JM1021
Sorry I didn't get back to you guys on that...woops. Here is what this doctor told me.
Ok, I asked him a bunch of questions from how their basic sciences are to coming back here and practicing. This was his perspective...keep in mind, it is just that. He felt that the clinical training in Ireland is extremely solid with plenty of hands on and he said they really focus on having the doctor be able to take a solid history. He said in terms of physical diagnosis/history taking, your training would be equal if not better than most US physicians, just because they don't rely as heavy on diagnostic tests as physicians do here in the states. He pointed out that in the US these tests have to be run due to insurance policies and patients requesting/demanding them. For this reason, the Irish trained physicians might not have as much exposure/experience with these tests (as they are not required there or they just don't have the technology). Once again, he said it depended on if you do some of your clinical rotations back in the states...etc. He didn't feel that this was a minor draw back that could be compensated for with a little extra reading before or during residency. He made a good point saying that in order to be a good physician, you must have a solid foundation (ie clinical diagnosis and ability to take a history). This doctor is currently working with residents at Boston Medical Center and said that the Irish trained physicians carry no stigmatism and are looked upon favorable when being considered for residency positions. This was attributed to the reputation of the programs, which is directly attributed to how Irish physicians have performed here. He said socially, that the students in Ireland on younger and it's typically their first time away from home. So keep in mind what first years in college are like and go from there…they tend to go out a little more than the older students and might not be on the same page for activities. Once again, everyone is there own person and keep in mind you're at a big university, there will be options. He said not to forget that a large part of Irish culture involves alcohol, so keep that in mind as well. All in all he felt that the Irish students are usually more relaxed than students here. This could be one of many reasons...the school is five years instead of four, the students are younger, the beer flows like wine...who knows. That was his take. Price wise unless you are going to a state school, tuition is going to be close to half of most private US medical schools, although keep in mind that it's an extra year. The cost of living in Dublin is not as outrageous as New York, but rather similar to that of Boston, maybe a little less, it all depends. Basic science training will be excellent, but be prepared for a much different grading system. He said some of there clinical grades depended solely on how they performed on their finals...for example, his clinical assessments involved him seeing ACTUAL patients in the hospital, taking a history and giving a diagnosis. This was then reviewed by a group of physicians who would grill him why he asked certain questions and what he was leaning towards. Then he gave me the best advice, which I am beginning to discover from talking to a lot of people. I asked him how the basic science training was there...this was his response. "The basic science training is excellent, but just as anywhere else, what you put in is what you will get out. The name of Trinity will definitely help you, but it ultimately comes down to how much you want to work." Very sound advice. Finally, I asked him what he would do if he had the choice between any school in the US or doing his training in Ireland again. He said Ireland without a doubt...but he had a biased opinion. Ok, hope this helps, I'm getting writers cramp.
