i'm fairly sure TCD ended up being 600 random selection last year, although 580 could have been the minimum for applying. Regardless, doesn't really affect us. Facilities at Trinity aren't like that 🙂. Remember, Trinity is more architecturally traditional than the other schools. Some people wouldn't want that, I personally find it rather charming. For instance, the Anatomy building is one of the oldest on campus and there's still the wooden rounded amphitheatre and wooden dissection room.
Research-wise, there is a new neuroscience building with collaborations with clinical physicians. Trinity is still the leading research institute in Ireland, although other universities have made fantastic advances with good quality projects. Trinity specific, there are very significant projects which will be unveiled in the coming spring/year.
Clinical skills-wise, I know that other clinical skills programs have been modeled off the one that has been developed at TCD. Students don't begin until 2nd-3rd year (whatever the new 5 yr system correlates to), except for the minor bp/taking, minor skills which are 1st year. Proper clinical skills (suturing, cannulation, catheterization, surgical equipment, etc.) are taught in these sessions, along with opportunities to practice on SimMan (simulation guy who mimics different scenarios with different breath sounds, murmurs, etc. He's cool, you can actually make him hit on a nurse. you can also make him die). i have to say though, that unless you keep practicing that you forget it all.
UCC have the hardest examination system of all the Irish colleges, in that in final year, all four parameters of examination happen all at once (i.e. you have to do obs/gyne, paeds, medicine, surgery all at the same time) - that is a really tall order, so kudos to them!
