UQ-O vs. Atlantic Bridge vs. INTO St. George

[deleted390966]

Hi,

I just knew about these programs this year. US med school is top choice for me, of course. I'm also re-applying to US med schools this cycle. I would like to practice Medicine either in the US or the UK after graduation. I don't have a US priority. Practicing in Australia is NOT an option for me due to personal reasons. Which of those programs do you think is top choice for someone going overseas?

- My main concerns with obtaining internship and employment in the UK is their preference for EU citizens, and I've heard that even UK citizens don't get internship spots sometimes. I'm not aiming for anything super competitive. Specialties that I am considering (most likely unchanged in the future) are: Primary Care, Emergency Med, Anesthesia, Cardiology (not surgery). How competitive/difficult is it to get a spot in said specialties in the UK?
- Which of these 3 programs will give me the best chance of gaining residency and employment in the US/UK?
- Which city (where a program is located in) is the nicest/most convenient to live in? (including safety, public transportation, housing, cost of living, etc.)
PS: One of the main reasons I only consider the US and the UK is that these are English-speaking countries.
Thank you very much in advance.

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[mcat_taker]

Hi,

I just knew about these programs this year, applied to UQ-O and got accepted. Haven't applied to A.B. and St. George. Still, I am pondering my options because going overseas is a huge risk. US med school is top choice for me, of course. But since I've got UQ-O acceptance, I'm pondering a lot about it. I'm also re-applying to US med schools this cycle. A bit about myself:
ugrad GPA: 3.5
MCAT: 30
I would like to practice Medicine EITHER in the US or the UK after graduation. I don't have a US priority. Practicing in Australia is NOT an option for me due to personal reasons. Which of those programs do you think is top choice for someone going overseas?

- My main concerns with obtaining internship and employment in the UK is their preference for EU citizens, and I've heard that even UK citizens don't get internship spots sometimes. I'm not aiming for anything super competitive. Specialties that I am considering (most likely unchanged in the future) are: Primary Care, Emergency Med, Anesthesia, Cardiology (not surgery). How competitive/difficult is it to get a spot in said specialties in the UK?

- Which of these 3 programs will give me the best chance of gaining residency and employment in the US/UK?

- Which program offers the highest quality of education?

- Which program uses PBL (problem-based learning) the most in its curriculum?

- Which city (where a program is located in) is the nicest/most convenient to live in? (including safety, public transportation, housing, cost of living, etc.)

- I know that non-US programs don't teach toward the USMLE, but among these, which curriculum prepares you best to score well the USMLE? That includes which one cares about the needs of the students the most regarding their future goals?

PS: One of the main reasons I only consider the US and the UK is that these are English-speaking countries. I am considering GERMANY as well, but currently I can't speak German...

Thank you very much in advance.

Hmm. Might want to wait for U.S. cycle to finish first. Your scores look reasonable for U.S. M.D. and definitely competitive for D.O. Either option which would be the safest bet residency wise if you want to practice in the U.S.

 

[deleted390966]

-

 

[Medstart108]

Hi,

I just knew about these programs this year, applied to UQ-O and got accepted. Haven't applied to A.B. and St. George. Still, I am pondering my options because going overseas is a huge risk. US med school is top choice for me, of course. But since I've got UQ-O acceptance, I'm pondering a lot about it. I'm also re-applying to US med schools this cycle. A bit about myself:
ugrad GPA: 3.5
MCAT: 30
I would like to practice Medicine EITHER in the US or the UK after graduation. I don't have a US priority. Practicing in Australia is NOT an option for me due to personal reasons. Which of those programs do you think is top choice for someone going overseas?

- My main concerns with obtaining internship and employment in the UK is their preference for EU citizens, and I've heard that even UK citizens don't get internship spots sometimes. I'm not aiming for anything super competitive. Specialties that I am considering (most likely unchanged in the future) are: Primary Care, Emergency Med, Anesthesia, Cardiology (not surgery). How competitive/difficult is it to get a spot in said specialties in the UK?

- Which of these 3 programs will give me the best chance of gaining residency and employment in the US/UK?

- Which program offers the highest quality of education?

- Which program uses PBL (problem-based learning) the most in its curriculum?

- Which city (where a program is located in) is the nicest/most convenient to live in? (including safety, public transportation, housing, cost of living, etc.)

- I know that non-US programs don't teach toward the USMLE, but among these, which curriculum prepares you best to score well the USMLE? That includes which one cares about the needs of the students the most regarding their future goals?

PS: One of the main reasons I only consider the US and the UK is that these are English-speaking countries. I am considering GERMANY as well, but currently I can't speak German...

Thank you very much in advance.

INTO St. George gives you the best chance to stay in the UK. Don't listen to anyone else, all UK medical school graduates are guaranteed internship spots aka FY1 spots. What you might have gotten it confused with is residency spots aka specialty training. Not all applicants will get specialty training in the UK even UK citizens are often left out, but as long as you did your medical school and FY years in the UK even if you aren't a EU citizen they will treat you equally.

UQ-O gives you the best chance in the US, mainly this is because the program is already proven, and its clinical rotations are good. SGUL is still up in the air, it is affiliated with 2 US medical schools but neither of them are any good and most importantly we haven't seen anyone graduate from these programs.

If I were you I would choose UQ-O, working in the UK isn't the same as working in the US, I would personally prefer the US. With that being said, if you don't have any preference between the two SGUL should technically guarantee you more since you are pretty much guaranteed a FY1 spot (of course the brochure says they can't guarantee anything but you are eligible to apply for FY1 spots and so far there has never been a UK medical graduate who has not secured a FY1 spot).

 

[mcat_taker]

If you are in the middle of the U.S. cycle you can try waiting it out (find out if UQ-O will accept your MCAT score for 2017 entry if you reapplied next spring). UQ-O will always be there as an option for you if you think you've improved your app this time around for the U.S and willing to wait it out another year to see.

 

[deleted390966]

If I were you I would choose UQ-O, working in the UK isn't the same as working in the US, I would personally prefer the US. With that being said, if you don't have any preference between the two SGUL should technically guarantee you more since you are pretty much guaranteed a FY1 spot (of course the brochure says they can't guarantee anything but you are eligible to apply for FY1 spots and so far there has never been a UK medical graduate who has not secured a FY1 spot).

Thanks for your reply.

I'm curious: Why do you prefer working in the US?

Another thing I'm concerned about is the quality of the curriculum and clinical teaching: How do A.B., UQ-O and SGUL compare?

 

[mcat_taker]

Thanks for your reply.

I'm curious: Why do you prefer working in the US?

Another thing I'm concerned about is the quality of the curriculum and clinical teaching: How do A.B., UQ-O and SGUL compare?

SGUL-INTO is a newer program so idk if you can compare it to UQ-O which has had a few years of residency placement already. The trouble with your question is that no student here will have attended all three schools so it would be hard to make inferences on quality between them. I know that UQ is more self directed learning I don't know much about the Irish school curriculums and if people like them or not. Probably similar in that there would be significant self directed prep required for the USMLE. There's definitely more Canadians in Ireland compared to Americans. Ireland also seems harder to get accepted to compared to Australia for internationals (not sure if thats just because there are fewer international spots in Irish schools or what). UQ also has a huge class so I'm not sure how that affects clinical teaching compared to Ireland.

 

[Medstart108]

Thanks for your reply.

I'm curious: Why do you prefer working in the US?

Another thing I'm concerned about is the quality of the curriculum and clinical teaching: How do A.B., UQ-O and SGUL compare?

I'm actually Canadian, but the two countries still have some similarities barring health insurance and malpractice. I prefer the US/Canada mainly because doctors are treated essentially as independent contractors rather than employees. In the UK they are salaried, and everyone has to work at least part time in the NHS. Doctors are more or less still managed by NHS managers whereas in North America doctors are essentially billing either the government or the insurance provider. Doctors also finish residency faster in Canada/US and I believe due to more funding clinical research tends to be more advanced in North America than in Britain (although its still debatable (mainland Europe has taken the lead in medical devices and surgery though due to tighter regulations in the US). Doctors get paid more in North America than in the UK.

For me its home and so while i like the UK and practicing there, I would rather settle my roots down in Canada or the US.

The quality of teaching will be similar. I believe that all 3 schools use PBL and overall will give you enough detail to become doctors but not enough to write the USMLE without extra study. At the same time I think with UQ-O you'll be among a lot of Americans writing the USMLE which should simulate writing it in the US.

 

[deleted390966]

Is it true that UQ is more self-directed learning for USMLE compared to AB and SGUL? How do you know that?

All 3 programs use PBL, but which one uses the most PBL and which one uses the most PBL?

I've heard that UK doctors face much less lawsuits and have more autonomy in treating patients compared to American doctors - is that true?
What is the downside of being managed by the NHS?

"(mainland Europe has taken the lead in medical devices and surgery though due to tighter regulations in the US)."
Then - correct me if I'm wrong - why do UK hospitals use less advanced technologies/devices than the US ones do? That's what I read in a Global Health book.

Speaking about technology, some people who went to interview there described SGUL as less advanced than other hospitals in the UK and probably the US, too. I guess that would affect your learning & clinical teaching... So SGUL description of themselves as "at the forefront of medical advances", is that even true?

 

[Jloyay]

Actually I believe only Limerick uses PBL in Ireland. The rest uses tradition lectures. I'm not sure about the UK PGY1 situation with INTO St. George's since I went to London and they actually said you are more likely to go back to the US or Canada than stay in the UK. Not sure whether doing the last 2 years in the US has anything to do with it.

 

[mcat_taker]

It would be great to have some first hand feedback from SGUL-INTO people here but i think the program is just too new. Last I saw they didn't have many/good hospitals for U.S. clinical placements. Not sure if that has changed.

 

[scrubsRcomfy]

I'm only starting at SGUL this fall, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt, I'm no expert on the school quite yet. Sgul is pbl, first and second year international students learn with the U.K. students and then do third and fourth year in either Philly (Thomas Jefferson univ.) or in WV (Marshall SoM). When I went to sgul for my interview, I thought it was fine, it's a pretty big hospital nothing fancy but certainly reputable. Sgul itself isn't a huge college, but I liked that it's right in the hospital and the administration is very nice. Talking to a few students I met there they seem pretty content. I know it's a risk bc the international medicine program is so new but sgul is older and well established in the UK and the American medical schools they partnered with are solid so I'm not too worried. No matter where you go abroad if you want to practice in the states you have to kill your step one so just go somewhere you can excel and focus on that. Good luck!

 

[mcat_taker]

I'm only starting at SGUL this fall, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt, I'm no expert on the school quite yet. Sgul is pbl, first and second year international students learn with the U.K. students and then do third and fourth year in either Philly (Thomas Jefferson univ.) or in WV (Marshall SoM). When I went to sgul for my interview, I thought it was fine, it's a pretty big hospital nothing fancy but certainly reputable. Sgul itself isn't a huge college, but I liked that it's right in the hospital and the administration is very nice. Talking to a few students I met there they seem pretty content. I know it's a risk bc the international medicine program is so new but sgul is older and well established in the UK and the American medical schools they partnered with are solid so I'm not too worried. No matter where you go abroad if you want to practice in the states you have to kill your step one so just go somewhere you can excel and focus on that. Good luck!

What made you decide on SGUL ?

 

[scrubsRcomfy]

What made you decide on SGUL ?

Will try to make this post coherent, sorry but it's late and I'm tired haha. I'm an older non traditional student (have a MS in biology, have been working in research for years), which I was told the sgul likes and I've always believed that studying abroad, especially in a diverse place like London, would be invaluable experience as a physician. I had been working full time and doing the premed thing after work, which was getting exhausting, so I decided to sit for the Mcat before finishing my prereqs and apply abroad. If I didn't get in, I wouldn't have really wasted any time because the application process is fast and relatively painless, but if I did get in I would save at least a year, assuming I got in somewhere on the first try. Lucky for me it was the latter.

George's is located right in the hospital, which is very appealing, and I like that it's pbl (it suits my learning style). The students I've talked to really like it there (I'm talking about random students I bumped into, not hand picked admissions volunteers), and the administrators I've interacted with have all been very nice. Thomas Jefferson and Marshall, the US medical schools that I would rotate through, are well regarded so I'm not worried that I'll receive poor clinical training. If anything, I'll get exposure to both the us healthcare system and the nhs, which is fantastic. I like the idea of being in an intimate program as an international student- just in the last week through Facebook I've "met" classmates from all over north America, Thailand, Singapore, Dubai, India, China, Russia, etc. I know people are concerned about how the international medicine course is so new and doesn't have a track record yet, but the way I see it is if you are planning to go abroad, you're facing an uphill battle wherever you go. I'm going to have to work harder and score higher to have a prayer securing a residency spot in the US (even though I'm a US citizen), but George's offers a program that suits my long term goals and values and short term time restraints so for me it's worth the risk. In my gut, I know this is the right program for me.

Overall, I'm going to get a medical education at one of the oldest medical schools in England and live in one of the greatest cities in the world. Traveling abroad and working with peers from every corner of the world while learning medicine in a supportive environment... I can't think of a situation that could possibly make me happier.

 

[deleted390966]

Will try to make this post coherent, sorry but it's late and I'm tired haha. I'm an older non traditional student (have a MS in biology, have been working in research for years), which I was told the sgul likes and I've always believed that studying abroad, especially in a diverse place like London, would be invaluable experience as a physician. I had been working full time and doing the premed thing after work, which was getting exhausting, so I decided to sit for the Mcat before finishing my prereqs and apply abroad. If I didn't get in, I wouldn't have really wasted any time because the application process is fast and relatively painless, but if I did get in I would save at least a year, assuming I got in somewhere on the first try. Lucky for me it was the latter.

George's is located right in the hospital, which is very appealing, and I like that it's pbl (it suits my learning style). The students I've talked to really like it there (I'm talking about random students I bumped into, not hand picked admissions volunteers), and the administrators I've interacted with have all been very nice. Thomas Jefferson and Marshall, the US medical schools that I would rotate through, are well regarded so I'm not worried that I'll receive poor clinical training. If anything, I'll get exposure to both the us healthcare system and the nhs, which is fantastic. I like the idea of being in an intimate program as an international student- just in the last week through Facebook I've "met" classmates from all over north America, Thailand, Singapore, Dubai, India, China, Russia, etc. I know people are concerned about how the international medicine course is so new and doesn't have a track record yet, but the way I see it is if you are planning to go abroad, you're facing an uphill battle wherever you go. I'm going to have to work harder and score higher to have a prayer securing a residency spot in the US (even though I'm a US citizen), but George's offers a program that suits my long term goals and values and short term time restraints so for me it's worth the risk. In my gut, I know this is the right program for me.

Overall, I'm going to get a medical education at one of the oldest medical schools in England and live in one of the greatest cities in the world. Traveling abroad and working with peers from every corner of the world while learning medicine in a supportive environment... I can't think of a situation that could possibly make me happier.

thanks.
- how much of the curriculum is PBL and how much of it is lecture?
- some interviewees who went there said that the technology in the hospital seemed outdated, is that true?

 

[scrubsRcomfy]

See link with a sample schedule for MS1: http://www.intohigher.com/uk/en-gb/...st/international-graduate-medicine-mbbs4.aspx

If you're expecting patients plugged into NASA modules, go elsewhere. Jk, but in all seriousness, it's clearly an older building which reminded me of some hospitals I've been to in my area (Boston), certainly didn't strike me as sub par. I'm not sure what equipment the other interviewees were talking about, the only equipment I saw was the stuff in the clinical simulation rooms, again they looked older but I don't know about outdated. St. George's hospital is huge and bustling and the school is dedicated to health sciences so I can't imagine that what we would be learning on would be so old as to be an impediment. And honestly, I don't think this will really matter, we're only there for 2 years and it's not for MS3 or 4, how much of a difference could it possibly make for us?

 

[deleted158872]

How do UQ-O and Atlantic Bridge compare? Which one is especially better for matching back to the US?

 

[sharpshooter123]

Can a canadian apply to UQ-O?

 

[deleted158872]

Can a canadian apply to UQ-O?

UQ-O is for US citizens only.
Other citizens are eligible to apply to UQ (regular) program.

 

[Medstart108]

How do UQ-O and Atlantic Bridge compare? Which one is especially better for matching back to the US?

UQ-O, you can't compare apples to oranges but UQ-O should definitely do better. More Americans in the program means the program caters to American needs and the 2 years of clinical rotations in the US makes all the difference.

 

[sharpshooter123]

How hard is it to get into UQ if you apply early? Would 3.3 GPA and mid to high 20s on MCAT be enough? what about the new mcat

 

[deleted158872]

How hard is it to get into UQ if you apply early? Would 3.3 GPA and mid to high 20s on MCAT be enough? what about the new mcat

GPA is just a cut-off at UQ, which means that once you pass the minimum they want B average, which is a 3.0), then a 3.7 isn't viewed better than a 3.1. Once you pass the GPA hurdle then your chance will depend on how high your MCAT is and how well you do on the interview. GL.

UQ-O, you can't compare apples to oranges but UQ-O should definitely do better. More Americans in the program means the program caters to American needs and the 2 years of clinical rotations in the US makes all the difference.

I'm curious why they are "apples and oranges"... I've heard that RCSI recently has tried to teach to the USMLE while I heard that isn't the case with other schools.. I've heard people say UQ is " disorganized" but not so for ABP. Are they true?

 

[Medstart108]

GPA is just a cut-off at UQ, which means that once you pass the minimum they want, a 3.7 isn't viewed better than a 3.1. Once you pass the GPA hurdle then your chance will depend on how high your MCAT is and how well you do on the interview. GL.


I'm curious why they are "apples and oranges"... I've heard that RCSI recently has tried to teach to the USMLE while I heard that isn't the case with other schools.. I've heard people say UQ is " disorganized" but not so for ABP. Are they true?

apples and oranges because the programs are pretty different. ABP doesn't offer you the 2 years of rotations at Ochsner. RCSI is probably one of the more active schools in preparing you for the US. I completely understand that a disorganized school is not somewhere you want to go, but UQ even if it is disorganized has matched pretty well I believe.

Personally, I would choose UQ-O > ABP if you are American.

 

[sharpshooter123]

apples and oranges because the programs are pretty different. ABP doesn't offer you the 2 years of rotations at Ochsner. RCSI is probably one of the more active schools in preparing you for the US. I completely understand that a disorganized school is not somewhere you want to go, but UQ even if it is disorganized has matched pretty well I believe.

Personally, I would choose UQ-O > ABP if you are American.

What about just normal UQ or RCSI

 

[deleted158872]

@sharpshooter123:
you should come to Australia forum if you want to know more about UQ program: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/australasia-and-oceania.88/

Normal UQ: http://www.uq.edu.au/study/browse.html?level=pgpg#anchor-M

 

[mcat_taker]

What about just normal UQ or RCSI

Well RCSI is significantly harder to get into. I would wager they are pretty equal for matching purposes but RCSI is probably less disorganized. I've never heard anyone complain over the Irish curriculum whereas a lot of people have complained over the years about UQ's curriculum and administration.

 

[deleted158872]

Well RCSI is significantly harder to get into. I would wager they are pretty equal for matching purposes but RCSI is probably less disorganized. I've never heard anyone complain over the Irish curriculum whereas a lot of people have complained over the years about UQ's curriculum and administration.

based on reviews from current/former students, i think Irish curriculum is a bit better, but Ireland doesn't offer clinical rotations in the US (the most you can do is 2 electives in the US over winter-summer breaks), which i think will put you at a slight disadvantage bc some residency programs require "at least 1 year of clinical rotations in the US". Correct me if i'm wrong.

 

[mcat_taker]

based on reviews from current/former students, i think Irish curriculum is a bit better, but Ireland doesn't offer clinical rotations in the US (the most you can do is 2 electives in the US over winter-summer breaks), which i think will put you at a slight disadvantage bc some residency programs require "at least 1 year of clinical rotations in the US". Correct me if i'm wrong.

Idk. Depends how many residency programs require that specifically which I don't think is a lot. RCSI has been around for a long time and has a good reputation. The UQ-O program is relatively new (only a few years old). Plus the larger cohorts (100+ students) from UQ-O haven't gone through the match yet so its hard to say how they will do.

I know for example that Sydney gives you a lot of flexibility in 4th year for overseas electives. So every school has something different that makes it attractive. RCSI is cheaper than UQ. Flights from Ireland are cheaper to the U.S./Canada etc. Dublin is a more cosmopolitan city then Brisbane. There are strengths and weaknesses in so many areas.

 

[mcat_taker]

What about just normal UQ or RCSI

Probably RCSI if you are Canadian because you have the support network of lots of other Canadians at RCSI trying to match back. Irish schools are pretty popular for Canadians it seems. Plus cheaper than Australian schools.

 

[deleted158872]

Probably RCSI if you are Canadian because you have the support network of lots of other Canadians at RCSI trying to match back. Irish schools are pretty popular for Canadians it seems. Plus cheaper than Australian schools.

RCSI is about the same as UQ in tuition cost when you convert RCSI's euro into dollars.

 

[deleted390966]

.

 

[PhysioMD]

It's great to have "unique experiences" as a student such as study and travel abroad.
Obviously if you have an important goal of matching back home (home being US or UK or Canada or Planet Mars) you will want to demonstrate knowledge of the home healthcare system and have a supervisor on clinical rotation to write you a letter of reference demonstrating your ability to work in the home environment. This question gets asked a lot and I want to clarify this for people. I'm also an older applicant and have years of work experience. In my years of experience I've had the chance to interview for different jobs/opportunities but also sit on interview panels. I can promise you the candidate with the better knowledge of our facility and needs will get the job. Typically if we've had students intern with us they have a head up - given strong references from their supervisor. And believe me people will ask for your opinion on someone even if that individual didn't ask for you to be a letter writer. E.g. A colleague in my lab had a student intern, when the student applied for a job with our company, the colleague was a reference but the manager approached me informally and asked "how did you find this student? Did they work well? Would they be a good fit?" They likely asked other people we work with as well. Point is that references matter hugely!!!! If you are completely set on USA I personally would go to the school which gives as much exposure and ability to network in the U.S. system as possible!!!!

 

[RCSI student]

Hi,

I just knew about these programs this year, applied to UQ-O and got accepted. Haven't applied to A.B. and St. George. Still, I am pondering my options because going overseas is a huge risk. US med school is top choice for me, of course. But since I've got UQ-O acceptance, I'm pondering a lot about it. I'm also re-applying to US med schools this cycle. A bit about myself:
ugrad GPA: 3.6
MCAT: 32
I would like to practice Medicine EITHER in the US or the UK after graduation. I don't have a US priority. Practicing in Australia is NOT an option for me due to personal reasons. Which of those programs do you think is top choice for someone going overseas?

- My main concerns with obtaining internship and employment in the UK is their preference for EU citizens, and I've heard that even UK citizens don't get internship spots sometimes. I'm not aiming for anything super competitive. Specialties that I am considering (most likely unchanged in the future) are: Primary Care, Emergency Med, Anesthesia, Cardiology (not surgery). How competitive/difficult is it to get a spot in said specialties in the UK?

- Which of these 3 programs will give me the best chance of gaining residency and employment in the US/UK?

- Which program offers the highest quality of education?

- Which program uses PBL (problem-based learning) the most in its curriculum?

- Which city (where a program is located in) is the nicest/most convenient to live in? (including safety, public transportation, housing, cost of living, etc.)

- I know that non-US programs don't teach toward the USMLE, but among these, which curriculum prepares you best to score well the USMLE? That includes which one cares about the needs of the students the most regarding their future goals?

PS: One of the main reasons I only consider the US and the UK is that these are English-speaking countries. I am considering GERMANY as well, but currently I can't speak German...

Thank you very much in advance.

If you're looking to practice in the UK or US then atlantic bridge makes sense, as far as I know its tough to get intern jobs in the UK if you didn't go to medical school somewhere in Europe. I don't know about the competitiveness of individual UK specialties so, I wont answer that part.

When going overseas I think all of the above schools you mentioned will give you a good enough shot at matching to the U.S. It is always way more about the individual than the school. Atlantic bridge has a strong support network that will help you match into the U.S. and the other two schools probably do as well.

AB schools give a high quality of education particularly when it comes to clinical schools and doctor-patient communication. Caribbean schools segregate their students off for 2 years with no contact with real patients whereas Irish schools give you patient exposure from day 1.

The only AB school that uses PBL to my knowledge is Limerick. I don't know about UQ-O or SGU.

In general Ireland is a very safe country, certainly safer than any U.S. city. Public transportation is mediocre for European standards but, good compared to American standards. Cost of living in Dublin is very expensive, slightly less expensive in Galway, Cork and Limerick.

The teaching in Ireland is good enough to lay the ground work for USMLE but, ultimately you have to put in a ton of work yourself to score highly. Again, this part comes down to your own work ethic far more than school teaching (even American students watch Pathoma videos). I know the average Step 1 score at RCSI is in the 230s most years.

I hope this helps, I don't know too much about schools outside Ireland so its hard for me to compare them for you.

 

[deleted158872]

AB schools give a high quality of education particularly when it comes to clinical schools and doctor-patient communication. Caribbean schools segregate their students off for 2 years with no contact with real patients whereas Irish schools give you patient exposure from day 1.

curiously, what clinical stuff do you get to do with patient exposure on day 1?

 

[RCSI student]

curiously, what clinical stuff do you get to do with patient exposure on day 1?

On our very first day the prof brought in a patient (they do this pretty much every week although they usually have to bring in actors due to availability) and the prof asked 2-3 people to take history (of course nobody knew how to take a proper history on the first day) so it was used as a learning tool. Physical exam using either actors or volunteers from the class also occurred once a week starting in first year and one Wednesday afternoon per month was allotted to clinical exposure (OR time, clinic etc.).

 

[deleted158872]

On our very first day the prof brought in a patient (they do this pretty much every week although they usually have to bring in actors due to availability) and the prof asked 2-3 people to take history (of course nobody knew how to take a proper history on the first day) so it was used as a learning tool. Physical exam using either actors or volunteers from the class also occurred once a week starting in first year and one Wednesday afternoon per month was allotted to clinical exposure (OR time, clinic etc.).

this sounds awesome actually! not sure if all AB schools do this?