCD, etc. definitely put out offers no earlier than March. That's so far away. Maybe I'll get an acceptance on my birthday though. That'd be awesome.

 

[docolive]

Yes, this is for the class beginning Fall 2007. So UCD, etc. definitely put out offers no earlier than March. That's so far away. Maybe I'll get an acceptance on my birthday though. That'd be awesome.

And perhaps in time for St. Patrick's Day!

 

[Mr. McDuck]

I hope so. My birthday is the day after. It's a shame; my due date was the 17th, but I was late.

 

[docolive]

I hope so. My birthday is the day after. It's a shame; my due date was the 17th, but I was late.

Oh My! The 17th is a special number for my family. Anyhow, much . I know that many of us are quite curious as to when these exciting emails might be expected!

 

[kateinireland]

CanadianPremed...

I'm a final med at UCD and I didn't write the MCAT...and I applied in March for September start...so apply!

 

[Mr. McDuck]

Wow. I really want to go to UCD. If I PM you, kateinireland, do you think you could answer a few questions about the school?

Also, thanks for the thoughts, docolive. Hopefully, we'll all get some good news.

 

[roo]

If it allays your concerns any, I had a single D (and wasn't a typo/admin error) on a transcript. Rest of the marks of the year and surrounding years were in the A range with perhaps a rare B range popping up. Didn't make a difference for acceptance to Ireland as the D was an outlier.

That's stressful to say the least. Glad everything worked out in the end??

Yes it worked in the end. I went to Ireland via the Atlantic Bridge Program, I graduated, finished residency in Canada, and now have the shingle hung for helping people with their medical concerns.

The other thing I forgot to mention is that depending on who is doing the reading for admission into medical school, they don't mind seeing that the person had a low score on something once in their life, and it didn't affect their ability to stay focused and achieve at everything else. I think in our UCD med school first year anatomy, the first exam had a pass rate of less than 10%--if there were some people admitted there that were going to go into paroxysms of panic at failing a test or two and not be able to carry on, then that would mean big holes in the graduation class.

Good luck.
Ireland was great fun. Best major decision in my life thus far.
Best wishes, roo

 

[leorl]

kateinireland...what's your take on the job situation this year? 6 weeks before finals...

 

[docolive]

Good luck.
Ireland was great fun. Best major decision in my life thus far.
Best wishes, roo

Good to hear from you Roo. We are all anticipating some word from the schools fairly soon. someone mentioned that the ABP already has some insight as to who has been accepted/as well as where to.
Congrats on your success. I can imagine that studying for 5 yrs. in Ireland has been literally a "life-changing" experience. This Greek doc that I shadow emphasizes the importance of studying abroad (something that should be a requirement for universities in the U.S.).