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Jocks

Senior Member
15+ Year Member
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Dearest Sirs and Madams,

I was just curious who else will be attending UCD from North America. I'll start us off:

Name: Jocks
Hometown: Ottawa/London, Ont.
Undergrad: UWO
Age: 23
Program: UCD 5-year

I encourage others to give it a shot...also, has anyone seen UCD's Med Society web page? crazy hilariousness!

Cheers,
Jocks

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Name: Who M.D.
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Undergrad: University of Alberta
Age: 25
Program: UCD 5-year
 
i know i'm already 3 years into school but i'm bored so i'll post my stuff

name: badkarma25 (i'll be happy to divulge my real name to anyone who wants it if you can provide me with details of your police background check)

hometown: hamilton ontario

undergrad: b.sc. biology mcmaster, b.a. gerontology mcmaster

age: 29 (today is my birthday, jesus i'm getting old)

program: ucd 5 year program (going into 4th year in september)
 
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hey guys,

i'll be starting year 1 of 5 in september as well

name: arachniphobic ;)
hometown: toronto/hamilton
undergrad: hon. b. sc in genetics and biotech from u of t
age: 22

see you guys in september


p.s. i have a random question...is the tap water in ireland drinkable?
 
arachniphobic73 said:
p.s. i have a random question...is the tap water in ireland drinkable?


Ireland is like the 4th or 5th richest country in the world (GDP per capita)! I had one friend who tried to tell me Ireland was a "2nd world country"...ahh the isolation of North America.
 
Jocks said:
Ireland is like the 4th or 5th richest country in the world (GDP per capita)! I had one friend who tried to tell me Ireland was a "2nd world country"...ahh the isolation of North America.

What an idiot. He said Ireland is 2nd world? He probably has never been outside North America.
 
Technically Greenland is part of North America, and I've heard that isn't such a lovely place.

Anyway, I'm applying this year, but I'll give my stuff anyway because I'm bored. Plus, if I get in, I'm definitely going to UCD, so there.

Name: Mike
Hometown: Marlton, NJ
Undergrad: Penn State University/Stockton College of NJ
Age: 22
Program: UCD 6-year probably
 
Jocks said:
Ireland is like the 4th or 5th richest country in the world (GDP per capita)! I had one friend who tried to tell me Ireland was a "2nd world country"...ahh the isolation of North America.

Second world refers to the economic block of communist countries in the past. It does not mean a country somewhere between 1st and 3rd world.

There is a large GNP – GDP gap in Ireland due to foreign investment. A very high portion of total production is done in foreign owned companies (around 70% of net industrial output). My point is that a lot of Irish GDP doesn’t go toward enriching Ireland though some percentage does and a growing GDP is great for Ireland. Also, the relatively recent economic expansion leaves relatively few years for Ireland’s high GDP to have allowed for the accumulation of wealth. Ireland appears very rich when looking at GDP rankings while appearing below average when you actually visit it (depending on where you come from of course). Ireland has significantly improved over the last 20 years and will continue to do so, but the idea that Ireland isn’t rich is reasonable and not based on ‘the isolation of North America” in my opinion.
 
Background check? Atlantic Bridge said UCD doesn't require one....assuming they know the facts.
 
student.ie said:
Ireland has significantly improved over the last 20 years and will continue to do so, but the idea that Ireland isn’t rich is reasonable and not based on ‘the isolation of North America” in my opinion.

This is part, though, the effect of living in an old society. Old buildings, infrastructure, etc. hold back a city a little bit.

I haven't yet been to Dublin, but my sense is that it will be similar to London, but not quite up to par with New York or Toronto.
 
student.ie said:
Second world refers to the economic block of communist countries in the past. It does not mean a country somewhere between 1st and 3rd world.

There is a large GNP – GDP gap in Ireland due to foreign investment. A very high portion of total production is done in foreign owned companies (around 70% of net industrial output). My point is that a lot of Irish GDP doesn’t go toward enriching Ireland though some percentage does and a growing GDP is great for Ireland. Also, the relatively recent economic expansion leaves relatively few years for Ireland’s high GDP to have allowed for the accumulation of wealth. Ireland appears very rich when looking at GDP rankings while appearing below average when you actually visit it (depending on where you come from of course). Ireland has significantly improved over the last 20 years and will continue to do so, but the idea that Ireland isn’t rich is reasonable and not based on ‘the isolation of North America” in my opinion.

student.ie you are easily the most bitter person I have ever seen in a forum. Ireland doesn't appear below average - you live in la la land. Oh and now we're the second richest in the world after Japan as of yesterday. I think you should get counselling or something about the bitterness against Ireland and Irish med schools.
 
"Ireland appears very rich when looking at GDP rankings while appearing below average when you actually visit it (depending on where you come from of course)."

That's some pretty ign'ant ****. It's so sad that not much of said foreign investment comes in the form of McDonalds (well, there are some aren't there), WalMarts and Nascar, which of course are the universal units in which national wealth is determined. Seriously, Ireland, get your act together and raise that population obesity rate up into the 50s along with all the other rich nations. Only then will you be truly FREE!

Am I serious? You decide.
 
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irishgrad said:
student.ie you are easily the most bitter person I have ever seen in a forum. Ireland doesn't appear below average - you live in la la land. Oh and now we're the second richest in the world after Japan as of yesterday. I think you should get counselling or something about the bitterness against Ireland and Irish med schools.
The way you define richest is convenient but not accurate.
Anyway, did you even read my post? I wrote positive things about Ireland's growth and improving economic situation. You just shouldn't confuse GDP per capita ranking with weath ranking.
I heard people from Japan, Taiwan, the Middle East, the US, Canada, Holland, and Germany at different times who thought Ireland was "second world." I wasn't one of those people, but it's obvious why they would say that.
 
I don't have cable, so the arguments that fly over these threads are my main form of entertainment....WAY better than soaps.
 
Nepal is irrefutably the richest nation in the world. Discuss.
 
Ireland's foreign debt is about $260,000 per person. Pay up you rich Mic's!

You can work for microsoft in Seattle and your gross personal product will be very high and you'll make a good living, but the owner is the one who getting weathier. You can work for a Dutch, American, or British company in Ireland, have a high gross personal product, and make a good living, but you know the owners are the ones getting wealthier. The difference is that the Irish are more likely to be working for a foreign-owned company than people in other countries. It beats not working though, and they'll probably have more of their own companies in time.
 
Care to comment on USA's per capita debt?
 
Federal debt not total but who cares.
 
irishgrad said:
student.ie you are easily the most bitter person I have ever seen in a forum. Ireland doesn't appear below average - you live in la la land. Oh and now we're the second richest in the world after Japan as of yesterday. I think you should get counselling or something about the bitterness against Ireland and Irish med schools.

Don't delude yourself. Have you tried travelling to Cork from Dublin recently? When you complete the journey let me know if the infrastructure is that of what you expect of the 2nd richest country in the world. Don't get me wrong though, it's a huge improvement from the country I grew up in in the 1980's.

As Bertie himself said; "A lot done, a lot more to do".

Here's something else I've always wondered; if Ireland is such a rich country, as claimed, why do we have to rely on the tuition fees for so many of you foreign students to support our medical schools? As far as I know we've probably got the highest percentage of foreign students in our medical schools compared to other Western European countries (i.e. the previous EU 15). A 'poorer' country like the UK only give 10% of its places to foreign students. How come our fabulously wealthy country needs to rely on fees then? :cool:
 
Regarding why Irish med schools rely on foreign students for funding... do they really? Have you seen the breakdown on where their money comes from?

Also, the state of a country's medical schools don't directly reflect the wealth of a nation. I can't speak with any authority, nor do I really care if everyone can come to a consensus on whether or not to dub Ireland 'wealthy', but I do know that.
 
student.ie said:
Ireland's foreign debt is about $260,000 per person. Pay up you rich Mic's!

Wrong as always! Ireland has absolutely NO foreign debt - zero, zilch, nada.

Incredibly, it's national debt is 100% derived from investment in Ireland. This indicates that, since the commencement of its economic boom, capital has been plowed BIG TIME into the infrastructure of the country.

http://www.ntma.ie/NationalDebt/historicalData1.htm

For information on the US National debt go to http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

PLEASE stop providing incorrect and misleading information in this forum so that you can support your own agenda (which, at this stage, appears to me to be a pathological obsession). By responding year after year to every positive posting about Ireland, the Irish, Irish medical schools, etc. with a negative one, you are doing a disservice to those who are seeking correct information from an unbiased, reliable source. You have made your bias well-known over the years so nobody who frequents this board regularly gives any credence to what you have to say.

Amy
 
Slam Master J said:
Regarding why Irish med schools rely on foreign students for funding... do they really? Have you seen the breakdown on where their money comes from?

Also, the state of a country's medical schools don't directly reflect the wealth of a nation. I can't speak with any authority, nor do I really care if everyone can come to a consensus on whether or not to dub Ireland 'wealthy', but I do know that.

That's the reason that's given in these forums, and I think various medical reports over the years to the government have also highlighted this. What other reason would there be? Come on, you hardly think we're taking in all the foreigners out of the goodness of our hearts? While that might fly for some African country where the medical schools are few and far between, it makes no sense with regard to people from North America.

As for the state of the country's medical schools not directly reflecting the wealth of a nation, that might be true but you have to remember that one of the key reasons given for the success of the Celtic Tiger was investment in 3rd level education and the creation of a well-educated populace. This doesn't seem to be the case when it comes to medicine.

Every time I come home, I'm amazed at how much the country has progressed. Yet from my own experience it has still not reached the same level of development/wealth that the UK had.
 
Hmm, interesting.

Where does Ireland lie in terms of demand for health care professionals and education of said professionals? I've heard that it's rediculously competitive for Irish highschool graduates to get into medicine. Does this mean that if Ireland stopped taking in foreigners altogether, there would be enough competitive Irish nationals to fill the spots?
 
Rasmustown said:
Wrong as always!
Not wrong. Not biased. Just divide debt by population and you'll find my numbers. I'm awaiting your apology.

Rank Country Debt - external Date of Information
1 World $ 38,540,000,000,000 2004 est.
2 United States $ 8,837,000,000,000 30 June 2005 est.
3 United Kingdom $ 7,107,000,000,000 30 June 2005
4 Germany $ 3,626,000,000,000 30 June 2005
5 France $ 2,826,000,000,000 30 June 2005
6 Italy $ 1,682,000,000,000 30 June 2005 est.
7 Netherlands $ 1,645,000,000,000 30 June 2005
8 Japan $ 1,545,000,000,000 31 December 2004
9 Spain $ 1,249,000,000,000 30 June 2005 est.
10 Ireland $ 1,049,000,000,000 30 June 2005

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2079rank.html
 
student.ie said:
Not wrong. Not biased. Just divide debt by population and you'll find my numbers. I'm awaiting your apology.

Rank Country Debt - external Date of Information
1 World $ 38,540,000,000,000 2004 est.
2 United States $ 8,837,000,000,000 30 June 2005 est.
3 United Kingdom $ 7,107,000,000,000 30 June 2005
4 Germany $ 3,626,000,000,000 30 June 2005
5 France $ 2,826,000,000,000 30 June 2005
6 Italy $ 1,682,000,000,000 30 June 2005 est.
7 Netherlands $ 1,645,000,000,000 30 June 2005
8 Japan $ 1,545,000,000,000 31 December 2004
9 Spain $ 1,249,000,000,000 30 June 2005 est.
10 Ireland $ 1,049,000,000,000 30 June 2005

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2079rank.html

These figures are from a secondary source - The CIA !!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Actually, they're probably from a tertiary (or worse) source as the CIA does not compile such statistics. They can't really compile anything except a bunch of lies to justify an illegal invasion and occupation of a sovereign nation.

In light of the scandalous revelations about the bungling incompetence of the CIA in recent years, these cannot be considered remotely accurate by any stretch of the imagination. Furthermore, many would argue that the CIA is not an unbiased organization and that it does indeed have an agenda, particularly under the present administration.

Apologies for making you look foolish......again.
 
How in god's name did a roll-call thread dissolve into bickering about levels of debt and the legalities of the Iraqui war?

Ok, I'm going to start a thread about random arguing and I figure eventually it'll turn into one about UCD's curriculum.
 
Rasmustown said:
Apologies for making you look foolish......again.
Blah blah blah. True is true whatever your opinion of the source. Your argument is entirely an ad hominem attack. The World Fact Book has no interest in exagerating Irish debt while the Irish National Treasury Agency has significant interest in it. The main point is that I haven't made up my information as you seemed to think.

This is all irrelevant anyway. I just couldn't read that Ireland is one of the richest countries in the world without responding with the obvious objection= Drive down the street in Ireland... case closed.
 
dr strangelove said:
Don't delude yourself. Have you tried travelling to Cork from Dublin recently? When you complete the journey let me know if the infrastructure is that of what you expect of the 2nd richest country in the world. Don't get me wrong though, it's a huge improvement from the country I grew up in in the 1980's.

As Bertie himself said; "A lot done, a lot more to do".

Here's something else I've always wondered; if Ireland is such a rich country, as claimed, why do we have to rely on the tuition fees for so many of you foreign students to support our medical schools? As far as I know we've probably got the highest percentage of foreign students in our medical schools compared to other Western European countries (i.e. the previous EU 15). A 'poorer' country like the UK only give 10% of its places to foreign students. How come our fabulously wealthy country needs to rely on fees then? :cool:
:thumbup: Exactly. Ireland probably will be weathy one day despite the downturn in construction and the slowed expansion to come (unemployment is so low compared to the rest of Europe that you can't put many more people to work), but it obviously isn't yet. That doesn't mean it isn't good, but it isn't rich yet.
 
student.ie said:
:thumbup: Exactly. Ireland probably will be weathy one day despite the downturn in construction and the slowed expansion to come (unemployment is so low compared to the rest of Europe that you can't put many more people to work), but it obviously isn't yet. That doesn't mean it isn't good, but it isn't rich yet.

I'm without bias, as I know neither of you, but student.ie makes some great points, but hey I think it's fine, if foreign companies withdraw their companies, they will most likely have trained the Irish well enough to start their own. I think Ireland will be rich in the future too, but I think there will be a downturn in the economy soon because too much dependence on borrowed money.

However, by far student.ie makes the better points and rasmustown I really scoff at you ignoring CIA then trusting Ireland's GOVERNMENT economic advisors - I mean really what are Irish economists going to say, "Sorry foreign investors but our economy is so dependent on debt we're ready for a serious crash - but invest anyways!"

I think Ireland is improving, but it has reached a bubble, similar to dot-com, or should I say "dot-bomb" :smuggrin:
 
Ireland's direct foreign capital investment is structured well and they are benefiting greatly. China is in a similar situation with regards to foreign capital investment and they will be the economic superpower in a few years.
 
If WE look back 'Jocks' started this thread as the "UCD fanclub".

NOT some silly spitting contest about the economy of Ireland!

:luck: :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck:
 
Arb said:
Background check? Atlantic Bridge said UCD doesn't require one....assuming they know the facts.

Poses an interesting question.

:luck: :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck: :luck:
 
Slam Master J said:
Hmm, interesting.

Where does Ireland lie in terms of demand for health care professionals and education of said professionals? I've heard that it's rediculously competitive for Irish highschool graduates to get into medicine. Does this mean that if Ireland stopped taking in foreigners altogether, there would be enough competitive Irish nationals to fill the spots?

There's a shortage of Irish doctors graduating from medical schools - I think the Fotrell Report highlighted this, hence the reason they're bringing in graduate courses. Any shortfalls are usually made up by importing doctors from Asia or Africa.

I'm not too sure what you mean by competitive. Let's put it this way - there would be enough Irish people wanting to study medicine to take all the places currently allocated to foreigners. I reserve my judgement as to whether they would all be competitive or not as I believe the current system that is use to assess whether an Irish person can get into medical school is not the best way to determine an individuals suitability.
 
As a reply to Jock,


the breakdown of the class in ucd usually ends up like this,

120 Irish students .
70 to 90 Malasian students,
40 Canadians,
20 Americans
20 'Other Nationalities'.

Integration is a problem as many of the Irish students are between 17 and 20, with the North Americans usually being that bit older 22-25. But ordinarily eveybody gets on . Irish students are notorious for being friendly supposedly and they are but it is usually up to you to get to know them as they can be quite cliquey. (Most are from Dublin and quite a few have gone to the same schools or schools of similar ilk).

Malaysians are great but they themselves split into groups from their various backgrounds in Malaysia e.g Chinese, Malay, Indian. And they can be hard to get to know especially since - Malay usually dont drink alcohol(I'll get onto this later) or socialise that much which is a big part of Med Schooling in Ireland.

Alchol is the poison of choice for most, as is the irish way. Drink culture is big in Ireland, even if you dont drink the nights out are a must in the first few weeks as inhibitions seem to go when alchol is involved. This is why it can be quite hard to get to know some of the muslim students in the class.

Difference between 5 yr and 6 yr course is a bit of a joke. In fact the rumour is the 6 yr course is only in place so the college can get another year of fees off the international students.

medicine.netsoc.com for some pics and stories of a 1st medicine class in ucd.
 
To have a good time in Ireland, you should follow the advice of H. Smith-Johannsen:

"Stay busy, get plenty of exercise, and don't drink too much. Then again, don't drink too little."
 
Has anyone received a notice to pay the balance of the student residence fee?
 
Arb said:
Has anyone received a notice to pay the balance of the student residence fee?

I'm still waiting to find out if my application for rez was successful. :-(
 
Who M.D. said:
I'm still waiting to find out if my application for rez was successful. :-(

Hey, I would just give the Accommodations office a call - thats what I did, and the guy was able to tell me I had an offer a week before I actually got it in the mail.
 
Email Mr. Arthur O'Malley. He will let you know. Fees are payable now online. Which Glenomena is everyone choosing? 1/2 or 3?
 
Sorry to deviate, but... what are the average GPA and MCAT scores for accepted applicants (especially from North America)?
 
misspiggy28 said:
Hey, I would just give the Accommodations office a call - thats what I did, and the guy was able to tell me I had an offer a week before I actually got it in the mail.

When did you get your offer of residence?

I suspect that what may be holding my final answer back is that I waited until this week to pay my tuition (so that I could maximize interest).

As for Arb's question, I think that when I applied, I wasn't able to choose between 1/2 and 3. Or do you get to choose after you've been offered residence?
 
student.ie said:
Second world refers to the economic block of communist countries in the past. It does not mean a country somewhere between 1st and 3rd world.

There is a large GNP – GDP gap in Ireland due to foreign investment. A very high portion of total production is done in foreign owned companies (around 70% of net industrial output). My point is that a lot of Irish GDP doesn’t go toward enriching Ireland though some percentage does and a growing GDP is great for Ireland. Also, the relatively recent economic expansion leaves relatively few years for Ireland’s high GDP to have allowed for the accumulation of wealth. Ireland appears very rich when looking at GDP rankings while appearing below average when you actually visit it (depending on where you come from of course). Ireland has significantly improved over the last 20 years and will continue to do so, but the idea that Ireland isn’t rich is reasonable and not based on ‘the isolation of North America” in my opinion.

Cherry picking some excerpts out of your economics 101 text book doesn't really due justice to the complex art of dissecting economic cycles. Hell, Bernanke wouldn't know how to give a succinct analysis of Ireland's economy. Your analysis sure doesn't impress me, and I'm sure it did nothing for the rest of us who lurk on this board seeing what the generation who comes after us thinks. You remind me of a 1-A gunner.... to bad for you :(

Folks, I'm two years into residency in the U.S. at a major medical center in the U.S. ranked in the Top 10 of the U.S. News Rankings (although, for full disclosure, I'll add that the Top 10 list is as useless as the superficial economic analysis of Ireland above).

My advice: Go enjoy Ireland -- the cities, the rural. Enjoy medical school. Residency is gonna take care of itself, and y'all just need to turn your anxiety levels and ego trips down.
 
bulgethetwine said:
Folks, I'm two years into residency in the U.S. at a major medical center in the U.S. ranked in the Top 10...
What specialty big shot?
 
Fender said:
As a reply to Jock,

the breakdown of the class in ucd usually ends up like this,

120 Irish students .
70 to 90 Malasian students,
40 Canadians,
20 Americans
20 'Other Nationalities'.

holy crap that's one huge class. must've missed that one. our class is about 90-100 irish (if you include the northies), 20-ish north americans (more canucks than yanks), 120 malaysians, and 5 "other nationalities". our class is about 240 students if everyone shows up (which thankfully they don't). many of the malaysian students are here on exchange only and go back to penang university after the course work is done, so the class halves in size for the start of rez year in the hospitals.
 
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