The CAO online application

[Dr Freddy]

Hi,

I am applying from the UK to Irish Gradmed programs.

Is the CAO online application a one step application; do I have to fill it and submit it in one go, or I can save it and return to it like the UCAS here??

Thanks,

[Dr Freddy]

also if some body can give a hint about the theoretical and actual rankings of the four Irish unis accepting grads for medicine RCSI, UCD, UCC, UL. As I know I need to put the ranking on the CAO.

[MentalNote]

Hi,

I am applying from the UK to Irish Gradmed programs.

Is the CAO online application a one step application; do I have to fill it and submit it in one go, or I can save it and return to it like the UCAS here??

Thanks,

You need to submit the basic application in one go, but you can come back and update parts of it up till Feb 1st. Including changing your preferences.

also if some body can give a hint about the theoretical and actual rankings of the four Irish unis accepting grads for medicine RCSI, UCD, UCC, UL. As I know I need to put the ranking on the CAO.

Not sure what you mean by this. In CAO you should ALWAYS ALWAYS list the Unis in order of YOUR preference. The one you want most goes in number 1 and so on until all options are exhausted.

[Dr Freddy]

Sorry, what I meant is how would students rank these four unis: which is best and which is worst.
Many thanks for your reply

[MentalNote]

Sorry, what I meant is how would students rank these four unis: which is best and which is worst.
Many thanks for your reply

Haha that's the million dollar question! I think the general consensus is that the quality of education is roughly the same. The styles are different though for example UL is PBL based, RCSI is a mix of self-learning and lecture based. You probably need to investigate these issues and the other factors that will influence where you want to study and come to your own conclusion.

I'd be a bit wary of basing it solely on GAMSAT scores because that is more a popularity contest i.e. a reflection of the number of applications versus number of places available.

[Dr Freddy]

Thank you MentalNote.

[louglee]

Sorry, what I meant is how would students rank these four unis: which is best and which is worst.
Many thanks for your reply

it depends on what you're looking for from the school, but overall most of the medical schools (i.e. UCC, UCD, RCSI) are seen by most doctors/hospitals as being pretty much the same, the people I talked too said they wouldn't give an opinion on UL as they have no evidence of their students yet.
Limerick is only 3 years old and have no graduates yet
UCC, UCD and RCSI are all established medical schools.
RCSI students have their own buildings and are well taken care of, also they offer USMLE tutorials for those who plan on taking the exam. start hospital attachments in semester 2 of year 1.

RCSI hospitals include Beaumont (National Referral Centre for Neurological Treatment, national neurosurgical site, Renal and Pancreatic Transplantation Centre and Cochlear Implantation, Regional Ear, Nose and Throat Centre, Regional Gastroenterology Centre) and Connolly (has 2 oncall rooms and a cardiac bleep for students, can't find specialities)

UCD - Mater (National Spinal injuries unit, national heart and lung transplant programme) and vincents (national referral centre for liver transplantation and adult cystic fibrosis)

UCC - hospitals also have a neurosurgical centre and would cover most specialities

UL - most specialities except paeds and neurosurg in hospital around limerick
UL and UCC are also cheaper to live in (i.e. the cities), with RCSI having the most expensive living costs
most of the dublin universities would share the maternity and paeds hospitals

if you look in terms of entry requirements the ranking are somewhat like this
RCSI
UCD
UCC
UL

Hope that helps
BTW I have nothing against any of the school, but I choose RCSI as I have an interest in neuro and Beaumont is the national centre for neurosurgery

[Dr Freddy]

Many thanks louglee,

I also prefer RCSI, but I am still waiting to know how RCSI/UCD will decide on my fee status.

Do you have any idea if a British student can be considered in the free fee status where you pay 1500-2000 EUR/year only or that is only for Irish??

Kind Regards,

[louglee]

Many thanks louglee,

I also prefer RCSI, but I am still waiting to know how RCSI/UCD will decide on my fee status.

Do you have any idea if a British student can be considered in the free fee status where you pay 1500-2000 EUR/year only or that is only for Irish??

Kind Regards,

the fees for graduate medicine are around 14,000 - 15,000
the 1500-2000 refers to undergraduate students (any EU) who have no previous college experience, i.e. you have not completed a college course, if you do 1 yr you pay a full years fee and then get free fees, you do 1/2/ a year you pay 1/2/ year fees etc.
the full amout for grad med are about 25,000 of which the government pays 13,000 and the student pays the rest, on top of that you pay the 1500 - 2000

[Dr Freddy]

Thanks again for making that clear