Everyone wants to have the best uni experience, let’s find out which Irish medical school will give that to you! In this post I’m going to talk about a few factors that may sway you towards a particular medical school as well as things I recommend doing before coming to a final decision.
Factors to Consider…
Requirements & Duration
Before you start making a pros and cons list for every medical school in the country let’s see which colleges you’re actually able to apply for…
Graduate Medicine
The following universities offer graduate medicine courses in Ireland;
- University of Limerick
- Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI)
- University College Dublin (UCD)
- University College Cork (UCC)
All graduate medicine courses are for a duration of 4 years
Undergraduate Medicine
The following universities offer undergraduate medicine courses in Ireland;
- Trinity College Dublin (TCD) 5 years
- Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI) 5/6 years
- University College Dublin (UCD) 6 years
- University College Cork (UCC) 5 years
- University of Galway 5/6 years
Foundation Year Courses
If you only studied one science for the Leaving Cert or equivalent then you must choose one of the 6 year courses. These courses include an additional foundation year.
Links to Irish med school websites
The minimum entry requirements for each course will differ depending on what country you are applying from.
Minimum entry requirements can be found on careers portal;
or by visiting the individual university websites linked below;
Fees & Scholarship Opportunities
When deciding on a university you may want to consider the financial implications of studying at each. You can find information on fees and funding through the college websites.
You may be eligible to apply for the DARE or HEAR programmes to help you get into college. Click below for more info on these.
It’s also worth looking into scholarship opportunities offered by the different colleges for example the UCD Ad Astra Scholarship and the TCD Foundation Scholarship. Go to the college websites for more on scholarships to see whether they’d be an option for you.
Location
If you’re from Ireland would you prefer to stay at home or move out?
If you’re applying from abroad, where can you find accommodation that suits your needs and budget?
- Dublin: TCD, RCSI & UCD
- Cork: UCC
- Galway: University of Galway
- Limerick: University of Limerick
Factors to consider about location;
Cost of Accommodation
Cost of accommodation in Dublin is very expensive which may encourage people to apply to colleges in Cork/Galway/Limerick instead.
The Commute
How are you going to commute in & out of college from where you’re staying?
Dublin has many transport links including bus, DART & LUAS. Cork, Galway and Limerick also have bus services.
Click below for the TFI (transport for Ireland) for more on methods, costs and duration of public transport.
Local Amenities
In my opinion Dublin, Galway, Cork and Limerick are all great cities but they are all different so one might appeal to you more.
As the capital city, Dublin is the biggest and most populated of them all, Galway has beautiful views (but can get a lot of rain), Cork city is said to have a great buzz and Limerick has plenty of attractions and natural beauty as well.
Check our what there is to do in the local area (nightlife, cafes, walks…whatever you’re into) to see which college suits your lifestyle best.
Affiliate Hospitals
About half of your time as a med student will be spent off campus in your college’s affiliated hospitals.
The main hospitals attached to TCD are St James’ Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital. For UCD it’s the Mater and St Vincent’s and for RCSI it’s Beaumont Hospital.
Cork, Galway and Limerick universities are attached to the corresponding hospitals in the same city.
Things to think about…
- Location of the hospitals
- The major specialties in each hospital
Teaching and Assessment Styles
Although all the colleges are pretty similar when it comes to the standard of teaching they do differ slightly in their approaches. For example. some prefer essays whereas others focus more on multiple choice questions.
You can find outlines of course years and assessments on the college websites.
Reputation
Within Ireland all our med schools are regarded with equal respect.
However, Trinity College Dublin does have more of an international reputation so you may want to take this into account if you plan on working abroad.
Opportunities
If you’re interested in opportunities such as research, intercalated masters, Erasmus etc it’s worth checking out the university websites to see if they offer these experiences.
Campus Life
Are you really interested in theatre? Does your college have a drama society? Do you love playing rugby? Does your college have good sports facilities? Does a good lunch just make your day? Which college has the best cafes? Are you passionate about climate action? Is your college taking steps to protect the environment?
Pick a college that fits your personality and matches your values.
How to Help Yourself Decide
Contact People
Friends, family, family friends, friends of friends there must be someone you can connect with to ask about their college experience in any of these universities. Even if they’re not studying medicine they might be able to give you a feel for the college. Still, it’s important to remember that everyone’s experience is unique so don’t take this person’s word as gospel.
Make a Pros & Cons list
Maybe an obvious tip but it never fails to put things in perspective.
Open Days
Most colleges have open days throughout the year which are definitely worth going to if you’re struggling to decide which ones you like best. If you’ve missed the open days feel free to wander onto campus (most of them are open to the public) or look up some videos online (there are a few online open day videos still up from covid).
Go with Your Gut
If I told you I’d make the decision for you, which college would you be hoping I’d pick as number one? That’s the one to go with. Deep down you probably know which university you’re more drawn towards.
Summary
At the end of the day all of Ireland’s med schools are equally good and I’m sure you’ll have a great time wherever you end up!
If you have any personal experience with medical schools in Ireland (good or bad) or advice on choosing a university please share in the comments!