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Backdoor into Medicine...

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    #32
    MedMan101
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35 ✭MedMan101


    MichaelFC wrote: »
    I would however question the original poster's level of dedication. M

    whats that supposed to mean?! I asked the question because im exploring other possible routes to entering the career. Therefore, I am clearly dedicated to this and will stop at nothing until I get it, even if it means 8 years of college!


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    #33
    QueenOfLeon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭QueenOfLeon


    MedMan101 wrote: »
    whats that supposed to mean?! I asked the question because im exploring other possible routes to entering the career. Therefore, I am clearly dedicated to this and will stop at nothing until I get it, even if it means 8 years of college!

    I'd say its because you specified that repeating is a no no. Repeating, imo anyway, would be the much easier/cheaper/faster way to get into medicine, but as you said in a later post you're not worried about LC points, so its fair enough that you wouldn't want to repeat. Once you hit 550 anyway, theres not that much point.

    Just aside from that, I wouldn't take graduate med for granted. The GAMSAT is not like any other exam you'd sit, its nothing like the hpat, and most people would take months, or up to a year, to study for it. Its a better idea to try and put everything into getting into undergrad med, than aim for the graduate route.


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    #34
    justniamh
    Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭justniamh


    theowen wrote: »
    First of all repeat the HPAT. Lots of people in my current med class repeated it and went up 50 or so points.

    Otherwise you've two options. 1. do a course you're interested in(you just have to get a 2:1 to be eligible for the post grad route). Probs' the best because then you'll have a chance to enjoy the "normal" college experience which you won't get in Med. 2. Do a health science related course-something involving anatomy, biochem or physiology will help for first year. Lots of post grads and international post grads have biochem degrees and simply show up for the exam and pass. A science type degree will also help with the GAMSAT.


    Totally agree with this. I scraped into medicine this year but last year during the LC i was determined to definitely not repeat if i didnt get it. the leaving cert is a nightmare and so much stress, last thing i wanted to do was repeat!

    Also agree with the normal college experience thing. Unless you do pre-med, which is still only 1 year, you won't really be able to relax or take your foot off the pedal starting from day 1. if you do a course you're genuinely interested in before medicine it would benefit you greatly I find. Also there's no harm in being that little bit older starting a career like this..

    Having said that, half the people in my class are LC repeaters, so i suppose it depends what you're into!

    Anyway judging by your points in the mocks it'd be unnecessary to repeat the leaving. go with HPAT repeats. i personally couldnt think of anything worse than repeating the leaving cert and then not getting the course a 2nd time... so i say start something you'll enjoy for the year :) that way if you get medicine,great, and if you don't, you're already a year into something else that you like.

    Goodluck!


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    #35
    MedMan101
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35 ✭MedMan101


    justniamh wrote: »
    so i say start something you'll enjoy for the year :) that way if you get medicine,great, and if you don't, you're already a year into something else that you like.

    Goodluck!

    I thought that if you start a course and drop out for another course that you have to pay fees. I may be mistaken but thats what I heard!


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    #36
    NotExactly
    Registered Users Posts: 814 ✭✭✭NotExactly


    MedMan101 wrote: »
    I thought that if you start a course and drop out for another course that you have to pay fees. I may be mistaken but thats what I heard!

    It depends how far into the year you drop out.


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    #37
    randylonghorn
    Registered Users Posts: 29,509 ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    MedMan101 wrote: »
    I thought that if you start a course and drop out for another course that you have to pay fees. I may be mistaken but thats what I heard!
    If you do first year of a course and then first year of another course, you will pay full fees the second time round. The "Free Fees Inititiative" (somewhat of a misnomer these days, but anyway) only covers you to do each year once in terms of fees.

    That said, NotExactly is right, in that if you start a course and end up dropping out fairly quickly, you may get away with paying half fees the second time round or none at all (depending really on when the college reports its FTE stats to the HEA, each college will have details re: this available, usually on its website).


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    #38
    A Neurotic
    Registered Users Posts: 3,779 ✭✭✭A Neurotic


    theowen wrote: »
    Probs' the best because then you'll have a chance to enjoy the "normal" college experience which you won't get in Med.
    justniamh wrote: »

    Also agree with the normal college experience thing. Unless you do pre-med, which is still only 1 year, you won't really be able to relax or take your foot off the pedal starting from day 1.

    Little bit off-topic, but this idea is a pet hate of mine. There are far more demanding courses, speaking in terms of the first two years anyway. Pity the engineers and the dentists, and enjoy yourself in college.

    [full disclosure - I'm an awful student and I fail a lot, but that's got nothing to do with the course. If I'd bothered my arse doing a week of real study every year I'd do ok in all my subjects]


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    #39
    Shan32591
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21 ✭Shan32591


    A Neurotic wrote: »
    Little bit off-topic, but this idea is a pet hate of mine. There are far more demanding courses, speaking in terms of the first two years anyway. Pity the engineers and the dentists, and enjoy yourself in college.

    [full disclosure - I'm an awful student and I fail a lot, but that's got nothing to do with the course. If I'd bothered my arse doing a week of real study every year I'd do ok in all my subjects]
    Got to agree with A Neurotic, just finished first year med, went out minimum 2 to 3 times every week, even managed to survive a platinum week, and still managed to pass all my exams (results came out yesterday), despite missing two physiology assessments and being away in Berlin for the entire study week before our midterm viva, in my opinion meds have one of the best social lives (in first year at least) and doing medicine doesn't mean you can't have a "normal" college experience.


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    #40
    theowen
    Registered Users Posts: 1,744 ✭✭✭theowen


    Was more so referring to the clinical years lads. I've this idea ye have to lock yourself in the library 24/7 when that comes...


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    #41
    theowen
    Registered Users Posts: 1,744 ✭✭✭theowen


    randylonghorn wrote: »
    If you do first year of a course and then first year of another course, you will pay full fees the second time round. The "Free Fees Inititiative" (somewhat of a misnomer these days, but anyway) only covers you to do each year once in terms of fees.

    That said, NotExactly is right, in that if you start a course and end up dropping out fairly quickly, you may get away with paying half fees the second time round or none at all (depending really on when the college reports its FTE stats to the HEA, each college will have details re: this available, usually on its website).
    I was quoted early October in Trinners, not a lot of time...


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    #42
    Shan32591
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21 ✭Shan32591


    theowen wrote: »
    Was more so referring to the clinical years lads. I've this idea ye have to lock yourself in the library 24/7 when that comes...
    as do most people in their final year of any course when final exams are approaching, after meeting fourth years on the biosoc trip I can honestly say they don't seem to be missing out on much


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    #43
    ptrlaurent
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭ptrlaurent


    you could always try nursing.. as a nurse you will see the inner working of the hospital and get to work with medical staff on a day to day basis.. also the degree in nursing covers in great detail many aspects of medicine


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    #44
    MedMan101
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35 ✭MedMan101


    ptrlaurent wrote: »
    you could always try nursing.. as a nurse you will see the inner working of the hospital and get to work with medical staff on a day to day basis.. also the degree in nursing covers in great detail many aspects of medicine

    ahhhhhhh no thanks.....


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    #45
    ptrlaurent
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭ptrlaurent


    MedMan101 wrote: »
    ahhhhhhh no thanks.....


    well if your looking to go in the back door you should not be looking at all people who are not intelligent enough to get the points should not try ... period


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    #46
    NotExactly
    Registered Users Posts: 814 ✭✭✭NotExactly


    ptrlaurent wrote: »
    well if your looking to go in the back door you should not be looking at all people who are not intelligent enough to get the points should not try ... period

    IMO almost anyone could get 600 points.


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    #47
    J_E
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,734 ✭✭✭J_E


    MedMan101 wrote: »
    ahhhhhhh no thanks.....
    Can I ask why not?


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    #48
    brownlad
    Registered Users Posts: 642 ✭✭✭brownlad


    ptrlaurent wrote: »
    well if your looking to go in the back door you should not be looking at all people who are not intelligent enough to get the points should not try ... period

    wayyyyyyyyyyyy .......



    sorry carry on:)


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    #49
    pajero12
    Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,495 ✭✭✭pajero12


    ptrlaurent wrote: »
    well if your looking to go in the back door you should not be looking at all people who are not intelligent enough to get the points should not try ... period

    That's one of the biggest loads of bullsh*t I've heard on boards so far, The LC is just a memory test!


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