Stats of Applicants to Irish schools and Acceptance, Waitlist or Rejection

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asd979, nicemps, or anyone else--

I am becoming familiar with the Atlantic Bridge Program and would like to ask a very basic question from a US student's perspective.

Why are you favoring (or did select) the Atlantic Bridge as opposed to St. George's or D.O. school?

My concern is that I have found very little information regarding Irish med school grads getting Residencies in the US and whether Iris med school grads are at a disadvantage when competing for specialities.

Thanks for any responses.
 
ireland has some of the oldest and best medical schools around...
 
asd979, nicemps, or anyone else--

I am becoming familiar with the Atlantic Bridge Program and would like to ask a very basic question from a US student's perspective.

Why are you favoring (or did select) the Atlantic Bridge as opposed to St. George's or D.O. school?

My concern is that I have found very little information regarding Irish med school grads getting Residencies in the US and whether Iris med school grads are at a disadvantage when competing for specialities.

Thanks for any responses.

Because we want to go to a university that is Internationally recognized and not just any sketchy university with a bad stigma attached to its graduates. For example, Compare TCD with SGU...a top 50 university with a....was SGU even ranked?
 
Caribbean medical schools have a negative stigma attached to them, whether it is deserved or not. I don't want to be questioned about it for the rest of my life, and having to continuously prove myself when I can go to a highly respected Irish school with a track record of successful graduates.
 
How are interviews conducted? I've only read about RCSI holding them, and can't seem to find too many details.
 
Hey there everyone! Im Canadian and I have applied to RCSI, UCD, and NUIG for the 6 year medical programs. I have ~90% average in all high High School courses with ~ 92% average in all grade 12 courses. My marks in the core courses in grade 12 were... 94% in Physics, 92% in Biology, 93% in English, 92 % in Calculus and 84 % in Chemistry. My current GPA after 1 year of University is 3.41. I have good EC's including competitive golf for the past 4 years, competitive badminton and hockey player etc . I also have good volunteer experience in the emergency department of a local hospital, cancer care, canadian national institute for the blind, UNICEF, Community service at high school etc. I was just curious as to what my chances might potentially be for receiving an interview from RCSI.
 
Hey there everyone! Im Canadian and I have applied to RCSI, UCD, and NUIG for the 6 year medical programs. I have ~90% average in all high High School courses with ~ 92% average in all grade 12 courses. My marks in the core courses in grade 12 were... 94% in Physics, 92% in Biology, 93% in English, 92 % in Calculus and 84 % in Chemistry. My current GPA after 1 year of University is 3.41. I have good EC's including competitive golf for the past 4 years, competitive badminton and hockey player etc . I also have good volunteer experience in the emergency department of a local hospital, cancer care, canadian national institute for the blind, UNICEF, Community service at high school etc. I was just curious as to what my chances might potentially be for receiving an interview from RCSI.

I've been out of the highschool game for a very long time now; but that package sounds excellent and I--not claiming any inside information about admissions--think that you'd stand a good chance of scoring an interview.
 
The one item that the Irish medical schools mentioned to me was that you should take the AP test for at least Chemistry & Biology if you are applying for the 6 year program. It gives them a standard to measure students.
 
Any idea when RCSI usually sends out their interview invites?
 
I'm from: Saskatchewan, Canada
My country of citizenship is: Canada
Currently studying: MSc. Microbiology/Immunology
At this University: University of Saskatchewan
My cGPA is: 3.1
My sGPA is: 3.4
My MCAT Scores were:
- Physical Sciences: 9
- Verbal: 10
- Biological Sciences: 10
- Written Sample: Q
- Total: 29Q
I applied to: NUIG, RCSI, TCD, UCC, UCD, UL & UCD (Veterinary Medicine).
I was accepted at: Waiting to hear.
I was waitlisted at: Waiting to hear.
I was rejected from: Waiting to hear.
 
I guess ill attach my info too...

I'm from: Toronto, Canada
My country of citizenship is: Canada
Program: BSc
At this University:
My cGPA is: 3.53
My MCAT Scores were:
- Physical Sciences: 12
- Verbal: 8
- Biological Sciences: 12
- Written Sample: O
- Total: 32O
I applied to: RCSI, UCC, UCD, UL (4 year programs)
I was accepted at: UCC, RCSI interview invite (email) feb 1st - interviewed march 1st - accepted march 15th
I was waitlisted at: None yet
I was rejected from: None
I will be attending: RCSI

Hope I get in somewhere :xf:
 
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Anyone attended or been invited to an RCSI interview yet?
 
Is it a requirement to take any admissions test if I want to apply to any medic uni in ireland?

I'm so confused on how the system works!
 
Anyone hear anything yet in regard to acceptances or interviews? According to past posts we should be hearing back from ABP soon.
 
nothing yet

seems like the first set of rcsi interview invitations come out very late in january (30-31) or early february... based on the previous years posts in here.
 
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Last year the first offers for interviews came in on the last Friday of January (29th), which would mean tomorrow for us if the trend continues.
 
I'll post my stats here as well. Looks like the posters so far have similar stats:

I'm from: Ontario, Canada
My country of citizenship is: Canada
Program: Recently left Ph.D
At this University:
My cGPA is: 3.52 undergraduate BA History and Philosophy, 3.76 graduate (MA in history and Ph.D coursework in history), currently taking physics, chemistry, biology, and statistics (ABP is aware of this).
My MCAT Scores were:
- Physical Sciences: 10
- Verbal: 10
- Biological Sciences: 09
- Written Sample: Q
- Total: 29Q
Other Info: volunteering since October 2010 (bad I know). Year abroad in Germany. Speak fluent German. 2nd place in essay contest (500$ award). Numerous scholarships. Research Assistant for two German historians (research done in German). Some conference presentations. Whole bunch of other stuff. Really put effort into essay question.

I applied to: McMaster, Queens (longshot), RCSI, UCC, UCD, UL (4 year programs)
I was accepted at: Waiting to hear.
I was waitlisted at: Interviewing at Limerick on April 15.
I was rejected from: McMaster, Queens.
 
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haha, i hope my essay is good. im not the best essay writer, but I tried my best. kinda relying on my mcat to pull the weight of my app.
 
Was the gold star comment directed at me? Just trying to provide as much info as possible so people have an idea of who is accepted and/or rejected.
 
oh no, thats my signature. it goes into every post I have. I think you made a great post. But for some reason its not showing up here..
 
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oh no, thats my signature. it goes into every post I have. I think you made a great post. But for some reason its not showing up here..

Weird. I thought that was the case, but looking back at your other posts on this thread I did not see it. I figured someone wrote it and the mods deleted it, but it remained in your post. Anyway, who knows what these schools actually look for, but your MCAT score is definitely decent. That is the only thing that without a doubt influences acceptance to the four year programs. If you look at Cork's acceptance criteria for Irish residents, it is based entirely on GAMSAT scores (their MCAT). It would make sense that they would place a large emphasis on another standardized test. RCSI's website states that the average MCAT of 2008 matriculants was 29, so I'm hoping I can just eek in.
 
did you send your official mcat report by paper? Thats what they asked from me, there was no option on the ABP forms to enter those marks, just two boxes for undergraduate and postgraduate gpa. From what ive heard, your 29 mcat is ok for admissions.
 
did you send your official mcat report by paper? Thats what they asked from me, there was no option on the ABP forms to enter those marks, just two boxes for undergraduate and postgraduate gpa. From what ive heard, your 29 mcat is ok for admissions.

Yup. Just sent in piece of paper with score and AAMC ID# on it. My big concern is that I do not have much of a science background. I'm waiting on some marks though, and once they are in I might send in the final transcripts. The whole ABP application form seemed a little strange. Just a box for GPAs and ECs, asking questions about parental occupations, etc. as if they really did not care all that much.
 
I think those questions were there to make sure you can get cosigners or whatnot to pay the tuition. If you had a good answer for "how do you plan on financing the education" then thats a bonus. I also sent my employment history on a separate sheet of paper, since there didnt seem to be an option for that. Your lack of science might be made up by your mcat tho, where you wrote the ps and bs.
 
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Other than RCSI, do any of the four year Irish med schools offer interviews

Thanks.
 
Spoke to Peter Nealon today. According to him RCSI has already started sending out invitations to interview. Anyone??
 
Spoke to Peter Nealon today. According to him RCSI has already started sending out invitations to interview. Anyone??

Not yet for me. I guess the people that got interviews do not frequent the forums. I hope this doesn't mean I won't get an interview.
 
Nothing yet, how is the invitation sent out -> is it a fed ex package at the door? I registered for the courier service.
 
If I'm not mistaken I believe they invite via email. But I could be wrong.
 
Nothing yet, how is the invitation sent out -> is it a fed ex package at the door? I registered for the courier service.

Do they send interview invites by courier as well? I was not sure if it was only the acceptances.

Anyway, perhaps they are doing rolling invites. I'm fairly certain I am not one of their top applicants, so maybe they are waiting to see if the superstars accept or not, before they send me the scraps.

I am going to assume that other applicants do not care about this as much as i do, since they obviously do not post here😀.
 
I'm right there with ya bud. The suspense is killing me
 
Hey, guys.

Got an interview invite for RCSI via email (1/27). The interview is in NYC on Feb 25 or 26. Have to call Peter Nealon to set up the time.

In case anyone is wondering:
P-9
V-10
B-11
30 O
GPA 3.62
 
Hey, guys.

Got an interview invite for RCSI via email (1/27). The interview is in NYC on Feb 25 or 26. Have to call Peter Nealon to set up the time.

In case anyone is wondering:
P-9
V-10
B-11
30 O
GPA 3.62

Interesting. Do you guys know if they send them out in batches? Do they send out Canadian invites at different times?

BTW, what kind of ECs do u have? Any research and the like?
 
Interesting. Do you guys know if they send them out in batches? Do they send out Canadian invites at different times?

BTW, what kind of ECs do u have? Any research and the like?

I honestly have no idea about how their process involving interview invites, sorry I know the wait/lack of communication is ridiculously unbearable at times.

As for me, I am a pretty standard applicant. Research in college, internships over the summer. I have one publication as a 3rd author and I am listed in some Spanish trauma textbook as one of the authors for a chapter. It was pretty funny, I got the text sent to me by the doctor I worked with and the entire book is in Spanish. I can't read or write in Spanish.

EDIT: wow that first sentence is struggling, so here it is fixed: I honestly don't know how they send out interview invites to applicants. Sorry, I know the wait/lack of communication is ridiculously unbearable at times.
 
Was the email sent directly to you from RCSI or ABP? By the way, congrats!
 
Hi everyone. I have been advised by ABP that they will give no less than 3 weeks notice for interviews. The offer will be sent by e-mail and then you call back to confirm and choose a time to interview. I am applying to UCD, RCSI, UCC, NIU, and Trinity. I am from the US, but I am taking the GAMSAT in March as I am overseas, so I am not sure if they will offer interviews without a test score.
 
I honestly have no idea about how their process involving interview invites, sorry I know the wait/lack of communication is ridiculously unbearable at times.

As for me, I am a pretty standard applicant. Research in college, internships over the summer. I have one publication as a 3rd author and I am listed in some Spanish trauma textbook as one of the authors for a chapter. It was pretty funny, I got the text sent to me by the doctor I worked with and the entire book is in Spanish. I can't read or write in Spanish.

EDIT: wow that first sentence is struggling, so here it is fixed: I honestly don't know how they send out interview invites to applicants. Sorry, I know the wait/lack of communication is ridiculously unbearable at times.

That helps a ton. I figured that RCSI likes research, since they strike me as that type of school. Also, since your stats are only slightly better than mine I was wondering if there was anything that set you apart. What you listed certainly does (IMO). Also, congratulations!
 
Nobody has posted on the Canadian premed forum yet about interviews, and I think a lot of Canadians apply (who knows though). Maybe Canadian invites will be sent out this week, since our interviews take place in Toronto.
 
congrats on your interview. I am wondering what other peoples essays were like…I feel like I am a pretty standard applicant as well, but I did go to a top 15 US university.. other than the fact that I haven't sat the test yet, not sure what would set me apart. When I first applied he told me that they may extend offers before your test score … based on a conditional offer. So Im not sure if they will wait to interview later, etc. Also I thought that later applicants (late deadline) would go to the late interview…but he also told me that was not the case either. I would imagine the interviews would come in waves…but I would hope if I were going to get one it would be soon as I am currently overseas in Australia and the flight home will be long and expensive!
 
congrats on your interview. I am wondering what other peoples essays were like…I feel like I am a pretty standard applicant as well, but I did go to a top 15 US university.. other than the fact that I haven't sat the test yet, not sure what would set me apart. When I first applied he told me that they may extend offers before your test score … based on a conditional offer. So Im not sure if they will wait to interview later, etc. Also I thought that later applicants (late deadline) would go to the late interview…but he also told me that was not the case either. I would imagine the interviews would come in waves…but I would hope if I were going to get one it would be soon as I am currently overseas in Australia and the flight home will be long and expensive!

I'm not sure if you noticed my one post, but I put quite a bit of effort into my essay. I am also an accomplished writer, so I do not know what that is worth. Really though, it all comes down to how you approached the question. It is difficult to know what they are looking for, but I figured you should approach the question both a.) honestly and b.) directly. Do not try to make it about your ECs or your life story, truly answer the question of why you would be an asset to an Irish Medical School. You really need to reflect on your positive attributes and on what you are capable of. Personally, I tried to emphasize my continuous academic curiousity, my ability to engage my mind in various subjects in both the humanities and science, my willingness to travel and learn things for the sake of knowledge itself, and finally my maturity (I am a bit older). Surprisingly, in writing about these things it became easy to highlight some of my important ECs. Lastly, since their question was about medical school specifically my guess is that they are less concerned with your motivations for becoming a doctor or even what kind of doctor you will become, and more concerned with whether you will fit in well at the school, contribute to the class, and most importantly pay tuition for four years. Hope this helps. Also, I too would like to hear how other people approached the essay.
 
What was the size of the email they sent you, pmp04 (In mb)? I only have 7 mb free space on this university mail account. They dont give us much.
 
Can anyone please give me some advice?

I am applying next year to RCSI's GEP program through the Atlantic Bridge. I have a 3.8 GPA from a good UC school and majored in biochemistry. However, I have a low mcat (27:10/6/11).... I have all As in my english classes though.

Does anyone know how much RCSI weights MCAT or how my verbal score will affect me? I heard a rumor that they care more about the sciences, but can anyone clarify this for me.

Also, can you apply both to the 5 year and 4 year program and hope to gain entrance into one of them?

Any other advice? Any help would be much appreciated.🙂
 
Sounds like we had a similar approach to the essay. With admissions you can never know, it is so difficult to compare any one candidate to another. I haven't seen a lot of other Americans on the posting...its too bad there isn't a forum where all applicants can communitcate so that we have a better idea of if all interviews are sent out at once, etc. I just hope if I get in I don't find out last minute because that would just be chaos. I do not know what to expect as I don't have a test score...however the GAMSAT is only sat once a year so I am taking it on the same day as all the non-International students, unless they had already taken it. Anyways, it all is just a guessing game until some real answers start to appear.
 
So is everyone here Canadian? Why do so many Canadians apply to international schools? I rarely meet an American applying to them...
 
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