question about applying with no MCAT score

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hey everybody...

i'm doing a 1-year M.S. in Physiology and Biophysics starting this Fall, and I'd really like to go to med school in Ireland the following year. So... I want to get my application turned in pretty much as soon as they send them out this month. The problem is, I haven't taken the MCAT, and won't be taking it until next Spring.

I know Trinity doesn't require the MCAT. My question is, what kind of applicants are they usually looking for? I have an overall gpa of 3.76... science gpa of 3.5... science/math gpa is higher because all of my math grades are A's. GRE of 800Math/640Verbal... several AP exams with 5's (including chemistry and calculus)... etc. Does that put me in good standing?
What else might they be looking for?

Also, I've noticed that most of the people posting who've been accepted to Trinity are from Canada-- am I at a disadvantage if I'm from the states?

Thanks!

 

[Sage880]

Trinity doesn't look at MCAT scores even if you have them - so don't worry.

I was in your same position though when I applied and my first choice was UCC. They require the MCAT and UCD will look at your score if you have it. I told both those schools I was doing it in the spring and they waited for my scores. I submitted them in June and got my acceptance letters from them in July. So it is possible to submit them to a school late if you decide to apply to UCC or UCD.

I don't know what a lot of your application stuff means but it seems ok to me. Something I'd suggest in the next year is spending time volunteering at a hospital. I spent about 1 night (2 hours only) a week directing people to the triage nurses in the ER and handing out blankets and stuff like that and got accepted to every school I applied to. I also got a couple stories from it for my personal statement type of essays. I'm sure that's not the only reason but someone at the med school here told they really like stuff like that because a) it shows interest and b) it shows you have at least some idea what working in the field is actually like.

Good luck!

PS: There's lots of Americans at both UCC and the Dublin schools. There's just 4 times more Canadians. The two reasons are that Canada's acceptance rate/application ratio is half of Americans and also (I think anyway...) that, on average, Canadians might be a tiny bit less xenophobic and more willing to travel. I'm only saying that because all the Canadians in my class seem to like it enough here but a couple of the Americans hated being away from the US and either dropped out or re-applied back home until they got in.

 

[med2UCC]

I don't know what a lot of your application stuff means but it seems ok to me. Something I'd suggest in the next year is spending time volunteering at a hospital. I spent about 1 night (2 hours only) a week directing people to the triage nurses in the ER and handing out blankets and stuff like that and got accepted to every school I applied to. I also got a couple stories from it for my personal statement type of essays. I'm sure that's not the only reason but someone at the med school here told they really like stuff like that because a) it shows interest and b) it shows you have at least some idea what working in the field is actually like.

Good luck!

PS: There's lots of Americans at both UCC and the Dublin schools. There's just 4 times more Canadians. The two reasons are that Canada's acceptance rate/application ratio is half of Americans and also (I think anyway...) that, on average, Canadians might be a tiny bit less xenophobic and more willing to travel. I'm only saying that because all the Canadians in my class seem to like it enough here but a couple of the Americans hated being away from the US and either dropped out or re-applied back home until they got in.

I agree wtih what Sage is saying. particularly about the volunteering. I volunteered at the regional children's hospital for a couple of years in the play rooms and that helped with the applications. Your marks seem good, so do as well as you can on the MCAT and put some thought into your personal statement and references and you should have a good chance.
I think the main reason why there are not as many Americans in Ireland is that it is, relatively speaking, easier to get into med school in the US than it is in Canada, where some schools get 4000 qualified applicants for 100 positions ( I think that would be the worst the odds get here, but I could be wrong). My local med school gets 4 applications for every 1 position, which is not bad but still leaves a lot of qualified people with no spot at the end of the admissions cycle. Not everyone is willing to apply for 5 or 6 years running until they get lucky. Xenophobia may also play a part, but I think the numbers game is really why there are so many Canadians here. That might level out if our governments ever restore med school enrollments to the per capita levels they were at in the '80's, but no one here is holding their breath on that one. Good luck. Cheers,
M

 

[Zuckman]

Sage880,

What kind of stats did you have? Do you have email...I'd like to ask you a few Q's? Thanks a bunch.

Zuck

 

[Sage880]

Sage880,

What kind of stats did you have? Do you have email...I'd like to ask you a few Q's? Thanks a bunch.

Zuck

I'll PM you my email - don't want it on a forum. 🙂