Is there anyone who can speak to the pros/cons of UCD? There's not a ton of current information out there. How is it being in classes with classmates significantly younger than you? Is there a strong focus on livestock medicine? Any information at all would be much appreciated! The website is pretty sparse.
University College Dublin
- Thread starter mawgs
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I assume you would be in the 4 year program here? All of your anatomy would be done in the 1st year with dissections and lectures for all the structures for all animals. There is also an oral exam and writtens for anatomy classes. The 5th years get a semester on the farm to work on animal handling mainly with large farm animals whereas the 4th years do not. We do have an animal handling exam which takes place on the farm to ensure competency/comfortability with all animals. The biggest difference between US schools & UK/EU schools is our EMS/CEMS requirements. You are required to get a certain number of weeks of pre-clinical EMS in each species (horse, smalls, cows, pigs, sheep) before spring of 2nd yr. Some of this you might be able to waive the requirement depending on past experience. Clinical EMS is all done after 2nd yr surgery course and is required. It is 24 weeks of CEMS in veterinary clinics and their are different week requirements depending on species. This must all be completed prior to graduation and of course mostly occurs on breaks and over the summer. The big thing to realise is that in the UK/EU system you will not get to utilise your breaks as time to see family most likely, but more need to use them as a time to get your required weeks of experience. Once 3rd yr finishes you will go immediately into a full yr of rotations starting immediately that spring and everyone has a different rotation schedule filled with rotations through the hospital as well as electives you chose and finishing up CEMS. Just for a gist of the program.
The other huge thing that is different to US schools is the testing. EU/UK schools are mostly written essay exams. Meaning your exams are usually 4-6 long answer essays on the class and that determines your grade. In the earlier years you have midterms, but come 2nd semester 2nd yr no midterms. So lab exams and essay exams determine your final grade. And they suck! I will not lie on that point. I hated them and the grading is ****e. There is no way to get an A in vet school in EU/UK as they don't give them out. I think my last one was 1st year. I had one professor tell me that on essay exams A's would be given to an expert in the field (ummm we are students). So that is probably my biggest issue with school over here - the testing. They consider a C a very good grade!
Most schools in the EU/UK are production animal oriented as there are a lot of mixed animal veterinary practices. They do, of course, still teach all the smalls & equine medicine. But food animal courses are part of curriculum. I am not going to be a food animal vet, so I know a lot more about food animals then necessary now. haha. There are some procedural difference between how things are done here in veterinary as well as drug differences, but they try to teach both ways. Overall, most of the professors are really good and want nothing more than to help you understand the material. The school is extremely social - I mean it is Ireland! And I love the country and culture, so for me I would rather study here then in the states.
The majority of your Irish classmates will be younger than you, but if you are coming in as a 4 year program student – you will start with majority US/Canadian students who are varying ages (but have graduated UG). I started with the 5 year program here and I was the only person from the states in my class & one of the only older people (3 others). I was 12 years older than a lot of my classmates. That being said – all of them were amazingly sound people. It is important to realise this is their first time away from home & into uni, so they do party & vet is social anyway here. I did attend some of the social events for the class, but then skipped others where I felt a bit too old haha. But, there is enough in Dublin for me to find my own social scene, and I did. Overall, I did not have an issue at all studying with people 12 years younger than me – the biggest thing is to treat them as your peers & you will get on just fine.
Final year rotations are all set up through the UCD hospital, I will not remember them all but (SA Surgery, SA Internal Med, Farm Animal Clinical Studies, Equine Med, Equine Sx, Diagnostic Imagining, Anesthesia, Paraclinical, First Opinion, ICU). The UCD vet hospital does get a pretty good caseload as it is referral only, so you will usually only see the more interesting cases. They also will get in zoo animals as Dublin Zoo works with them (not saying you will always have an exotics case though).
Wildlife/exotics is only covered in small doses, but you can decide to do an elective in it and a lot of students travel to other parts of Europe or Africa to see practice. Surgery is well covered in lectures and then again on rotation. We have some extremely good surgeons here, who are a wealth of knowledge. The only thing is on surgery rotation you only really observe/assist with the surgeries other than spay/neuter since they are referred in cases.
TBH there has been a lot I have loved and some stuff I have disliked in the program, but I think that is with every program from talking to people in other vet colleges. You have to choose the one right for you in the right location. There are a lot of people I have found who absolutely hate vet school, so be sure you are living somewhere you feel happy/comfortable & can make a social life for yourself to de-stress.
I have pieced together a few of my answers to people over the years here, I probably should just have one ready to go - but I don't!
Anyhow, I am graduating on Friday!
I love Dublin, it is my home, and I plan to stay here.
That being said, studying in another country is not often for everyone, it can be too much or they hate it. Think hard what you want in a school. UCD is not perfect as a vet school, but I have learned there is no perfect vet school. It is more important to find a place you are happy to study in with a social life so you can survive vet school tbh.
Let me know if you have any questions!
The other huge thing that is different to US schools is the testing. EU/UK schools are mostly written essay exams. Meaning your exams are usually 4-6 long answer essays on the class and that determines your grade. In the earlier years you have midterms, but come 2nd semester 2nd yr no midterms. So lab exams and essay exams determine your final grade. And they suck! I will not lie on that point. I hated them and the grading is ****e. There is no way to get an A in vet school in EU/UK as they don't give them out. I think my last one was 1st year. I had one professor tell me that on essay exams A's would be given to an expert in the field (ummm we are students). So that is probably my biggest issue with school over here - the testing. They consider a C a very good grade!
Most schools in the EU/UK are production animal oriented as there are a lot of mixed animal veterinary practices. They do, of course, still teach all the smalls & equine medicine. But food animal courses are part of curriculum. I am not going to be a food animal vet, so I know a lot more about food animals then necessary now. haha. There are some procedural difference between how things are done here in veterinary as well as drug differences, but they try to teach both ways. Overall, most of the professors are really good and want nothing more than to help you understand the material. The school is extremely social - I mean it is Ireland! And I love the country and culture, so for me I would rather study here then in the states.
The majority of your Irish classmates will be younger than you, but if you are coming in as a 4 year program student – you will start with majority US/Canadian students who are varying ages (but have graduated UG). I started with the 5 year program here and I was the only person from the states in my class & one of the only older people (3 others). I was 12 years older than a lot of my classmates. That being said – all of them were amazingly sound people. It is important to realise this is their first time away from home & into uni, so they do party & vet is social anyway here. I did attend some of the social events for the class, but then skipped others where I felt a bit too old haha. But, there is enough in Dublin for me to find my own social scene, and I did. Overall, I did not have an issue at all studying with people 12 years younger than me – the biggest thing is to treat them as your peers & you will get on just fine.
Final year rotations are all set up through the UCD hospital, I will not remember them all but (SA Surgery, SA Internal Med, Farm Animal Clinical Studies, Equine Med, Equine Sx, Diagnostic Imagining, Anesthesia, Paraclinical, First Opinion, ICU). The UCD vet hospital does get a pretty good caseload as it is referral only, so you will usually only see the more interesting cases. They also will get in zoo animals as Dublin Zoo works with them (not saying you will always have an exotics case though).
Wildlife/exotics is only covered in small doses, but you can decide to do an elective in it and a lot of students travel to other parts of Europe or Africa to see practice. Surgery is well covered in lectures and then again on rotation. We have some extremely good surgeons here, who are a wealth of knowledge. The only thing is on surgery rotation you only really observe/assist with the surgeries other than spay/neuter since they are referred in cases.
TBH there has been a lot I have loved and some stuff I have disliked in the program, but I think that is with every program from talking to people in other vet colleges. You have to choose the one right for you in the right location. There are a lot of people I have found who absolutely hate vet school, so be sure you are living somewhere you feel happy/comfortable & can make a social life for yourself to de-stress.
I have pieced together a few of my answers to people over the years here, I probably should just have one ready to go - but I don't!
Anyhow, I am graduating on Friday!
I love Dublin, it is my home, and I plan to stay here.
That being said, studying in another country is not often for everyone, it can be too much or they hate it. Think hard what you want in a school. UCD is not perfect as a vet school, but I have learned there is no perfect vet school. It is more important to find a place you are happy to study in with a social life so you can survive vet school tbh.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Thank you for all the information, this is incredibly useful. Yes, I would be in the 4 year program.
I'm sure I will think of more, but a few quick questions- I have a dog, and someone told me that it will be pretty impossible to be find a place to rent in Dublin that he will be able to come with me. Do you have any experience with this? Also, my school's pre-health advisor told me that tuition stays locked in for all four years but I've found no mention of this anywhere.
I'm sure I will think of more, but a few quick questions- I have a dog, and someone told me that it will be pretty impossible to be find a place to rent in Dublin that he will be able to come with me. Do you have any experience with this? Also, my school's pre-health advisor told me that tuition stays locked in for all four years but I've found no mention of this anywhere.
