Expand+Minimum Entry Requirements

School Leavers:

In order for school leavers to be eligible to compete for entry to undergraduate medicine in 2018, they must:

1 achieve a minimum of 480 points and

2 meet the minimum entry requirements and

3 ...

Hide-Minimum Entry Requirements

School Leavers:

In order for school leavers to be eligible to compete for entry to undergraduate medicine in 2018, they must:

1 achieve a minimum of 480 points and

2 meet the minimum entry requirements and

3 complete the required admissions test (HPAT-Ireland) in 2018.

Criteria 1 and 2 above must both be met in the same sitting of the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination, or equivalent. Pre 2018 Leaving Certificate results may be presented but the HPAT must be presented in the year of entry.

Minimum Entry Requirements for EU admissions

6 year programme:

Minimum Subject Requirements 2 x H5 and 4 O6/H7
English O6/H7
Irish O6/H7
Third Language O6/H7
Maths O6/H7
Science O6/H7 in one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physics/Chemistry, Agricultural Science

Minimum Points Requirement 480 points from the same sitting of the Leaving Certificate Examination or equivalent.

5 year programme:

Minimum Subject Requirements 2 x H5 and 4 O6/H7
English O6/H7
Irish O6/H7
Third Language O6/H7
Maths O6/H7
Science H4 Chemistry and H4 in either Biology or Physics

Minimum Points Requirement 480 points from the same sitting of the Leaving Certificate Examination or equivalent.

In addition all students will be required to satisfy the Garda Vetting, Medical Clearance and Fitness to Practice requirements as required by each institution.

Bonus points for Mathematics: Students presenting a H6 or above in Higher Level Maths have 25 points added to their score for Mathematics. The six highest subject scores will be counted to achieve a cumulative points score. The bonus points for Mathematics will only be relevant in cases where the subject Higher Level Mathematics is scored as one of the candidate's six best subjects for points scoring purposes

The Admissions Test: HPAT-Ireland

The admissions test is called HPAT-Ireland (Health Professions Admission Test-Ireland). This test is independently administered by ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research).

The HPAT-Ireland test measures a candidate's logical reasoning and problem-solving skills as well as non-verbal reasoning and the ability to understand the thoughts, behaviour and/or intentions of people. It does not test academic knowledge and candidates do not require special understanding of any academic discipline. However, some familiarity with the question types typically presented in HPAT-Ireland would be an advantage and therefore a practice booklet with worked answers is supplied to all candidates. The test results will complement the Leaving Certificate Examination assessment for selecting applicants for admission to an undergraduate Medical School programme.

Format of test:
The HPAT-Ireland test is a 2 and a half hour paper-based test, consisting of three modules or sections:

(i) Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving
(ii) Interpersonal Understanding
(iii) Non-Verbal Reasoning

All questions are in multiple choice format with 4 or 5 possible responses, from which the candidate is asked to choose the most appropriate response. There is only one correct response. Further details regarding the test, including the approximate number of questions in each section, can be found at https://hpat-ireland.acer.org/. Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with a physical and/or specific learning disability.

Scoring of test:
The maximum score a candidate can achieve is 300. The weighting of the three sections will be Section 1 (40 per cent); Section 2 (40 per cent); Section 3 (20 per cent). In addition to their overall HPAT score, HPAT-Ireland candidates will also receive an overall percentile rank to give them an indication of how well they performed against other HPAT-Ireland candidates.

Application procedure and cost:
In addition to their application to the CAO (www.cao.ie), students must also apply directly to ACER to complete the HPAT-Ireland test. Applicants for the test will apply online to ACER at https://hpat-ireland.acer.org/ (see Table 2 for details). The cost of applying to the HPAT-Ireland test in 2018 will be €135 per candidate. This fee covers:

• online registration for the test

• a practice booklet with worked answers

• access to a video package including 80 sample questions with commentary on solutions

• access to 3 videos regarding the test experience (pre-registration, post-registration and test day)

• materials required for the paper test

• provision of test results to the candidate

• transfer of results to the CAO.

Only bona-fide applicants may apply to sit the test i.e. current or past school-leavers. A more detailed definition of a bona-fide candidate is available on the HPAT-Ireland website.

Test date:
The only sitting of the HPAT-Ireland test in 2018 will take place on Saturday 24th February, 2018. There will be no alternative test date for HPAT-Ireland. HPAT-Ireland results are only valid for one year, i.e. a HPAT result from 2018 will only be valid for entry in 2018.

Test centres:
Test centres will be located in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Sligo and Waterford. Every effort will be made to accommodate applicants in their preferred test centre. However, as capacity in some test centres may be limited, early application for the test is advised.

Expand+In order to satisfy basic eligibility requirements, Mature Applicants must:

Be 23 years of age or older on or before the 1st of January of year of admission to the programme.

Complete the required admissions test (HPAT-Ireland) in the year of...

Hide-In order to satisfy basic eligibility requirements, Mature Applicants must:

Be 23 years of age or older on or before the 1st of January of year of admission to the programme.

Complete the required admissions test (HPAT-Ireland) in the year of entry to the programme. Please note that HPAT scores are valid for one year only e.g. a 2018 HPAT score is valid for 2018 admission only. For more information on the HPAT-Ireland, please review the Undergraduate Entry to Medicine Brochure.

Meet the minimum entry requirements as outlined below in the Irish Leaving Certificate Exam or equivalent, including RCSI pre-approved Access to Science Programmes.

Irish Leaving Certificate

5-year degree programme

Candidates must present a minimum of 6 subjects [2 x H4 and 4 x O6/H7] in the Irish Leaving Certificate to include a minimum of an O6/H7 in Irish (unless exempt), English, Mathematics and a third language plus a minimum of a H4 in Chemistry and H4 in either Physics or Biology.

6-year degree programme

Candidates must present a minimum of 6 subjects [2 x H5 and 4 x O6/H7] in the Irish Leaving Certificate to include a minimum of an O6/H7 in Irish (unless exempt), English, Mathematics, a third language and one laboratory science subject from Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics/Chemistry or Agricultural Science.

Expand+Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20th January 2018 at 5:15pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm

You should avoid submitting an application close to a closing date. No extens...

Hide-Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20th January 2018 at 5:15pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm

You should avoid submitting an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all fees are non-refundable.

Restricted Courses
Applying for a restricted course – you must have applied to CAO by 5:15pm on 1st February 2018 if you wish to apply for a restricted course. The restricted course must be included on your course choices list by that date, or added to your application using the Change of Course Choices facility for a fee of €10 before 1st March at 5:15pm.

Restricted courses normally require additional assessment procedures, e.g. the submission of a portfolio, an oral assessment or interview, or a written assessment – restricted courses are identified in the handbook by the words “(Restricted - see page 3 of the 2018 CAO Hanbook)” on the same line as the restricted course’s title. Please make sure to acquaint yourself with the additional requirements, if any, of the restricted course(s) that you have applied for and go to page 11 of the 2018 CAO Hanbook for more information about interviews and assessments.

Exception: If a restricted course shares the exact same assessment procedures with a course you had applied for by 1st February 2018, you may be permitted to introduce it on a ‘Change of Mind’. You should consult with the relevant HEI before introducing such a course.

Restricted-category Applicants
Mature applicants – most HEIs will require mature applicants, who wish to be assessed on mature grounds, to have applied to CAO by 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm. (This restriction does not apply if the applicant wishes to be considered on the basis of school leaving qualifications only.) For more information about applying to CAO on the basis of mature years go to www.cao.ie/mature.

Applying for the HEAR and/or DARE schemes – to be considered for the HEAR and/or DARE schemes applicants must have registered on the CAO system by 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm and must have completed the HEAR/DARE application form by 1st March 2018 at 5:15pm – supporting documents must be sent to CAO offices before 1st April 2018 at 5:15pm.

Expand+The ethos of the Medical School is founded on the principle that the patient’s interest is paramount in clinical teaching, medical practice and research.

Medical Curriculum – RCSI Philosophy
The curriculum is designed to give the student a sound...

Hide-The ethos of the Medical School is founded on the principle that the patient’s interest is paramount in clinical teaching, medical practice and research.

Medical Curriculum – RCSI Philosophy
The curriculum is designed to give the student a sound knowledge of the principles of both the science and the art of medicine. The RCSI curriculum is outcomes-focused, systems-based and reflects the skills and competencies that students will have on graduation, including the knowledge, skills and attitudes the College believes are required to enable its graduates to perform as competent clinicians. These competencies are outlined in the medical graduate profile.

Medical Graduate Profile
The College aspires to produce doctors who have a thorough understanding of ethical principles underpinning the practice of medicine, safety and quality in healthcare. Students are encouraged to become lifelong learners with excellent team working and leadership skills.

A spirit of enquiry is also fostered and all students are provided with the opportunity to undertake research electives within the Academic and Clinical Departments of the College as part of RCSI’s Research Summer School.

Throughout the medical course, students are exposed to a variety of clinical specialties and encouraged to develop a balanced perspective of domiciliary, community and hospital care. Modern clinical teaching facilities combined with the expertise and dedication of the clinical teachers, ensure that the highest training standards are achieved.

RCSI employs a hybrid approach to teaching and learning, mixing traditional didactic teaching (lectures, tutorials, laboratory work) with problem-based learning.

Teaching and Learning
RCSI employs a hybrid approach to teaching and learning, mixing traditional didactic teaching (lectures, tutorials, laboratory work) with problem-based learning where appropriate. The delivery of course objectives utilises a variety of teaching methods throughout the programmes, including traditional lectures; case based learning (where a clinical case is used to illustrate or contextualise learning); small group tutorials (both staff and student directed); practicals (e.g. anatomy dissection); computer assisted learning; bedside clinical teaching; grand rounds; shadowing; observation; skills workshops; tutorials; operating room attendance; ward attendance; home visits; and simulation-based clinical teaching.

A key objective of the Medical School is to provide the necessary education and clinical experience that enables its graduates to enter postgraduate training in any specialty of medicine.

Expand+The curriculum is divided into cycles called Foundation Year (FY), Junior Cycle (JC), Intermediate Cycle (IC) and Senior Cycle (SC). The Foundation Year constitutes the first year of the 6-year medical programme. Some students may be exempt from thi...

Hide-The curriculum is divided into cycles called Foundation Year (FY), Junior Cycle (JC), Intermediate Cycle (IC) and Senior Cycle (SC). The Foundation Year constitutes the first year of the 6-year medical programme. Some students may be exempt from this year (depending on their academic qualifications) and may enter directly into a 5-year programme. Most CAO School Leavers enter the five year medical programme with their Leaving Certificate Chemistry and another laboratory science subject. The Graduate Entry Medicine programme condenses the first three years (six semesters) of the five year Junior & Intermediate Cycles into two years. Each cycle is taught over two or three semesters with the Senior Cycle being delivered over two academic years.

Within each cycle, the academic content is delivered in modules (modular) which are largely based on systems of the human body (systems-based). Each module integrates the biomedical and clinical sciences (integrated) and is defined by a series of learning outcomes (outcome-focused)

Clinical Teaching
The medical programmes focus on the principle that the patient is paramount. From the beginning of the programme there is a strong emphasis on clinical medicine and clinical competence. As students progress through the programme there is a shift of emphasis with less focus on biomedical sciences and increasing focus on clinical medicine in the later years.

In keeping with the medical graduate profile, students in the earlier stages of the programme (Junior and Intermediate Cycles) have clinical exposure. This takes the form of:

• Early patient contact
• Clinical case-based tutorials
• Case discussion facilitated by clinicians
• Clinical data interpretation
• Clinical skills tutorials
• Hospital grand rounds

In the final two years students are based exclusively on clinical sites including the following attachments: medicine, surgery, primary care, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, anaesthesiology, ophthalmology and ear, nose & troath (ENT).

Prior to graduation, final year students also complete a sub-internship programme (residency) where they function as a full member of a clinical team to prepare them for life after graduation.

A key objective of the medical school is to provide the necessary education and clinical experience that enables its graduates to enter postgraduate training in any specialty of medicine.

Prior to graduation, final year students also complete a sub-internship programme (residency) where they function as a full member of a clinical team to prepare them for life after graduation.

Expand+Assessments take place during a module (continuous) or at the end of a module (summative) and take many forms including, multiple choice questions (MCQs), short answer written questions, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), practical, ...

Hide-Assessments take place during a module (continuous) or at the end of a module (summative) and take many forms including, multiple choice questions (MCQs), short answer written questions, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), practical, oral and online examinations and team / individual projects.

Assessment modes are appropriate to the different types of learning outcomes (knowledge, skills and attitudes) and assessments are carefully blueprinted to the course material for each module.

Expand+Degree Awarded
The Medical Act of 1886 provided that graduates must be educated in surgery, medicine and obstetrics. Graduates of the RCSI received Licentiates in these three specialities. Since 1978, RCSI has been a recognised College of the Nation...

Hide-Degree Awarded
The Medical Act of 1886 provided that graduates must be educated in surgery, medicine and obstetrics. Graduates of the RCSI received Licentiates in these three specialities. Since 1978, RCSI has been a recognised College of the National University of Ireland (NUI), awarding MB (Bachelor of Medicine), BCh, (Bachelor of Surgery), BAO (Bachelor in the Art of Obstetrics) to its graduates in addition to the Licentiates of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (LRCPI) and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (LRCSI) and the National University of Ireland (NUI).

Why RCSI to study Medicine?

• First to establish a Clinical Research Centre on an Irish hospital site (Beaumont Hospital), 2000

• First to develop an online surgical education programme (BeST online) globally, 2000

• First medical school in Ireland to independently adopt the standards of the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) - standards since adopted by the Irish Medical Council as the accreditation standard for all Irish medical schools, 2005

• First Graduate Medical Programme in Ireland, commenced 2006

• First Graduate Medical Programme to achieve full accreditation by the Irish Medical Council, 2010

• Strong clinically focused curriculum

• Blended learning approach incorporating traditional didactic teaching, small group problem based learning, online teaching, group project work and self-directed learning

• Clinician/physician led teaching

• Success of internships and residency placement

• Opportunity to spend one semester in RCSI Bahrain as part of the Exchange Programme operating between RCSI Bahrain and RCSI Dublin.

• Over 100 students receive stipends each summer to fund an 8-week opportunity as RCSI Research Summer School participants.

First to establish a Clinical Research Centre on an Irish hospital site, first to develop an online surgical education programme and first medical school in Ireland to independently adopt the standards of the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME).