Garda Recruitment (Archived)

NeverHappy

did you get any details on the medical. And as for all these days off????

Medical / exams / interviews and now a physical. Have these people never heard of Saturdays. I thought the Garda hours were not 9-5 m-f. Painful.

In any event, May 3rd is unlikely for me as I have to give a months notice. Medical on the 15th, but all this rushing is a bit late............

Also, its sad that this board is the best place to get info, you think that between them all they could have some form of information service.

Keep up the good work and good luck to all.

lilolil

Details please Detective! Many there havin their medicals? How strict did they seem to be - what kind of things they checked for etc..

FGR

Arrived at HQ around 9am. I'd say there was around 20 of us in the waiting area which was a very small room. We all changed into garbs for the medical..Which involved everything barring a blood sample being taken from us.

I was the person who reckoned that someone failed due to his being completely quiet when changing and walking out..his expression was poorly. Shame..

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Alright, the Medical:
After you fill out three quick forms, you'll be introduced to the head of HR in the HQ and he will explain the process to you.

After you fill in the form you change into your Garbs and you undergo the following:

(i) Urine Sample is taken
(ii) Blood Pressure is taken
(iii) Hearing test in conducted in a soundproof booth on the ground floor of the testing area. - Quite difficult as even your breathing is louder than some of the beeps. Don't worry though..when you think your mind plays tricks on you still hit that button as there's a 90% chance that it was a real tone.
(iv) Your height and weight are taken. You're deemed 'overweight' if you're over the maximum limit stated on the weight chart in front of the scales. Don't worry though..If you are over the limit the Doctor will check your BMI later.
(v) Doctor - You're garbed up and feel quite humiliated..Still. You enter the room where you'll first be asked a few simple questions about allergies and the like. Standard..He might go over some of your past (surgery etc.) though beyond that the tests start. First is the eye test in the little unit I mentioned earlier. It's difficult to explain apart from that you read numbers as well as a number of measurements allowed. Both eyes are assessed at once.

Breathing is checked..You're also asked to touch your toes (Get stretching people!) and after that is just a quick check on your bone structure and other parts of your body.

Finally..He checks your teeth. Very quick glance to see if they're real and not about to rot and fall out the day you enter Templemore.

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I'd say a lot of people were caught out on the sight tests. It isn't the standard chart, just so you know..More like a unit that you look directly into.

I am pleased to inform you guys however that I've passed and made it into the slot for a physical next Wednesday. !

Just a word of advice to anyone else who may be attending the medical... Tell the Doctor (Albeit the one I had was quite ignorant) that you're quite healthy as there was a discrepency when the nurses measured my weight and blood pressure. After saying this he checked my weight, BMI and blood pressure..all of which were significantly lower than the first time around. I originally failed when weighed first..though the BMI scan showed otherwise. I wasn't surprised as I'm quite active. This also happened to a few others..so just make sure you get fairly treated.

You're right, Detective. I probably was talking to your friend. All of the lads there were dead sound so I couldn't isolate anyone individually. Still it was a worthwhile experience.

How in the name of God will I get another day off is an entirely different question...

Hopefully you lot will get some responses in the near future. The option to defer has only been given to our group apparently (This would, I assume, include the first group of female trainees as they attend on a seperate occasion) as the Commissioner has found that it's only fair being so close to the May 3rd intake. He also made it clear that our group may be the only one getting in on May 3rd. Anyone else could be August.

So hurry up and tell me that you've been been joking all along and have already passed your med/physical.

lilolil

Does anyone know any females called for the medical yet??

dvoakes

what's the acceptable BMI? does anyone know?

FGR

Apparently we were the first group, Lilolol and the next batch of male candidates will be on Friday..So perhaps tomorrow?

The acceptable BMI is 23-25% I believe.

NeverHappy

ForegoneReality wrote:

The acceptable BMI is 23-25% I believe.

From my conversations with them, they said that for a male of 5 ft 9" , an acceptable weight is 13 st 3lbs. Thats on the limit for a BMI of 27%, so it seems that that is the acceptable limit.

NH

FGR

It's only an assumption as I didn't ask right out. If it's 27% then that's very good news for some people.

lilolil

Anyone know any quick ways of losing weight?? I really don't want to risk it!

sarahb

its sounds so strict....Do they check your teeth aswell?

Griffen

i know of a female Guard who is a big enough girl and told me that she doesnt really do any exercise, maybe walking thats about it. She passed her medical and is now qualified.

L5

lilolil wrote:

Anyone know any quick ways of losing weight?? I really don't want to risk it!

you can lose up to a stone overnight with ease if you take a diuretic (spelling?) basically your body is 90% water, this pill or liquid or whatever it is causes a higher than normal proportion of the water to leave your body.


from dictionary.com

"A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine."

lilolil

Eh - Any idea where I would get one of these?? (Or 2...)

Esel

lilolil wrote:

Eh - Any idea where I would get one of these?? (Or 2...)

From a corrupt pharmacist, doctor, or nurse perhaps?

But probably not a good idea if you are going to have to give a *urine* sample!

I understand that drug metabolytes can be detected in urine these days.

NeverHappy

It'll be interesting, as I'm about 6-8 lbs over the allowed weight at the moment. On a crash diet but not sure how close I'll get. I explained that I had been injured, and they gave me an extra 10 days to do the medical. I was asked for today, but given Friday 15th to give me a chance.

As I cannot make the may entry at this stage, I wonder if they will give more time to get to the required weight, as if I had missed a few uestions in the test, I would have until July anyway.

Damn you superintelligence ;-)

People seem worried about different sections, but I think that things that can be changed should be given time.

A friend was told, years ago, that to pass a state medical they neede to get some fillings. With that done, they passed.

We'll see what happens,
NH

alfie

Your asked to touch your toes wtf???

What has that got to do with anything???

L5

alfie wrote:

Your asked to touch your toes wtf???

What has that got to do with anything???

I could never touch my toes and im quite fit.

thomas.oleary

Im only young now but i was hopeing to apply when i leave school. What qualifications would i need and would it be better to go to collage first just in case i dont get it?

oceallachain

RE: Touching Toes
You don't have to actually touch your toes without bending your knees (although this would be desirable. The doctor will ask you to touch your toes and you will have to attempt it. He won't be paying close attention to how close you get to your toes. He just wants to see if you have a bad back - that's all!!

Thomas O' Leary
All educational qualifications are on the garda.ie website in the FAQ section. Whether or not you go to college first is entirely based on what you want out of life. If you go straight to work then you will have a bit of money saved for when you're in Templemore. If you get a diploma/degree then you will get rewarded with additional pay increments after a few years in the force and of course, your promotion prospects will look a lot brighter. Also, if you got to college you will have soemthing to fall back on should you not get in.

Don't ever bank on getting the gardai!! So many great candidates haven't come through the process while so many "not-so-great" candidates have.

FGR

Yes..

I decided that myself when I realised that we were up against 11,000 potential Gardai. You couldn't guarantee yourself a job..No way on Earth.

owler fasc

Did anyone get a call over the last day or so.I interviewed on the 30th (after deferring from the 19th) and as of yet havent heard a thing Starting to go doolally.!!!!!!!!!

lilolil

I interviewed on the 14th and was 43rd on the stage 1 and still haven't heard anything!

sarahb

lilolil that was excellent to come 43rd.. you should get it for doing so well....
the thing is aswell their always going to want more males than females so its much tougher..... they only take a small amount of females in every intake...

lilolil

Thanks SarahB.. I was chuffed with that but now my worry is that I did ok on the interview! I'm kind of glad I didn't get called yet in one sense cause it gives me a bit of time to lose a bit of weight! walking and cycling round the clock now!

Griffen

sarahb wrote:

lilolil that was excellent to come 43rd.. you should get it for doing so well....
the thing is aswell their always going to want more males than females so its much tougher..... they only take a small amount of females in every intake...

So does that mean we pass our interview and theres too many girls in one batch, they'd fail u??

NeverHappy

Any of you guys care to tell me your ages and what you currently do.

Interesting for me because I just spoke to a friend whose boyfriend is currently in Templemore, is 25 and by far the oldest there.

For the record Im 29 and a Computer Engineer.

Griffen

22 and Legal Secretary.

Id say he is the eldest at 25 because when he would have went in the age requirement was 26. You'll be in the first batch going down of the new age limit of 35 so id say there'll be lots more over the age of 25!

sarahb

Griffen wrote:

So does that mean we pass our interview and theres too many girls in one batch, they'd fail u??

no if you pass your interview, it might take a while to go for medical

lilolil

31 and a Clerical Officer in the HSE (Female)

sarahb

22 CO in Civil Service......