Ireland has a global reputation for medical universities and education. This is why students from Ireland and around the world choose the Emerald Isle to study medicine.
Let's see which universities and medical schools you could study at in Ireland.
Ireland's Medical Schools
Secondary school leavers in Ireland can apply directly to undergraduate medicine, which is quite different to those in other countries.
International students, on the other hand, need to follow a specific application process.
In some countries, starting a first-year undergraduate course and then applying to medicine programmes is common.
Ireland, however, offers world-class medical training directly to school leavers.
In Ireland, there are a total of six medical schools. There are three in the capital city of Dublin:
- RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons Ireland)
- Trinity College Dublin
- University College Dublin
The other three are in Cork, Galway, and Limerick:
- University College Cork
- NUI Galway
- University of Limerick
Anyone looking to study medicine in Ireland must choose from one of these six educational institutions.
Fortunately, they're all highly reputable institutions that rank highly worldwide for medicine.
Let's see what they are.
University of Limerick (UL) School of Medicine
The University of Limerick's medical school is also one of Ireland's newer universities.
The University of Limerick was founded in 1972, and the medical school in 2007.
Let's look at some of the courses available for medical students at the University of Limerick.
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (Graduate Entry)
This is a four-year course on what most people call "medicine". If you want to become a doctor, the Bachelor of Medicine or Bachelor of Surgery is the course that most doctors will take.
However, the course at the University of Limerick School of Medicine is quite special because it's a graduate-entry programme.
This means that graduates of another degree, not necessarily one related to medicine, can apply to this course. They must have at least a second-class honours degree and complete the Graduate School Admissions Test (GAMSAT).
In most cases, students must have completed their Leaving Cert and the HPAT.
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science
This is a level 8 honours bachelor's degree. On this course, students gain fundamental knowledge and practical skills in biomedical science, providing them with an understanding of how the partnerships between scientists and healthcare professionals work.
Bachelor of Science in Paramedic Studies
This is a level 8 major award honours bachelor's degree, and the University of Limerick School of Medicine is the first to offer Paramedic Studies at an undergraduate level.
Students will attend a range of clinical placements with allied health placements and emergency and non-emergency ambulance deployments.
Areas of focus include coronary care, the emergency department, operating theatres, paediatrics, maternity, fire and rescue, learning disabilities, and elderly care.
In the second year of the course, the placements are in the United Kingdom, where high call volumes and a diverse population ensure that students learn everything they need to know about being a paramedic.
National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
The National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) has three main schools for medicine:
- Health Sciences
- Nursing and Midwifery
- Medicine
Founded in 1845, the school of medicine is renowned for the quality of its contributions to medical research and education. It ranks among the top 250 medical schools in the world.
At the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), students have many courses to choose from, offering a wide range of clinical and non-clinical career options.
These courses include:
- Bachelor of Science (Podiatric Medicine)
- Health Promotion (PhD, MPhil & MLitt)
- Health Promotion (Structured PhD)
- Health Sciences—Social Care (MPhil)
- Medicine (Surgery & Obstetrics)
- Mental Health Nursing
- Midwifery Science
- Nursing & Midwifery (PhD/MPhil, full-time or part-time)
- Nursing: Midwifery (HDip)
- Occupational Therapy
- Social Care (Degree/Diploma/Certificate)
- Speech and Language Therapy
Though potentially earning €100,000 a year as a doctor is undoubtedly appealing, there are plenty of other career options available to those who choose to study a course other than medicine.
Like Limerick, many students are drawn to Galway because of its location. It is one of the country's finest choices for those interested in studying medicine in Ireland rather than in Dublin.
University College Cork (UCC) School of Medicine
University College Cork is another of the constituent universities of the National University of Ireland (much like NUIG). It was founded in 1845.
The School of Medicine belongs to the College of Medicine and Health at University College Cork.
Medicine at University College Cork
For medicine, it offers Direct Entry Medicine and Graduate Entry Medicine Courses. The Direct Entry programme is for school leavers and lasts five years. The Graduate Entry programme lasts four years but comes with the requirement of completing a bachelor's honours degree, which is three or four years in itself.
BSc Medical and Health Sciences
This four-year course teaches about the underlying disciplines of health and medicine, focusing on research.
This course focuses on the skills and knowledge required to work in medical research or various other healthcare professions.
BSc Hons Paramedic Studies
The BSc Paramedic Studies is designed for those interested in pre-hospital emergency care. You can join this course as a practitioner or school leaver through a CAO entry.
The course includes hospital and ambulance placements and covers the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) curriculum and National Qualification for Emergency Medical Technicians (NQEMT).
Due to the nature of paramedicine, this is also one of the few degrees in the world that require students to hold a C1 driving licence.
Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI)
Now that we've seen the medical schools in Ireland outside of Dublin, we've reached the three in the nation's capital. The first of these is the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland.
Founded in 1784, the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) has been a beacon of excellence in medical education for over 200 years.
As with all medical schools, the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland offers many different areas of medicine in which to specialise.
Medicine
Medicine, like other universities, is a five-year programme. However, there's also a six-year option for students who need to complete the Foundation Year.
Pharmacy
Pharmacy at RCSI is a five-year programme with modules covering health, medicines, and life sciences and clinical placements in the final year.
Physiotherapy
The physiotherapy programme is three or four years long, and most of it takes place on RCSI's main campus in Dublin's city centre.
Like many courses in medicine, part of the course will be a placement in a clinical setting.
Advanced Therapeutic Technologies
This four-year course provides the skills outlined for pharmaceutical industries, including genetics and genomics, computational biology, data analytics, drug delivery, pharmacology, immunology, and connected health.
This course focuses on employability, with an eight-month industry placement available in the third year.
University College Dublin (UCD) School of Medicine
Founded in 1854, the University College Dublin (UCD) School of Medicine was opened around the same time as the other NUI institutions (like Galway and Cork).
The QS World University Rankings put the UCD School of Medicine in the top 150 universities in the world for medicine.
It offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in medicine, radiography, biomedical health & life sciences, child health & welfare, clinical & translational research, etc.
Trinity College Dublin (TCD) School of Medicine
Trinity College Dublin (TCD) School of Medicine is one of the oldest in Europe. For over 300 years (it was founded in 1711), it has provided high-quality education to students.
Trinity's School of Medicine offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and online postgraduate qualifications in medicine, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, radiation therapy, human nutrition, and human health and disease.
Students can apply to these courses through the Central Applications Office (CAO) using their Leaving Cert Points and HPAT-Ireland scores.
The Trinity College Dublin School of Medicine ranks top of all of Ireland's medical schools.
Get Help with Medicine from a Private Tutor
Whether it's to get onto a medicine course by excelling during your leaving cert or getting help studying medicine, a private tutor can help.
Luckily, there are plenty of skilled and experienced private tutors on the Superprof website who can help you. You can study face-to-face, online, or in groups. The choice is yours!
Browse their profiles to see what they offer, how much they charge, and what their other students think of their tutoring. From there, make a list of viable candidates.
Many offer the first session for free, so you can try several before choosing the one that's right for you and your studies.
Search for "medicine" or your subject of choice and browse their profiles today!
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