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Medicine

Higher Education CAO
TR051

The medical programme at Trinity is a challenging and highly rewarding experience. Medical students need an enquiring mind, an excellent capacity to learn and remember large volumes of knowledge, and the ability to develop effective communication skills. Good communication is a must for responding effectively to the health needs of individuals, families, and communities. A keen interest in improving healthcare at all levels is also essential.

Award Name Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ)
NFQ Classification Major
Awarding Body University of Dublin
NFQ Level Level 8 NFQ
Award Name NFQ Classification Awarding Body NFQ Level
Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) Major University of Dublin Level 8 NFQ
Course Provider:
Location:
Dublin City Centre
Attendance Options:
Daytime, Full time
Qualification Letters:
M.B. (Bachelor in Medicine), B.Ch. (Bachelor in Surgery) & B.A.O. (Bachelor in Obstetrics)
Apply to:
CAO
CAO Points Round 1
Year Points
2024 738
2023 741
2022 745
2021 743

Duration

5 years full-time

Specific Subjects or course requirements

Minimum Entry Requirements: Irish Leaving Certificate

To be considered for admission to a degree course at the University you must:

Present six subjects, three of which must be at grade 5 or above on higher Leaving Certificate papers or at least grade 5 in the University matriculation examination.

The six subjects above must include:

A pass in English.

A pass in mathematics (or foundation-level mathematics (see note 2)) and a pass in a language other than English
OR
A pass in Latin and a pass in a subject other than a language.

Special Entry Requirements

Leaving Certificate
H3 + H4 In two of physics, chemistry, biology, physics/chemistry or agricultural science
If you do not have a qualification in physics you must present mathematics at O4/H6 or better

Combinations of subjects not permitted: Physics/chemistry with physics or chemistry. Agricultural science with biology

See page 224 (Undergraduate Prospectus 2025) for vaccination requirements with regard to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Tuberculosis.

Students will be required to undergo Garda vetting.

Note: Students will need to purchase a stethoscope (€60+), while students on placements outside Dublin will have additional travel and accommodation costs.

Applicants must also register for the HPAT-Ireland admission test by 19 January 2025 (via: www.hpat-ireland.acer.edu.au).

Students must achieve all grades required for minimum entry requirements and course requirements in one sitting of their Leaving Certificate.

Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements

Admission Requirements 2025

To qualify for admission to an honours degree course at the University you must:

1 meet the minimum entry requirements (see above).
2 satisfy course specific requirements (where applicable), see above.
3 where there is competition for places, have good enough examination results to be included among those to whom offers are made (see the Leaving Certificate scoring system or Advanced GCE (A Level) scoring system).

Minimum Entry Requirements: Irish Leaving Certificate
To be considered for admission to a degree course at the University applicants must:

› Present six subjects, three of which must be at grade 5 or above on higher Leaving Certificate papers or at least grade 5 in the University matriculation examination.

The six subjects above must include:
› A pass in English.
› A pass in mathematics (or foundation-level mathematics (see note 2)) and a pass in a language other than English OR
› A pass in Latin and a pass in a subject other than a language.

Notes:
1 A pass means grade O6/H7 or above in the Leaving Certificate and grade 7 or above in the University matriculation examination.

2 Mathematics at foundation-level is acceptable for minimum entry requirements only, for all courses except nursing or midwifery courses. Irish at foundation-level is not acceptable for minimum entry requirements, course requirements or for scoring purposes.

3 Students may combine grades achieved in different sittings of their Leaving Certificate/Matriculation examinations for the purpose of satisfying minimum entry and/or course requirements, but not for the purposes of scoring. This is not permitted for Medicine.

4 Combinations of Leaving Certificate subjects not permitted:
› Physics/chemistry may not be presented with physics or chemistry.

› Biology and agricultural science may not be presented as two of the six subjects required for minimum entry requirements, and they may not be presented together to satisfy course specific requirements. However, both may be used for scoring purposes.

› Art and music may not be offered as two of the three higher Leaving Certificate grades for minimum entry requirements, but both may be used for scoring purposes.

Bonus Points for Higher Level Mathematics
All students presenting H6 or above in higher level mathematics will have 25 points added to their score for mathematics. The bonus points will only be relevant where mathematics is scored as one of a student’s six best subjects for points purposes.

An applicant’s six best results from one sitting of the Leaving Certificate will be counted for scoring purposes. Applicants may combine results from the Leaving Certificate and the Trinity matriculation examination of the same year for scoring purposes.

The minimum entry levels (points) for Trinity in recent years are available at: www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admission-requirements/ undergraduate

Age Requirement
Applicants seeking admission in 2025 must have a date of birth before 15 January 2009.

Garda Vetting
Students on courses with clinical or other professional placements may be required to undergo Garda vetting procedures prior to commencing placements. If, as a result of the outcome of the Garda vetting procedures, students are deemed unsuitable to attend clinical or other professional placement, they may be required to withdraw from their course. Students who have resided outside Ireland for a period of 6 months or more will be required to provide police clearance documentation from the country (including different states) or countries in which they resided.

Students who accept an offer will be informed of the procedures to be followed to complete the vetting process (as part of the student orientation information).

Fitness To Practice
Professional courses demand that certain core competencies are met by students in order to graduate and practice professionally after qualification. Trinity has special responsibility to ensure that all students admitted to all professional programmes will be eligible for registration by the relevant professional body upon graduation. It is important to us that our students are able to fulfil the rigorous demands of professional courses and are fit to practice.

Health Screening
Offers of admission to the following courses are made subject to certain vaccination requirements and/or certain negative test results:
› Clinical Speech and Language Studies
› Orthodontic Therapy, Dental Science, Dental Hygiene, Dental Nursing, and Dental Technology
› Medicine › Nursing and Midwifery
› Occupational Therapy
› Pharmacy
› Physiotherapy
› Radiation Therapy
› Social Studies (Social work)

Full details are available at: www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admissionrequirements/ undergraduate

Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP

Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme Link Modules
These modules are accepted for scoring purposes only and are awarded the following points: Distinction 66, Merit 46, Pass 28.

QQI FET Applicants General Information

QQI/FETAC Qualifications
There is an entry route to a number of degree programmes in Trinity for applicants presenting appropriate QQI/FET Level 5 or 6 Major Awards. Applicants presenting distinctions in five modules can be considered for admission.

Full information on courses with QQI entry routes, requirements etc., can be found at the link below.

QQI FET General Information Link

QQI FET Entry Requirements

Careers / Further progression

Graduate skills and career opportunities
As a doctor, you will have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to deciding on your career progression. In Ireland, many graduates wait until completing their intern year before committing to one area or another. Some then enter general practice while many more continue their training as a general physician or surgeon or in a related specialist field. Alternatively, others prefer to work in an area such as hospital management or make research their priority by opting for a career in academic medicine.

Course Web Page

Further information

Mature Students
All undergraduate courses in Trinity are open to mature applicants. Mature student applicants are not required to satisfy the normal minimum entry requirements and are not required to meet competitive academic entry levels (such as Leaving Certificate points), but are considered in the first instance on the basis of how relevant their life, work and educational experiences are to the course(s) that they wish to pursue. In addition, all applicants should demonstrate an interest in and knowledge of their course choice(s).

In order to apply to Trinity as a mature applicant you must:

› be an EU applicant (see page 216 TCD Undergraduate Prospectus 2025)
› be at least 23 years of age on 1 January 2025
› submit a CAO application form to the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February 2025

Late applications will not be considered from mature students.
CAO applications may be made online at: www.cao.ie

Further information about applying through the CAO as a mature student can be found www.cao.ie/index.php?page=mature

Applicants to all courses may be required to attend an interview. Interviews are usually held between April and May.

Certain courses may also require applicants to meet other assessment criteria. For information on additional assessments for specific courses please refer to the Mature Student Guidelines booklet available from:

Academic Registry, Watts Building, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Dublin 2, T: +353 1 896 4500, E: academic.registry@tcd.ie

The Mature Student Guidelines booklet is also available to download at: www.tcd.ie/maturestudents/apply

Trinity will inform mature applicants of the outcome of their application before the end of May to allow successful applicants the maximum time possible to prepare for the start of the academic year 2025. Official offers to successful applicants are made through the CAO in early July. To secure your place you must return a formal acceptance notice to the CAO by the specified reply date.

An information seminar to prepare all successful mature applicants for starting in Trinity will take place in July 2025. An orientation programme for all successful mature applicants will take place in August 2025.

For further information on studying in Trinity as a mature student please contact the mature student officer, T: +353 1 896 1386, E: mature.student.officer@tcd.ie For more information, visit: www.tcd.ie/maturestudents

For information on Alternative Entry Routes go to: https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/alternative-paths-to-trinity/

Places 2024: 136

Entry 2025

Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2025 at 5pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2025 at 5pm

Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2025 at 5pm

Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2025 at 5pm

Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.

LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2025. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2025, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2025 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.

Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:

General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices

Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course

Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants

Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR

What is Medicine?
Medicine is a unique course in that students study a broad range of subjects with the primary goal of understanding the science and practice of healing. Medicine and healthcare are constantly evolving as new knowledge and therapies emerge to prevent and treat illness. Each day brings a new patient with new healthcare challenges.

Medicine: The course for you?
The medical programme at Trinity is a challenging and highly rewarding experience. Medical students need an enquiring mind, an excellent capacity to learn and remember large volumes of knowledge, and the ability to develop effective communication skills. Good communication is a must for responding effectively to the health needs of individuals, families, and communities. A keen interest in improving healthcare at all levels is also essential.

The degree and what you’ll study
First, second and third years
Students study the biomedical sciences to understand what underlies medicine and they begin clinical science in the first term through a Family Case Study. Teaching is a combination of problem-based learning in the first year, small group teaching of 12 to 14 students, lectures and practical demonstrations.

Self-directed learning and the use of 3-learning are encouraged through the course. The majority of teaching in first and second year takes place in the School of Medicine, Trinity Biomedical Institute at the main University campus with the remainder in a hospital setting. Third year combines the taught course programme and an extensive clinical placements programme that advances and integrates clinical skills.

Medical Moderatorship and intercalated Master's in Biomedical Sciences
On successful completion of third year, students may be permitted to take a year out from the medical course to undertake a moderatorship in science in an approved subject. This is dependent on the availability of places and agreement by the head of the department concerned. An intercalated Master's in Biomedical Sciences is also available to medical students who successfully gain a 1st or 2:1 in their studies. The M.Sc. is a one-year full-time programme.

Fourth and fifth years
During these two years the student becomes an integrated member of each team to which he/she is attached and is expected to participate fully in all aspects of that team’s activities. This expectation will inevitably involve some early morning and late evening work. Most hospital attachments take place in St. James’s Hospital and Tallaght Hospital, Dublin. However, some training also takes place in regional hospitals around Ireland, in hospitals dedicated to particular areas of medicine, and in general practices associated with the School.

For further information on the curriculum, please visit https://www.tcd.ie/medicine/undergraduate-medicine/curriculum/year-one/

Intern year
After finishing the medical degree course, a doctor must successfully complete training for one year as a resident medical officer/intern in a recognised post before being eligible for full registration with the Irish Medical Council. A national application and matching process is in place for Intern posts in Ireland. This is currently managed by the HSE. Graduates undertaking internship/residency outside of the Republic of Ireland are required to register and meet the eligibility criteria of the relevant governing body in that jurisdiction.
The assessment structure is wide and varied and includes in-course assessment of practical and clinical skills, case studies, research projects, formal written and oral examinations, and objective structured clinical examinations. Formative assessment and reflective practice are also used to promote the personal development and teaching and learning of the student.

Study abroad
The School of Medicine has a strong international network, which gives students the opportunity to gain experience overseas as part of the electives programme. Students are required to complete clinical electives totalling 12 weeks by the final medical year. These can be undertaken in a hospital, clinic, or research laboratory of the student’s choice, either at home or abroad.

www.medicine.tcd.ie
Email: medadmin@tcd.ie

Course Provider:
Location:
Dublin City Centre
Attendance Options:
Daytime, Full time
Qualification Letters:
M.B. (Bachelor in Medicine), B.Ch. (Bachelor in Surgery) & B.A.O. (Bachelor in Obstetrics)
Apply to:
CAO
CAO Points Round 1
Year Points
2024 738
2023 741
2022 745
2021 743