Mature Medicine Applicants Thread 2013

studentforever

Hi all,

For whoever asked above (sorry on my phone, don't mean to be rude but can't go back?), the CAO told me ALL documents must have reached them by the February 1st deadline which sucks.

I didn't mention this previously and I'm sure you all know but the students I spoke to at the TCD shadowing day said under no circumstances should you lie about any experiences. The interview board ( I was brought to the room, absolutely terrifying!!!) are cruel if they catch you out so be completely honest. It's not the things you've physically done, but what you've learned from the experience.

On another note, my UCD application is currently 4 pages long, roughly 1800 words... my TCD application is already at the word limit, and I still need to compose a statement for RCSI. So I'm fairly sure that my foray into the medical world will be derailed. :mad:

Fiddles44

studentforever wrote: »

Hi all,

For whoever asked above (sorry on my phone, don't mean to be rude but can't go back?), the CAO told me ALL documents must have reached them by the February 1st deadline which sucks.

I didn't mention this previously and I'm sure you all know but the students I spoke to at the TCD shadowing day said under no circumstances should you lie about any experiences. The interview board ( I was brought to the room, absolutely terrifying!!!) are cruel if they catch you out so be completely honest. It's not the things you've physically done, but what you've learned from the experience.

On another note, my UCD application is currently 4 pages long, roughly 1800 words... my TCD application is already at the word limit, and I still need to compose a statement for RCSI. So I'm fairly sure that my foray into the medical world will be derailed. :mad:

Thanks for that studentforever.

I had heard that the interview board frown on lying alright, which is understandable really.

Woo 4 pages is really long, you must have a lot of experience. Jealous!

I haven't started my RCSI one yet. Tbh I'm leaving that until after the 1st since they ask you specifically to send on your info at a later date or at least that's what I gathered from their website. Am I wrong in saying that?

Fiddles44

And don't give up hope yet, sure you still have 5 days to sort things out

studentforever

The interview board in TCD is the toughest apparently. The stories the students told me were both hilarious and just very scary! RCSI seems to be concerned with how you are going to fund your studies. I think RCSI personal statement has to be sent by the 1st and then they request your C.V but I've never applied so don't take that as gospel!

Christ, 5 days.... I feel ill. It only seems like yesterday that it was two months away. I actually have shag all experience to be honest, at least in anything directly related to medicine. I was a carer for an elderly family member for 3 years and a sibling has multiple sclerosis so from that end and all the medical dramas that have ensued, theres plenty. My family is actually one walking disaster. We could do with a doctor in the family

Fiddles44

studentforever wrote: »

The interview board in TCD is the toughest apparently. The stories the students told me were both hilarious and just very scary! RCSI seems to be concerned with how you are going to fund your studies. I think RCSI personal statement has to be sent by the 1st and then they request your C.V but I've never applied so don't take that as gospel!

Christ, 5 days.... I feel ill. It only seems like yesterday that it was two months away. I actually have shag all experience to be honest, at least in anything directly related to medicine. I was a carer for an elderly family member for 3 years and a sibling has multiple sclerosis so from that end and all the medical dramas that have ensued, theres plenty. My family is actually one walking disaster. We could do with a doctor in the family

O really, I better get working on the RSCI statement too then so . The last month as definitely flew in. Can't wait to get these applications just over and done with. The amount of time they take is unreal.

I can imagine the interviews to be scary alright but hilarous, how so haha? I really wanted to go to the shadowing day but I couldn't get work cover

studentforever

The day was fantastic. The students were unbelievably nice and friendly. There was only 4 of us there shadowing but they took the time to answer any questions, what they found good and bad about the course and introduced us to students who weren't even involved in the actual shadowing day.

The funniest thing I heard was that the interview panel in RCSI actually said to one potential student during the interview 'You're a very attractive woman. How would you handle this?'. Like, what? What can you actually say to that?! Then you think to yourself, this little old perv is undressing me with his eyes... Another student told me she had to force herself to speak up, get everything she wanted to say without them interrupting you to ask another questions. Then when the actual interview was over, she continued to talk. The entire day was just one laugh after another, and its actually because of that day that I'll be putting down TCD as my first choice.

Fiddles44

studentforever wrote: »

The day was fantastic. The students were unbelievably nice and friendly. There was only 4 of us there shadowing but they took the time to answer any questions, what they found good and bad about the course and introduced us to students who weren't even involved in the actual shadowing day.

The funniest thing I heard was that the interview panel in RCSI actually said to one potential student during the interview 'You're a very attractive woman. How would you handle this?'. Like, what? What can you actually say to that?! Then you think to yourself, this little old perv is undressing me with his eyes... Another student told me she had to force herself to speak up, get everything she wanted to say without them interrupting you to ask another questions. Then when the actual interview was over, she continued to talk. The entire day was just one laugh after another, and its actually because of that day that I'll be putting down TCD as my first choice.

Hahaha that is pretty weird now. They were probably trying to put her off or something sly like that to see how she would react.

Its interesting that one of the student said she had to stop them from interrupting her. That's one thing I'm kind of worried about, that I wouldn't get everything across in the time allowed. 15 mins isn't really that long. (This is also wishful thinking that I will get an interview at all)

I did my undergrad in Trinity and loved it. I'd love to go back myself.

Sounds like the shadowing day was a worthwhile day. Disappointed I missed out on it now. Its all fine and well reading about the course but its when you talk to the students themselves you find out what its really like

spacecat

Hi all.
Just a few questions because I'm getting a bit nervous here with regards to the Personal Statements...

I noticed that some of you are writing different PS for each Uni. I thought you wrote one PS, sent it to the CAO, they passed it on to RSCI, UCD, UCC etc. So, one statement fits all, if you get my drift. I know Trinity want you to fill out an on-line form but the others just mention sending all paper work to the CAO!

Please help me!!!! My head is mash-up :eek:

Alt.End

spacecat wrote: »

Hi all.
Just a few questions because I'm getting a bit nervous here with regards to the Personal Statements...

I noticed that some of you are writing different PS for each Uni. I thought you wrote one PS, sent it to the CAO, they passed it on to RSCI, UCD, UCC etc. So, one statement fits all, if you get my drift. I know Trinity want you to fill out an on-line form but the others just mention sending all paper work to the CAO!

Please help me!!!! My head is mash-up :eek:

I wrote one statement like you did and sent it to the cao. As far as i know only ucd and tcd want different statements

Fiddles44

spacecat wrote: »

Hi all.
Just a few questions because I'm getting a bit nervous here with regards to the Personal Statements...

I noticed that some of you are writing different PS for each Uni. I thought you wrote one PS, sent it to the CAO, they passed it on to RSCI, UCD, UCC etc. So, one statement fits all, if you get my drift. I know Trinity want you to fill out an on-line form but the others just mention sending all paper work to the CAO!

Please help me!!!! My head is mash-up :eek:

You're right in saying that CAO sends out the info to the colleges but some colleges ask for individual statements. Trinity has the online form, CAO will send out your info to UCC but UCD has a separate personal statment template they want you to fill out.

I thought you had to wait for RCSI to contact you and then you send them your CV and personal statement but studentforever mentioned above that they thought you had to send your info into CAO for RCSI too. But neither of us are 100% on this so its better to check up on that.

Don't panic too much about the UCD statement by the way. It asks you similar questions to the Trinity and the CAO application. It takes some time but you will just have to reword some things probably

Abby19

studentforever wrote: »

Hi all,

For whoever asked above (sorry on my phone, don't mean to be rude but can't go back?), the CAO told me ALL documents must have reached them by the February 1st deadline which sucks.

This is incorrect.
You have 7 days from online submission to get your paper copies in to the CAO. Check out Page 11 http://www2.cao.ie/handbook/handbook/index.php
'If you apply online, instructions about the submission of any additional documentation will appear on screen. Such documents must arrive in CAO within seven days of the submission of the online application'

spacecat

Thanks for the replies guys.

You see, UCD website says that you may find their templates useful when doing your PS. I took that as, use it if you want,ha ha. He-ho, my head hurts too much now to even worry :rolleyes:

Fiddles44

spacecat wrote: »

Thanks for the replies guys.

You see, UCD website says that you may find their templates useful when doing your PS. I took that as, use it if you want,ha ha. He-ho, my head hurts too much now to even worry :rolleyes:

Ah well if you based your statement on that then I'm sure you'll be grand. Have you all your documents sent in?

I'm hopefully sending mine in the post on Tuesday but hearing that they are suppose to be in 7 days after registering online is a little worrying

spacecat

Fiddles44 wrote: »

Ah well if you based your statement on that then I'm sure you'll be grand. Have you all your documents sent in?

I'm hopefully sending mine in the post on Tuesday but hearing that they are suppose to be in 7 days after registering online is a little worrying

Not sent anything in yet. Still going over and over my PS Its heading for 4 pages!!!!! Thats just sooo wrong:eek: I'm not sure where it says how long a PS should be but I'm sure no-one wants to read 4 pages of my waffle

I will post everything off on Wed, reg-post. Then, give my head a day off and HPAT for the next month,sigh.

Abby19

Fiddles44 wrote: »

I'm hopefully sending mine in the post on Tuesday but hearing that they are suppose to be in 7 days after registering online is a little worrying

Why are you worried? You have 7 days from completing your application (not initial online registration). Hold off from submitting it till the last minute, e.g. February 1st, and you have 7 working days to get the documents in to them by post.

Fiddles44

spacecat wrote: »

Not sent anything in yet. Still going over and over my PS Its heading for 4 pages!!!!! Thats just sooo wrong:eek: I'm not sure where it says how long a PS should be but I'm sure no-one wants to read 4 pages of my waffle

I will post everything off on Wed, reg-post. Then, give my head a day off and HPAT for the next month,sigh.

With regards to the CAO application how did you fill in the sections like final secondary Qualifications, Employment and Hobbies/Interests? I just filled that info into the online application and then I'm sending the sections about Voluntary Work and Life/educational Experience in the post.

My CAO statement is about 3 pages and I just realised my UCD one is 5

Don't get me started on HPAT. To be honest all this application writing was a welcome break from it

Fiddles44

Abby19 wrote: »

Why are you worried? You have 7 days from completing your application (not initial online registration). Hold off from submitting it till the last minute, e.g. February 1st, and you have 7 working days to get the documents in to them by post.

O right, I took that up completely wrong. I thought it was 7 days from initial online registration. Thanks a million for clearing that up Abby19

If I'm not mistaken you're a mature student that got offered a place last years. Congrats, how are you finding it so far?

spacecat

Fiddles44 wrote: »

With regards to the CAO application how did you fill in the sections like final secondary Qualifications, Employment and Hobbies/Interests? I just filled that info into the online application and then I'm sending the sections about Voluntary Work and Life/educational Experience in the post.

My CAO statement is about 3 pages and I just realised my UCD one is 5

Don't get me started on HPAT. To be honest all this application writing was a welcome break from it

To be honest, I haven't done it yet. Plan on doing my CAO application tomz. However, from what I remember from last year....I just typed in the boxes 'to follow in post'. I did fill in the parts about education.

I can let you know tomz once I've submitted.:)

qazokm

Hi everyone

I am soo glad I looked up this forum...I had no idea UCD had its own application like TCD....Iv been looking online for it but cant seem to find it...would someone please be able to tell me where to get the application?? So its just TCD and UCD then that have their own applications right? for RCSI, Cork and Galway you send your statement and CV to CAO and then they post it off?

Also are you guys sending off references now? TCD and CAO arent asking for them but I read above someone mentioning they were trying to sort their references out?! Oh the stress!!

paperclip2

qazokm wrote: »

Hi everyone

I am soo glad I looked up this forum...I had no idea UCD had its own application like TCD....Iv been looking online for it but cant seem to find it...would someone please be able to tell me where to get the application??
(

It's not that UCD have a separate application process like Trinity its that UCD has a specific personal statement template that they like you to use for your statement to them. I've attached it below. YOu can also get some more info on the UCD Mature student section of the website: https://myucd.ucd.ie/admission/mature.ezc#pst

qazokm

paperclip2 wrote: »

It's not that UCD have a separate application process like Trinity its that UCD has a specific personal statement template that they like you to use for your statement to them. I've attached it below. YOu can also get some more info on the UCD Mature student section of the website: https://myucd.ucd.ie/admission/mature.ezc#pst

Hi paperclip thank you so much for your reply! So overwhelmed thought I was bit late but organised but apparently i'm far from!! Will finish up my general CAO statement and then get started on trinity and UCD!! Need to sort out all my postal documents now too!!! Are you sending in References too by any chance? Hope your application is going ok!

paperclip2

I'm not applying for courses. I'm just a bit of an info hound when it comes to college application for mature students. Best of luck with yours.

spacecat

qazokm wrote: »

Hi everyone

I am soo glad I looked up this forum...I had no idea UCD had its own application like TCD....Iv been looking online for it but cant seem to find it...would someone please be able to tell me where to get the application?? So its just TCD and UCD then that have their own applications right? for RCSI, Cork and Galway you send your statement and CV to CAO and then they post it off?

Also are you guys sending off references now? TCD and CAO arent asking for them but I read above someone mentioning they were trying to sort their references out?! Oh the stress!!

Here is the link to UCD, at the end of the page you will see templates for PS.
https://myucd.ucd.ie/admission/mature.ezc

I will be posting references, PS, certs etc this week. The only thing that is keeping me sane is knowing it will all be done by Wednesday...good times:D

Fiddles44

qazokm wrote: »

Hi paperclip thank you so much for your reply! So overwhelmed thought I was bit late but organised but apparently i'm far from!! Will finish up my general CAO statement and then get started on trinity and UCD!! Need to sort out all my postal documents now too!!! Are you sending in References too by any chance? Hope your application is going ok!

I'm sending in references too. I wouldn't panic 2 much. The UCD application is similiar to the CAO and TCD, just worded a little differently and the postal documents don't have to be in until next week so you still have time

RAnnaC

So much confusion here! I wasn't planning on sending any sort of personal statement to the CAO apart from the one that UCD want (the template).
UCD also want two letters of recommendation sent to the CAO.

I was at an open evening in RCSI before Christmas and they shortlist people from the basis of the HPAT, in other words, they aren't interested in reading your personal statement until they've seen your HPAT score. I'm questioning myself about this now because everyone is saying different things but that's what I thought!

Trinity I'll have completed by Friday online.

The UCD application is actually the one I'm finding toughest, the questions all repeat themselves so much. I'm taking a 'less is more' approach and only writing as much as the box can fit.

studentforever

Since I posted saying the CAO emailed me back stating the first and others who have been through the process already and know better than I would say it's later, here's the email in full (just my name has been omitted). If I interpreted it wrong I dont want to add to anyone's stress.

*** DO NOT REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL ***
To submit a query, go to http://www.cao.ie/contact


Hi Student forever


You can have until February 1st to submit your
supporting documents.


Regards


Ivor Gleeson(Íomhair Ó Glíosáin)

General Manager(Bainisteoir Ginearálta)

So reading that I assumed that all documents had to be received by the 1st but I'm more than willing to admit when I'm wrong.

I've a question for you all. Are you just sending one copy of the reference letters or photocopying them for each school to put with the statements? I should have 4 by tomorrow as I completely forgot about the bloody references and panic emailed everyone last night so have no idea what they're going to say... and one is from my university and is going to be tailored for my masters application so probably can't use that.

What areas do your letters come from? Mine is a supermarket, head of my school in the university (the tailored one so probably won't be able to use it) the division head of a volunteer organisation and a peer reference from one of the lads in that organisation who is a current med student but unlikely that he can mention that.

I hate this process and every single thing it entails...

paperclip2

The way CAO explained it to me when I asked about posting documents is that you have 7 days from the day you fill out the online application. So if you started that on the 22nd of January for example, then you have until the 29th to get your docs to CAO. However at their discretion CAO will accept docs until the 1st of February from people who applied more than 7 days before.

If you do your application on the 1st of February you have until Feb 8th 7th to get the docs in to them.

As far as I know if you complete your application over a couple of days the 7 day clock starts from the first day, not from the day you finally complete your application.

Fiddles44

So I got an email saying that the supporting documents can come in until the 7th Feb. I also rang the CAO and they said that as long as you have registered and applied by the 1st that that was the most important part, then to send your documents in asap and they will then send them on to the colleges.

Its a bit ridiculous that we've all been told different things

paperclip2

Sorry, meant to say 7th Feb above.

studentforever

Why the hell couldn't he have just said that?! Christ that's a relief, thank you both.