A medical degree in any country is difficult, but Ireland has a very high medical education and training standard.
All its medical schools are among the top 300 in the world, and the highest ranking is in the top 150. This underscores the highly competitive nature of medical degrees in Ireland, where only the most academically gifted students typically secure a place on undergraduate medical degrees.
So, how can you ensure that Ireland's medical schools consider you one of the country's finest students?
Studying Medicine in Ireland Requires Incredible Leaving Certificate Results
Barring a few notable exceptions, your typical medical school student in Ireland must have excellent Leaving Certificate results.
The Leaving Certificate (or Leaving Cert) is the final exams that secondary school students in Ireland take.
Leaving Cert subjects are available at two levels: Higher Level and Ordinary Level.
There's also a foundation level for maths, but getting onto a medical degree would only be possible if you did Foundation Level Maths, so we'll ignore it here.
English, Irish, and Maths are the three obligatory subjects for students. However, some students may be given an exemption for Irish.
Students taking Higher Level subjects are given a grade from H1 to H8, while Ordinary Level subjects are given grades from O1 to O8.
Here's roughly how the percentages equate to grades.
| Grades | % Marks |
|---|---|
| H1/O1 | 90 - 100 |
| H2/O2 | 80 - 90 |
| H3/O3 | 70 - 80 |
| H4/O4 | 60 - 70 |
| H5/O5 | 50 - 60 |
| H6/O6 | 40 - 50 |
| H7/O7 | 30 - 40 |
| H8/O8 | 0 - 30 |
CAO Points
Upon completion of the Leaving Cert, the Central Applications Office (CAO) converts the student's grades into CAO points used by universities, including medical schools, to choose which students are eligible to study medicine in Ireland.
While the percentage grades of Higher and Ordinary Level subjects are equal, the difference between the difficulty of Higher Level subjects is that their grades are awarded more CAO points.
Here's how the CAO allocates points to different Leaving Cert grades.
| Higher Level Grade | Points | Ordinary Level Grade | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | 100 | ||
| H2 | 88 | ||
| H3 | 77 | ||
| H4 | 66 | ||
| H5 | 56 | O1 | 56 |
| H6 | 46 | O2 | 46 |
| H7 | 37 | O3 | 37 |
| H8 | 0 | O4 | 28 |
| O5 | 20 | ||
| O6 | 12 | ||
| O7 | 0 | ||
| O8 | 0 |
Additionally, students who study Higher Level Mathematics and achieve an H6 grade or above are awarded 25 bonus CAO points.
For example, the H6 grade in maths is worth 46 points plus 25 bonus points, or 71 CAO points. Typically, aspiring doctors study Higher Level Mathematics to maximise their chances of getting into an Irish medical school.
A student's CAO points are taken from their six best subjects if they do more than six.
This means that the best score possible is 600 CAO points for students who don't choose Higher Level Mathematics or 625 CAO points for those who do.
How Many CAO Points Do You Need to Study Medicine in Ireland?
While the minimum requirements to be eligible for some medicine courses in Ireland are around 480 CAO points, successful candidates for medical degrees are usually between 550 and 625 points.
Different medical specialisations have different requirements, so always check the requirements specific to your desired course.
Students looking to study medicine often have specific subject requirements, and these CAO points can't be earned from any combination of subjects.
Instead, students usually need high grades in English, Maths, and science subjects, with Chemistry often being a specific requirement for some schools.
Ideally, you'll choose several science subjects and Further Maths and do well in all of them.
Standardised Tests for Entry into Ireland's Medical Schools
In addition to your previous academic results at secondary school or university, if you're entering medical school as a graduate, there are two main standardised tests for aspiring doctors: the HPAT and the GAMSAT.
The HPAT
The Health Professions Admission Test (HPAT) is a standardised test for undergraduate applicants to medical school in Ireland. The test covers logical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and interpersonal understanding.
High scores on the HPAT are also essential, like the Leaving Cert and the CAO points. Typically, the entry requirements for medical schools in Ireland consider the CAO points from the Leaving Cert and the CAO points awarded for the HPAT results.
It's typical for minimum CAO point thresholds from the Leaving Cert, minimum CAO point requirements for the HPAT, and an overall minimum score that must be reached for a student to be eligible.
This means that a poorer HPAT result can be bolstered by exceptional Leaving Cert results. Conversely, a good HPAT result can make up for disappointing Leaving Cert results.
Since doctors earn around €100,000 a year in Ireland, it's hardly surprising that medical programmes are competitive. It's crucial to perform exceptionally well in the Leaving Cert and on the HPAT. Your academic performance and standardised test scores will play a significant role in your eligibility for medical school.
The GAMSAT
The Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) is the graduate-level equivalent of the HPAT. This is specifically for graduate entry to medical schools and tests students on science, reasoning, and writing skills.
Most people who've taken the GAMSAT will tell you that it's a difficult test that requires extensive preparation.
The entry requirements for graduate medical programmes in Ireland usually include a combination of your undergraduate degree and GAMSAT results.
Since GAMSAT isn't for undergraduate entry, it's not converted to CAO points.
Entry Requirements for Medical Degrees in Ireland's Medical Schools
There are six medical schools in Ireland. While most of their entry requirements for medical degrees are mostly the same, here are the specifics.
National University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences was founded in 1845. It's one of the top 250 medical schools in the world and offers many courses.
For medical degrees, the entry requirements typically include a minimum of six Leaving Cert subjects, including English, Mathematics, science (preferably Chemistry), and three other recognised subjects.
It has a reasonably high CAO points requirement, with students needing at least 550 points. Like the other medical schools, the HPAT is required for undergraduate entry.
For graduate entry, NUIG requires a relevant undergraduate degree and the GAMSAT.
Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI)
The Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) is in Dublin. It was founded in 1784 and has been one of the best medical schools in the country for centuries.
Medical degrees typically require six Leaving Cert subjects, with at least an H5 grade in two and at least O6/H7 in four.
Like NUIG, it also requires English, Maths, and a laboratory science with three other recognised subjects. The laboratory subjects preferred are typically chemistry, physics, and biology, though others are also accepted.
RCSI will also require the HPAT for undergraduate applicants.
Graduates require an undergraduate degree and the GAMSAT.
Trinity College Dublin (TCD)
Trinity College Dublin was founded in 1711 and ranks first among all medical schools in Ireland. Naturally, this means that places in medicine are incredibly competitive, and undergraduate applicants will need over 550 CAO points.
Trinity asks for six Leaving Cert subjects with English, Maths, and H3 and H4 in two of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics/Chemistry or Agricultural Science. If you don't have a Physics qualification, you must get an O4/H6 in Mathematics.
Undergraduates will also need to take the HPAT and do excellently on it.
Graduate entry is your typical relevant undergraduate degree and GAMSAT.
University College Cork (UCC)
University College Cork was founded in 1849 and is one of the top 200 universities in the world for medicine.
It requires at least H4 in Chemistry, Physics, or Biology and O6/H7 in English, another language, and Mathematics.
The University College Cork (UCC) School of Medicine typically accepts students with over 550 CAO points.
Graduate entry is usually subject to an undergraduate degree and the GAMSAT.
University College Dublin (UCD)
The University College Dublin (UCD) School of Medicine was founded in 1854, around the time the medical schools in Galway and Cork were also established.
Undergraduate entry on the Medicine Degree at UCD requires at least an O6/H7 in Irish, English, another language, mathematics, and a Laboratory Science subject plus 1 other recognised subject.
Admission is based on Leaving Cert points and HPAT, and in 2023, 735 points was the threshold, though eligibility is much lower.
Around 550-600 CAO points from Leaving Cert are typically required, plus an excellent HPAT result.
Graduate entry follows the undergraduate degree and GAMSAT results.
University of Limerick (UL)
The University of Limerick (UL) School of Medicine is one of Ireland's newer medical schools. Founded in 2007, it offers only graduate entry.
This means you must complete a full undergraduate degree, either at the University of Limerick or another university, before you can study medicine here.
The graduate entry requirements are for those who've completed a second-class honours degree in any discipline and the GAMSAT.
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