Trinity or Ucd Physio?

Brannnnnnnnnn

Okay so im going to college this autumn and hoping to do physiotherapy in Ucd however if i dont get it which is a good possibility, i have to look at other options. Trinity does the same course for 10 points lower but when i went to trinity i hated everything about it. I dont really know why but I did. also the halls are far away from trinity and even the health sciences building isnt on campus while on ucd everything is on campus. I dont know whether to just forget about trinity and put all ucd or maynooth courses down or put down trinity. Am i being stupid by limiting myself to just ucd and completely cutting off ucd? please someone give me advice...

Anita Blow

The Trinity course would have a higher reputation. The Physio lecturers in Trinity are very highly regarded internationally.
Campus isn't really an issue. In 1st year you'll have on-campus classes for Physics & Chemistry, and the Biomed Institute is only on Pearse Street which is essentially campus.

Also, the majority of your course is spent on placement. Not class, so campus classes are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. You'd be better taking the placement hospitals for each college into consideration. If you're placed outside of Dublin in Trinity, your accommodation will be paid for. No other college pays for your accommodation.

Brannnnnnnnnn

did you do the course?

Anita Blow

Yep yep!

Mr Pseudonym

The UCD Health Sciences Building is pretty cool!

Anita Blow wrote: »

Yep yep!

A real-life one? Oh golly! Can I ask you a question, then?

UCD's Physio course has about a third more places than Trinity's, yet in the last five years the points requirement has either been the same or higher. That despite your saying that TCD is better regarded. Any idea why?

Also, a Physio friend used to spend a lot of time in James's. Has that changed since the Pearse Street building?

Anita Blow

Mr Pseudonym wrote: »

The UCD Health Sciences Building is pretty cool!




A real-life one? Oh golly! Can I ask you a question, then?

UCD's Physio course has about a third more places than Trinity's, yet in the last five years the points requirement has either been the same or higher. That despite your saying that TCD is better regarded. Any idea why?

Also, a Physio friend used to spend a lot of time in James's. Has that changed since the Pearse Street building?

No bother!

It's only this year and the year before that the UCD points requirement has passed Trinity's. I couldn't tell you why though to be honest! It's important to remember that LC Points equates to demand, not the quality of a course.

The TCD one would be better regarded generally due to the high standard of lecturers and the huge theoretical component attached to it. It's generally said that UCD focuses more on the practical/musculoskeletal aspect of the course, while TCD gears it's students towards research (It should be said that as part of Continuing Professional Development that you'll be involved in some research for life, whether you're working in a hospital or as a researcher).
In terms of the lecturers, the head of school is one of the leading researchers in her area in the country, we have the Vice President (And soon to be president) of the World Confederation of Physical Therapists (The world body for physios), and a Cochrane Researcher (The Cochrane Collab. is the top medical research body in the world, so it's a fairly big honour to be chosen), among other very talented staff.

Also unique to Trinity is the huge theoretical component. You do the entire Physiology, Anatomy & Neuroanatomy course in common with Medicine. No other college goes into that depth, especially with Physiology.

Regarding James', from 2nd year onwards you spend most of your time out there for Physio-specific classes. Then you're out in James' full-time for the first semester of 3rd year and then you're on placement til after Christmas in 4th year & back in James' for your last few months. The Biomed on Pearse street is only for Anatomy, Neuroanatomy & Physiology, which you'll have completed by the end of 2nd year.

I should say though, UCD's Physio course is also great. In reality, placement hospitals should be a big consideration. UCD's are Vincent's, Mater, Temple Street (Not sure what they're ones are outside of Dublin. Cork is one I think). TCD's are James', Tallaght, Crumlin, NRH, Loughlinstown, Cavan/Monaghan, Tullamore, Bons Secour, CRC and some others I can't think of!

Mr Pseudonym

Thank you for your thoroughly comprehensive response.

To clarify, UCD has had higher requirements for three of the last five years, with the last time TCD was ahead being mid-00s.

TCD Medicine has a clear prestige-premium on UCD, despite having more places. I'm surprised, therefore, that TCD Physio doesn't benefit from association.

I would much rather do a placement in Vincent's than James's. And Tallaght doesn't sound too appealing either.

Thanks again

Anita Blow

No bother! If you've any questions, even about physio in general, feel free to ask!

Larianne

Practical classes are smaller in UCD which would be a plus.

As Anita B has said, look at the placement locations. UCD go to Beaumont, which is the centre for neurosurgery in Ireland, so if you have an interest in that, then lean that way. Whereas Trinity have placement in James's where the Burns & Plastics unit of Ireland is. Also, Trinity is the only college where you must complete a paediatric placement. In the other unis, you may or may not get a placement in Paeds. Tallaght, I must say, is an excellent place to learn.

Also, something which seperates Trinity from UCD, you have to complete a research project in 4th year. As far as I know, in UCD you complete a proposal and don't do any research. Having completed a research project, used statisical package etc. is a major plus, looks well on your CV and gives you something talk about at interviews.

As regards standards of lecturers, well yes, there are some good lecturers in TCD but I was quite disappointed by others. But speaking to UCD students, it's pretty much the same there, some good, some bad. Like any institution. (The TCD anatomy dept, lecturers are amazing!)

If I had to choose again, I'd probably go to Uni of Ulster, Jordanstown! :pac: Very high standard of Physios come out of there.

But sure you learn as you go along. You constantly learn on the job. The research is always changing and the scope of practice is so broad, you'll never get bored!

Also, there's no Physiotherapy course in Maynooth. There is a course in University of Limerick and also Royal College of Surgeons.

smurk

On the above comment, it is not true that UCD only complete research proposals. Research proposals are completed in the third year to introduce the area of research and how to go about it, you can then follow through with your proposal in the first semester of fourth year. If research isn't your thing, you have the option of doing two elective modules in its place.

UCD has some of the best facilities and placement sites for completing a physiotherapy degree. It now has established links for doing overseas elective placements also.
In addition, the physiotherapy degree and how it is taught is continually changing based on the feedback of students and changes in physiotherapy practice, you are guaranteed to be up to date with the most evidence based practice here.

GG10

Just to add to this discussion, Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI) also pay for your accommodation if you are placed on placement outside of Dublin so the above was misinforming. RCSI also has an excellent reputation internationally and as it is a multicultural college there are plenty of connections abroad for the future and it's a purely healthcare focused college unlike TCD or UCD

endacl

Physiotherapists. When you're feeling down, they feel you up...

:pac: