Question for CURRENT or GRADUATE of Irish Med Schools

[snobunny]

I'm wondering, based on your experience, if any current students or recent grads can offer their opinions on the pros/cons, good/bad/ugly of each Irish Medical School, specifically RCSI and UCD? Opinions based on location, fellow students, professors, curriculum, clinical experience, etc. Things you wish you would have known before you started?

Also, if anyone could shed some light on how the schools prepare North American students to take the USMLE's and obtain residencies in the U.S.? How effective is it?

Thanks!

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[Unch]

No Irish school specifically prepares us for the USMLE but most students here who apply themselves do fine. Residency match is pretty well the same. Those who anticipate, work hard and are organized match fine. It's all up to you. The medicine here is fine-- you just have to be proactive and make sure you make the most of the system.

As for individual schools, they're really all pretty much equivalent. ABP is a crap shoot in terms of which school you end up at so apply to all (tick all the boxes on the app form) and see what happens.

Pretty well all your questions have been addressed on this forum before. Do some targeted searching of the forum archives and you'll learn a lot more and save us all from too much re-hash.

 

[Dancinman]

Don't know about RCSI's program, but 2008 was the first year for UCD's grad entry program.

Program pros and cons:

PRO
- Shorter overall program length (compared to the regular 5 or 6 years)
- Smaller class sizes and increased face time with profs
- Vested prof interest in your progress (maybe because it's the first year, they always ask if students are doing OK with the material)
- Close class bond
- More clinical exposure / skills taught compared to regular program (clinical skills are integrated into the first semester and you're meeting real patients)
- Large majority of courses in this program are designed specifically for you and they try to lace it with as much clinical applicability as they can. Talking with regular stream students, seems like the grad entry just gets more clinical exposure all around.

CONS
- Price tag: higher than regular stream
- Schedule: because it's a condensed program you need to do in 4 years what others do in 5 or 6, which means more class time which leads to some LONG days
- Workload: again, condensed program, first year you're essentially taking 7 classes per semester (although you can get credit for prior learning which helps)
- Academic year: starting year two, you stay longer in the summer and come back earlier from semester break. Don't know if this is really a con yet, but I can imagine it's going to impact time available for shadowing, studying for USMLE, MCCEE, and electives

People might find this first semester review helpful:
http://www.newmediamedicine.com/for...ool/46062-course-information-impressions.html

Regarding the USMLE, I think what Unch says pretty much sums it up.