RCSI - Royal College of Surgeons Ireland Fall 2004

[vl528]

Hi, I'll be starting at RCSI this fall and I thought maybe we can assemble a list of people starting this year. Maybe just include where you're from and the school you went to and anything else you'd like to share.

So I'm from Los Angeles and went to UCLA

See you guys in Oct!

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[Choda]

I'm from BC and went to a university in ontario.

 

[csname]

I'm from Toronto and went to York University.

 

[afj3]

I'm from toronto canada, undergrad at Cornell Univeristy... accepted offer for RCSI but still deciding..

 

[davesnow10]

For you folks who are already accepted...sorry to intrude on your thread

How much are you folks budgeting for each year of life in Ireland? Can you get by solely on Financial Aid? Any issues with Financial Aid?

cheers for the info,
David.

 

[person2004]

You can get as much finantial aid as you need if you are from the US. You can really take out more than you need since travel expenses and housing costs aren't as clearly defined and limited as they are for those in US schools. I took about tuition + $12000 for travel, books, housing, food, beer, misc. That was plenty for every year except 5th when I needed more to cover the expense of summer electives. Keep in mind that $170,000 in debt isn't much worse that $160,000 in debt (or 210 vs 200), but an extra $2000 per year will go a long way to helping you enjoy yourself.

Have a happy Independence Day!

 

[davesnow10]

thanks so much for the info. very much appreciated!!

 

[Choda]

person2004 do you go to rcsi?

 

[person2004]

No. I just read all the Irish threads.

 

[Paul Dhillon]

Hey guys and gals,

I'm from Tsawwassen, BC (the most southwestern corner of the Canadian mainland) and going to RCSI in the fall.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Paul Dhillon]

Hey all,

Drop me an email if you want a copy (pdf) of the term dates for this year. I have a friend with access to the intranet who just sent it to me.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[mona925]

Hey ppl,

I'm from toronto and will be going into 2nd med at RCSI this year. So feel free to ask me any questions u have before venturing out to the land of the leprechauns.

 

[Choda]

hey mona,

check my reply on kim22's post. you can reply here if you want!

Thanks!

 

[Paul Dhillon]

Hey Mona,

Me and "Choda" will be meeting up in Toronto sometime in early August for a beer (we've never met in person before) Would you care to join us? I'll be in town from August 1st to the 4th and then from the 8th to the 10th. Do you happen to know Shrikant from RCSI?

Paul

 

[afj3]

I am pretty sure classes start about oct 4th does anyone know if we are supposed to arrive earlier for orientation ?

I am trying to plan my flight from toronto .. anyone else from toronto have their flights booked yet ?

 

[Choda]

I believe orientation is on the 4th and classes start on the 5th.

I booked my flight just the other day. I'm flying from the west coast to London, then london to dublin. I think it's cheaper to fly into london then book a bmi flight to dubs.



btw... mona are you there!!? we got questions for you!!!

 

[afj3]

thanks .. i'll look into flying into london...

 

[lillaregn]

Orientation and registration is on 4th of October. No need to arrive earlier. Your first lecture and Anatomy Room tutorial will be on Oct.5th if you start directly in First Med.

 

[afj3]

Sorry for all these random questions but does anyone happen to know the last day of classes including exams next year ?

Also does anyone understand how the cell phones work over there.. I am looking for a normal plan which includes minutes during the day and evening and weekends unlimited. The problem is I need the minutes and txts to be affordable to canada and the US. I tried to understand the vodaphone website but it really is strange. If someone has moved from the US to ireland perhaps you can help me out.

thanks everyone.

 

[lillaregn]

It looks like the last exam, both for Premed and First med, is on Wednesday 15th of Dec. I do not know whether this is subject to change.

If you want a full exam and term date calendar for 2004/2005, email me at [email protected]

I can't help you with the other question.

 

[Sage880]

Also does anyone understand how the cell phones work over there.. I am looking for a normal plan which includes minutes during the day and evening and weekends unlimited. The problem is I need the minutes and txts to be affordable to canada and the US. I tried to understand the vodaphone website but it really is strange. If someone has moved from the US to ireland perhaps you can help me out.

thanks everyone.

When I moved I bought a phone over there. I never met anyone who had a pre-paid plan. Everyone has pay as you go. You get a free phone if you buy like 80 Euro worth of minutes up front and it was way nicer then the phone I had in north America.

Calling on a cell overseas will always be expensive I'd guess. I looked like a year ago though so maybe things have changed since then.

 

[13538]

When I moved I bought a phone over there. I never met anyone who had a pre-paid plan. Everyone has pay as you go. You get a free phone if you buy like 80 Euro worth of minutes up front and it was way nicer then the phone I had in north America.

Calling on a cell overseas will always be expensive I'd guess. I looked like a year ago though so maybe things have changed since then.

Mobile phone technology is practically 3rd world in North America compared to Ireland and Europe in general! Most people go with 'pay as you go' phones here... A contract mobile with a monthly plan is cheaper but you probably wouldn't pass the credit check if you are only in the country 5 minutes...

Calling the US from a mobile is extortion! Your best bet would be to use a calling card with a toll-free number...

 

[mona925]

Hey Mona,

Me and "Choda" will be meeting up in Toronto sometime in early August for a beer (we've never met in person before) Would you care to join us? I'll be in town from August 1st to the 4th and then from the 8th to the 10th. Do you happen to know Shrikant from RCSI?

Paul

Hey Paul,

It would be great to meet with you guys while you're in town. Just let me know when and where. And yes I do know Shrikant! We lived on the same floor in millin when i was in premed and he was in 1st med.

 

[Choda]

Thanks a lot mona!

Me and paul will be meeting on monday or tuesday. We're both living near u of t.
Fire either one of us a PM with your email if you wanna come!

anyone else in toronto is totally welcome. Just PM or email me or paul.

 

[Dr Rich]

On RCSI changing exam dates, they do, and they will at short notice. The term dates should not change however, although they tend to be quite a while after the end of the exams in some cases.

Mobiles, pre-paid is definitely the way to go, don't know about txting to the US or Canada, but txting Australia costs 25cents, so I imagine it will be pretty similar. I would not phone overseas on a mobile if it all possible as using a landline is substantially cheaper.

When I was in premed in RCSI one of the banks, Bank of Ireland I think, came in on the registration day and were giving away free pay as you go phones with every new account opened. So you could just open an account with a couple of euro and never use the account again apart from withdrawing the money you put in to open it, but get a free phone with call credit already on it.

 

[leorl]

txting the US or Canada should be 25 cents as well. My flatmate txt's her dad all the time. There's also free web texts from both vodafone and O2 when you register with them. Most people go pre-paid. I just signed up for contract (pay monthly) cuz I think i'll have to be making a lot of calls within Ireland next year, and with that there's an optional "add-on" of getting 25 free international minutes per month (well technically it costs 7.50).

I would not call the US/Canada on a mobile! Either get a landline phone (which isn't cheap either, but if you've got people sharing with you it might be alright), or buy calling cards or go to a call shop. The inconvenience of that is having to run around finding a center or something in the case of emergencies where you have to contact people back home.

Bank of Ireland and AIB have been pretty skimpy on their free offerings as of late. And I know so many people whose free phones gave them more trouble than not. And Trin, the US is rapidly catching up . They've not got the same phones that we and the UK use here, no more dinosaur phones. And they're finally catching onto txting, mms-ing, AND THEY CAN IM on their phones. Wish our phones came with AIM.

 

[stacy_de_lin]

Hello all. I have a slew of questions about RCSI. I know this is for accepted folks, but I assumed since you had applied and been accepted there, you might know the answers to my questions. So here goes....

My first question is about residency placement in the US (I am a US citizen). I asked a guy from Atlantic Bridge about it and he said their residency list was confidential and he could not release it-- to me, that was a bit of a red flag. I wanted to know if grads could practice in every state, and if grads got more competitive residencies. Why won't Atlantic Bridge release this? Every other school does.

The person I spoke with also told me the USMLE Step 1 Pass Rate for 1st time test takers was 97%. I was also a little taken aback by this since even US students do not have a pass rate that high-- theirs is about 92%. Any thoughts?

Do students have trouble moving their spouses and/or pets there?

Finally, I heard you receive something other than an MD. Does this become an MD upon starting your residency in the states?

Thanks all for your help!!!!

 

[Badkarma25]

hi stacy,
i go to ucd but i can answer some of your questions...i find it peculiar that they wouldn't tell you on the phone about the match results...last year when i got accepted to ucd i got a list of people who matched from the irish schools and where they matched and what specialty...it was only a partial list but there were some really good matches on there.....someone matched in opthamology at yale, lots of mayo clinic, some at johns hopkins.....i'll see if i can dig it up...

moving pets over can be a hassle depending on where you're coming from...i don't know the quarantine requirements. spouses don't require quarantine LOL, but i'm not sure about how easy it is for the mto get jobs....i know that if they have an EU passport that's a huge step forward, much less of a headache than getting a work permit. i know a guy in my class came over last september with his wife and she didn't find a paying job until february....i think that was because of visa issues....

finally, the degree you get from an irish school is the MB BCh BAO (bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery, and bachelor of the art of obstetrics)...i think, personally, it's a much cooler sounding degree but it is, in every way, equivalent to the md awarded by north american medical schools... i'm not sure if you can write md after you naem once you're back in the states (i think i read somewehre that legally you can)....

hope this helps!

 

[Sage880]

finally, the degree you get from an irish school is the MB BCh BAO (bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery, and bachelor of the art of obstetrics)...i think, personally, it's a much cooler sounding degree but it is, in every way, equivalent to the md awarded by north american medical schools... i'm not sure if you can write md after you naem once you're back in the states (i think i read somewehre that legally you can)....

Yes, you can write MD after your name for simplicity sakes and US grads can write MB BCh BAO after their name if they're practicing in countries other then north America. They're interchangeable.

 

[13538]

I posted some of the destinations of the RCSI Class of 2004 in a previous thread..do a search for it.

As for getting into a competitive residency such as optho, derm, gas, neurosurg, rads etc...it's an uphill struggle but not impossible! Although if you have your heart set on being a dermatologist or whatever...try the US route first...it'll makes things easier in the long run. Just my 2 cents...

 

[sluequee]

Hi!

I'm almost certain that if you're coming from North America, where rabies exists, that it is mandatory to put your pet in a six month quarantine when you arrive in Ireland, even if they've had all their shots - rabies doesn't exist there (I think).

Steph

 

[leorl]

The 97% pass rate does seem high, doesn't it. But I believe it, because that statistic is taken from the North Americans over here and doesn't take into account Irish or other international students who attempt Step I. North Americans over here who are focused on going back to the US make sure they do all the things necessary to score well on Step I. Not saying that our US counterparts don't, but we're especially conscious of it here because as FMGs, we really need to make sure to nail those scores if we want good residencies.

Regarding spouse: some people have been successful in bringing their significant others. It depends if moving is what the spouse/gf wants. There may be working visa trouble, so it's best if you try to sort out employment before you get here. It's sometimes difficult because in order to be given a work visa, a company has to pay a sponsorship fee, which means they need to be willing to take you on and deem you more capable of fulfilling a position than an Irish employee. It's a little easier in health professions (OT's, etc.) where there's a shortage.

 

[stacy_de_lin]

Hey all. Thanks for the replies. A few comments.... I did some research on the pet issue, and it looks as though as long as your pet has its shots and you go through England first, then you are okay to take your pet to Ireland. And some clarification on my spouse question-- my husband does all of his work from the computer, and can work from wherever we are with his clients in the states, so the work part isn't an issue. I just wanted to make sure that he would be able to live there without any issue; I imagine that I would get a student visa, but wasn't sure what kind of visa he would get. If anyone has moved with their spouse, I would appreciate it if you e-mailed me.

Thanks for some clarification on the residency issue. I looked at an old e-mail from Atlantic Bridge and what they had told me, more specifically, was that they didn't have residency info for me (I guess he meant at that time, since it goes out with the application) and that they don't provide contact info of former students and current residents for privacy reasons. The other schools I had looked at did provide this, and I wonder why Atlantic Bridge does not, since I believe the best reference source is someone who attended the schools, and for this reason most schools do keep names of alumni who would not mind being contacted. I did some google searches and didn't come up with too many names. Any thoughts on this?

By the way, when I asked about more competitive residencies, I didn't necessarily mean just derm or neurosurgery, but I was wondering if students had more options that say just FP and IM. I find myself interested in fields such as OB, EM, and surgery, and wanted to be sure I would not be too limited.

And a final question! I have heard rumors that students who attend Irish schools get very little patient interaction during their 5 years of school, much less so than US students. Thoughts? Comments?

You guys have been great-- thanks so much for the responses!

 

[13538]

Re the pet issue. Leave him/her at home. Most landlords aren't going to let you keep animals and there's always the Summer/Winter vacations to think about...

The visa issue can be very tricky. Take a look at the following website for a start:
http://www.oasis.gov.ie/moving_country/passports_and_visas/

Some of the RCSI Class of 2004 matched in OB, EM and Surgery... So it is possible...

I'm not sure about your last point! Where did you get the idea that Irish students get less patient exposure than US students? The clinical portion of the course last 3 years...and in general Irish graduates have comparable, if not superior (dons flame-proof jacket ) clinical skills to US students.

 

[stacy_de_lin]

Re the pet issue. Leave him/her at home. Most landlords aren't going to let you keep animals and there's always the Summer/Winter vacations to think about....

Well, I am "home" to my dogs. Never had an issue with landlords, meaning I have always managed to find a place somewhere. However, owning dogs does mean no fun vacations on the summer/winter breaks for me! Oh well!

I'm not sure about your last point! Where did you get the idea that Irish students get less patient exposure than US students? The clinical portion of the course last 3 years...and in general Irish graduates have comparable, if not superior (dons flame-proof jacket ) clinical skills to US students.

This is a rumor I have heard, but apparently it may be an untrue rumor. I heard that there is little patient exposure and that when there is, you have limited access, i.e., you'll come out of medical school still not knowing how to start an IV. But I'm glad to hear the situation may be otherwise!

 

[Badkarma25]

hi again stacy,

i can definitely tell you from my own experience and that of my friends looking for places to live in dublin, you will find it VERY difficult to find a landlord who will allow pets...

as for the whole clinical skills thing, i'm not quite there yet but i've heard good things about the clinical skills training we'll get in ireland...in fact i've heard that's what makes irish grads attractive to PD's in residency programs.....so i dunno!

 

[leorl]

I would think that we'd get more clinical exposure, as we have an extra year of it. After talking to some Canadians before I decided to come to Ireland, some of them decided to come here because of that extra clinical year. Granted, you do have to make it work yourself, as in if you just are content to hang back and get out as early as possible, it probably won't be very useful to you. Some clinical programs get a bit of slap because of inefficiency, but it is what you make of it. From what I've heard, we actually come out clinically more competent, although by residency time, we have to adjust to an American system.

 

[stacy_de_lin]

From what I've heard, we actually come out clinically more competent, although by residency time, we have to adjust to an American system.

What would you say the differences are in the two systems?

 

[leorl]

Not quite sure, since I haven't gone through it yet (start clinicals this year). I've heard though, that we are taught earlier and more competently, how to present cases, take histories, and diagnose based off symptoms and thinking, instead of rushing to order a battery of very expensive tests. So perharps relying on fewer resources and more knowledge/thinking to diagnose. However, having said that, it's something that's not that great an advantage because everyone catches up to each other at some stage with practice and experience.

 

[subQ]

I am a recently graduated doctor from the Philippines, and would like to pursue Surgery residency training in Europe. For those who are in Surgery Residency Training in RCSI, may I ask how you go about it? I'm confused with the requirements - the program requires temporary registration from the Council, but the Council requires acceptance in a program before giving registration. Which is to be done first?
If anyone can suggest other EU countries for me, that would be most welcome...English is the only foreign language I am fluent in, but am willing to learn.
Thanks and good luck to everyone!

 

[arfm_azm]

i'm ariff from malaysia, juz cant wait to see u guys this 4 th oct!

 

[roo]

The high Step1 pass rate is because there is usually 3 years to prepare for the exam versus 2 years in the USA, since the course lengths are five years instead of four. In addition, those 3 years are [quite rightly for this stage of the game] self-directed learning with just big exams at the end, not quizzes every week, so you can organize a proper plan for the big exams that matter like licensing exams, instead of always worrying about cramming for a quiz next Monday.

I can't comment about 97% pass rate. From experience it is in the 90's somewhere though.

If one has 3 years and one studies properly for those three years, the likelihood of failure on Step1 is very slim.

Also, if you look through the archives, you will find that I posted the UCD residency match list for class of 2003 including discipline and university.

Best wishes,
roo

 

[tempstuff2004]

I'm a bit confused. I was just wondering - when you guys say you're from UCLA, Cornell, UCD and from a university in Ontario etc., are you referring to undergrad, and entering RCSI Medical School? Or are you guys in med school in North America already? Thanks.

 

[Badkarma25]

referring to where we did undergrad in most cases...

 

[Slave#8801011]

Do they still interview applicants? I heard of 4 Americans who went there for interview and was told that afternoon that all 4 were accepted. This might mean that any American who is interviewed usually gets in. According to the story, all 4 travelled to Ireland for the interview.

 

[Hannah Warner]

Hey guys, I was in premed at RCSI last year so this year I'll be in first med with a bunch of you and I'm a leader for freshers week. I'm from Vancouver B.C. and I did three years at UBC (before giving up on getting a GPA that would get me in here.) From my interview in Boston I know that not everyone who interviews gets in, but most do. They just want some assurance that you're a normal person and that you'll fit in in Dublin. The lifestyle there is slightly different from what you have in North America (much more social and outgoing people) and they like to hear that you have interests outside of school. They don't want to give a place to anyone who is going to hate Dublin (not many people do) and want to go home. Either way, if you've got an interview you're almost in. Good luck and hope to see you all in a few weeks!

 

[Choda]

Do they still interview applicants? I heard of 4 Americans who went there for interview and was told that afternoon that all 4 were accepted. This might mean that any American who is interviewed usually gets in. According to the story, all 4 travelled to Ireland for the interview.

I don't know where you got that information from but RCSI interviews are conducted within north america, either in boston, nyc or san francisco.

 

[arfm_azm]

i'm ariff from malaysia, see u guys there

 

[Nitti]

I'll also be seeing everyone over in Dublin soon. I'll be a second med, but still very involved with the first meds (hi hannah !). Keep on posting the questions about whatever and we'll try and answer them.... (like what you might need with you, what you won't, etc.)

 

[Hannah Warner]

Hey Megs!