Seeking UCC insight

[octospider]

Seems like everyone is having good crack here

I thought this thread was about UCC and not about English but I find myself perplexed. Anyhow I wouldn't argue with the Irish over English. They did produce Oscar Wilde and most speak English very well thank you.

It's awesome like

Anyhow, I would look at the first page on this thread if I require information on UCC. Med2UCC is a great source and Sage seems pretty accurate too.

Anyhow, I thought I would leave some links and put an end to this petty debate.
URL: http://www.ucc.ie/students/socs/medsoc/index.html
URL: http://www.ucc.ie/students/socs/medstud/index.html
URL: http://groups.msn.com/canadiansineire

Have fun surfing

I will be more than happy to answer any questions about UCC aswell although I don't think it will be needed.

Welcome to Cork

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[deleted21609]

Med2UCC is a great source and Sage seems pretty accurate too.

It's great for newbies to post their experience, but you would be wrong to dismiss my comments as inaccurate just because they aren't always positive (though most of my recent comments about UCC have been positive or neutral). I spent a LONG time there and know what I'm talking about. I'm happy to share my experience and advice whenever possible.

Here's one piece of advice that's pretty obvious but very hard to follow: study throughout the year to learn medicine. Don't put off your learning until the end of the year just because most of your exams are at the end of the year and you can get away with it. You don't have to know all that much to pass most of your exams in the first few years (you just have to know what they ask year after year), but you will need to know a lot in the future. Try to remember that you are primarily studying to be a doctor and not just to pass exams. I know it's obvious...


leorl : "dontbsme... if in fact you actually "speak" as you do in real life as you do on here, I'm amazed you haven't gotten the crap kicked out of you yet."

 

[dontbsme]

"if in fact you actually "speak" as you do in real life as you do on here, I'm amazed you haven't gotten the crap kicked out of you yet." [/QUOTE]

Like studentie, I too am laughing. How unfortunate that the moderator also elects to use vulgarity in this forum. "Gotten the crap kicked out of you" indeed!

Respectfully, etc.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

I'm sorry, if you two people want to argue with each other, please open another thread because at this point, most people DO want to kick the crap out of ye.

Respectfully, etc.

 

[octospider]

It's great for newbies to post their experience, but you would be wrong to dismiss my comments as inaccurate just because they aren't always positive (though most of my recent comments about UCC have been positive or neutral). I spent a LONG time there and know what I'm talking about. I'm happy to share my experience and advice whenever possible.

Nowhere in my last post did I say that your insights were inaccurate infact I found them quiet enlightening to the contrary. You have made a rather grave assumption. No matter. I have a two questions for you student.ie:

1) Why do you take everything so personally?
2) Are you currently still a student for if you graduated from UCC, should you not be a resident? (I assume that you went to UCC med)

Sincerely,
Octo

 

[Arb]

I believe he is a resident in the US now. However, he hasn't given much info on what he is doing. For me personally, his advice has made me more critical about going abroad which is a good thing. Thank you.

 

[deleted21609]

...to the contrary. You have made a rather grave assumption.

Ok. I may have made a false assumption regarding your earlier message. I read between the lines: "Med2UCC is a great source and Sage seems pretty accurate too" (as opposed to student.ie's darn lies). I guess what I thought was lying between the lines wasn't really intended. I stand corrected.

 

[octospider]

It's all good Student.ie. I tried searching for your other posts on UCC but searching seems to have been disabled. My loss.

Anyhow, you have me intrigued....

Why is that your recent posts on UCC have been neutral or positive? Meaning that your earlier one's weren't? I would definetely like to hear about your experience at UCC and your experience as a resident (if that is what you are).

You are most welcome to PM me if you like regarding things you liked or disliked about UCC and studying abroad. It's always good to hear from people who have done it before. Experience is afterall the best teacher.

Sincerely,
Octo

P.S. For some reason I assumed that you were of the fairer sex but apparently not (according to Arb).

 

[ockhamsRzr]

Experience is afterall the best teacher.

Indeed it would be nice to get more more facts from folks on the ground in Ireland. I am definitely applying through AB this fall and, the incessant and useless pedantry notwithstanding, would love some actual feedback.

Could someone please show dontbsme some love so he lightens up a bit...what an ass.

ockham

 

[leorl]

Ockham's razor, if you do a search in these forums you'll see there's tons of info out there from people who've lived here away. Especially for the Dublin schools - RCSI and Trinity. Not so much for UCD, but there is some info there too. UCC would have the least info on here about it, but it's increasing as more SDNers from UCC start posting. The Dublin schools would have more of the north american applicants.

Octospider, it's my understanding that student.ie is a graduate of RCSI, not UCC. However, I'm not sure what experience he/she has with UCC. It seems a few of the north americans at RCSI are not happy (understatement) with their experience there, although it's hard to judge whether they're being too pessimistic and expecting too much, or whether there is an actual deficiency. However, let's not open that can of worms again.

 

[leorl]

Hi, it could be good to do some asking around with Trinity especially - it was my impression that that the new 5-year curriculum was coming into effect this year, but the health sciences website still list it as a 6 year program, with the last update being July 2005. I would know definitely in October, but here are some emails you can try: Deborah Watson, [email protected], acting student administrator. Also Karen Henaghan, executive officer, [email protected]. There are a couple others who are on maternity leave so might not get back to you soon.

You could also try asking AB, but they're only a middle-man. They have no role in admissions. I know AB asks for the applications in November, and you would have completed your chem and physics in December. Applications don't actually reach the Irish schools until January...so if there's a way of forwarding your grades, then that might work. If this was possible, you would just have to make sure (and keep checking) that those grades are actually put with your file and don't get separated or lost.

You would have time to spend with the family while you are in college . Kudos for thinking of rooting up the life you've known so far for a new start overseas, can't imagine all the issues you'd have to consider ! Best of luck

 

[Sparkler7]

Can anyone tell me how much a visit to a gp costs in Cork?

Thanks!

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Around €50

 

[Sparkler7]

Once again, my thanks to everyone who has answered my questions! I am extremely grateful to you for your advice, time and interest.

I've heard that it's possible for students to work part-time while in Ireland. Is it easy to find work in Cork? And what type of work do most students get employed to do? Finally, given the demands of being a med student, is it feasible to work and study while keeping sane at the same time?

Once again, many thanks!

 

[deleted21609]

You may be able to get medical care for free

I knew people who worked at bars, cinemas, and the morgue. It's actually easily feasible in the first few years of school. Time gets tighter as you progress through the course.

 

[Sage880]

Yeah, get an easy job that lets you study while you work. Those are the holy grails of slacker jobs.

 

[med2UCC]

Can anyone tell me how much a visit to a gp costs in Cork?

Thanks!

Visiting a GP is free if you do it through the student health centre. The receptionist is not the most friendly person in the world, and it frequently takes a week or more to see someone, but they are pretty good if you have an emergency. I've been able to get in the same day when really ill, and it's tstill free. The only downside is that you see whoever is on that day, so consistent care it is not, but that shouldn't be a problem unless you have some ongoing condition that requires monitoring (and then you just request to see Dr So-and-so and put up with the long wait). Cheers.

 

[med2UCC]

Can anyone tell me how much a visit to a gp costs in Cork?

Thanks!

Visiting a GP is free if you do it through the student health centre. The receptionist is not the most friendly person in the world, and it frequently takes a week or more to see someone, but they are pretty good if you have an emergency. I've been able to get in the same day when really ill, and it's tstill free. The only downside is that you see whoever is on that day, so consistent care it is not, but that shouldn't be a problem unless you have some ongoing condition that requires monitoring (and then you just request to see Dr So-and-so and put up with the long wait). Cheers.

 

[deleted21609]

The receptionist is not the most friendly person in the world.

.

 

[Sage880]

The receptionist is not the most friendly person in the world.

The receptionist is a minion from hell. I would key her car if I wasn't pretty sure she rode on flaming chariots back to where ever the hell she comes from.

My favorite part of seeing the doctor is waiting outside her door standing there why you watch her read email and ignore you. Everything after that with her is down hill.

 

[Sparkler7]

Again, your insights have been invaluable! Thanks!

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the average day is like for a first year. Will I be in class/lab from Monday to Friday, 8:00 till 4:00 straight (like med schools here)? I understand that UCC is implementing a new curriculum this year...can anyone tell me what they've heard about it?

Thanks again!

 

[med2UCC]

Again, your insights have been invaluable! Thanks!

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the average day is like for a first year. Will I be in class/lab from Monday to Friday, 8:00 till 4:00 straight (like med schools here)? I understand that UCC is implementing a new curriculum this year...can anyone tell me what they've heard about it?

Thanks again!

Sorry, but ROTFL.
If your first year is anything like mine, you will spend a lot! of time wondering what the heck you are supposed to be doing, since you will be doing a whole lot of nothing. Do you have a hobby like knitting? Doing jig-saw puzzles? Bring adequate supplies because you will have lots of time to indulge. Same goes for 2nd year. My first year we had 3 hours of classes Monday morning, with dissection in the afternoons for 1/2 the class (but I hear they are going to prosections this year which should speed things up), physiology labs every second week either Tuesday morning or Tuesday afternoon, DR Tuesday afternoon for the other half of the class, 2 hours of lectures wednesday morning with a Biochem lab every 2nd week in the afternoon, and histo lecture Wednesday evening, nothing Thursday unless you had histo lab or DR in the afternoon, and 3 hours fo classes on Friday (and DR in the afternoon for the Monday people). The Monday-Friday people had every Thursday off! In second year after about February 15th we had nothing to do (but still had an assessment every week or so, somehow, which doesn't add up).
That being said, keep up with the work. It is surprisingly easy to slack when you are not busy. I find I manage my time better when I have none, so 3rd year should be great for me.
As for the curriculum changes, it is going to a systems based PBL, as far as I know, so getting exemptions may not be as easy as it was for us (most of the Canadian students got out of some or all of the biochem, and some got out of behavioural science as well - hope you have some psych or sociology courses, so you can too!). As for course content - well, your guess is probably almost as good as mine. Since the Irish students haven't done any biology, for the most part, physiology is heavily emphasized here, as is anatomy, so in first year I suspect you will still be doing the physioogy of muscle contraction, heart function, respiration, and stuff like that, and doing the corresponding anatomy. I guess if they are going to study the anatomy and physiology at the same time it makes sense to go to prosections, since there is no way a whole cadaver would stay fresh for 2 years (makes me queasy just thinking about trying). Anyway, those are my thoughts on the matter, for what it's worth. Join the local public library too - cheaper than buying books (and now everyone in my class knows for sure who I am ; ) Hope some of this very long blurb is helpful.
Cheers,
Med2UCC

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

First Med was fairly relaxed. I think the earliest we started at was 10 but it sucked if you had dissection room on a friday afternoon. It really was ok. The biochem practicals on a Wednesday were horrendous although I don't know if they're still going. Basically, you had enough time to pursue other interests (i.e. drinking, going out, gym, whatever).

Second med started off fairly busy. After the neuroanatomy practicals were over after 6 weeks, thing were like first med although we had a lot of 9 o clock starts. Fridays were really bad because we had 4 hours of lectures from 9 until 1 and the neuroananatomy practicals in the afternoon (Thursday night was the going out night so we were all hungover normally). The last few month were fine because the biochem course ended early and there was nothing to replace its lectures.

Third year is the first proper year in hospitals. You spend the mornings on the ward from 9-11/12ish and then lectures until 4 or 5 usually. You were expected to work by yourselves on the wards so you weren't really supervised. Hence, a lot of us didn't do much in the mornings. Lots of exam and hardly anytime during the day to pursue other interests.

Forth year. Kind of like third year except more supervision on the wards. Lectures usually finished around 6 but there would be breaks inbetween in the afternoon. After february, lectures were finished and we'd spend all the time on wards/tutorials/practicals. You would also get posted outside of Cork (e.g limerick, tralee). A fairly easy year on the wards but don't relax as the exams are rock hard at the end of the year.

Final med- No idea yet!