Graduate Entry Programme '08 info here

[laceta]

These were the responses to a few questions I emailed to UCD enquiring about their GEP for this year:

1)How does the GEP at UCD differ from the conventional medical programme, will there be a lot more autonomous or group learning?

There will be more group learning than in a conventional programme, but we do not have a wholly problem based curriculum. Instead, there will lectures, seminars, general practice, clinical skills, anatomy dissection etc right from the beginning. There will be also cased based tutorials.

2)Do GEP and conventional students share lectures for any parts of the course?

Yes – in the first two years, 30% of the course will be shared with the traditional course.

3)What style of teaching will be used? Is the course primarily traditional, integrated or PBL based?

We will not be relying on problem based learning for the delivery of the course. Instead there will be a blended approach using all modalities to deliver modules that have clear learning outcomes.

4)What are the main focuses of study in each of the 4 years and is there a major distinction between clinical and pre-clinical years?

Clinical studies and professionalism are integrated into the biomedical modules in the first 1.5 years. In the last 2.5 years, especially years 3 and 4, the course is rooted in clinical practice.

5) How does the UCD course compensate for the shorter amount of time available?

We have designed modules that reduce repetition and integrate normal and abnormal biology within semesters. This makes education and learning more efficient – especially suited to adult learning. We have not crammed in information. We have a 270 ECTS course – 30 credits shorter than a traditional 5 year programme.

6) Is anything from the conventional course slimmed down or excluded from the GEP? No.

7) Will term dates be the same as the conventional course?

Yes: although the term dates for medical students in year 2,3 and 4 of this course are different from other university students. They are equivalent however to the term dates in final three years of the traditional course.

8) and are the GEP students integrated with the conventional med students after a number of years or are both courses structured entirely independently of one another?

The plan is that the final 2 years will involve much greater integration.

9) What level of science is it assumed that students will have at the beginning of the course? Is any additional support available for students from a non-science background?

We have put in science options in both years one and two to allow students who would like to learn more science to do so. Students from a non science background are very welcome. There will be academic support – for all students.


10) To the best of your knowledge, how does the course at UCD differ from those at RCSI, UCC and UL? Why did UCD decide to structure their course as they have done?

Our course will be quite similar to UCC. UL has a problem based approach. Its not a good idea to comparing these courses as I think all approaches have merit – and each institution is likely to consider their approach the best!

[Dr Spike Hilton]

Hi laceta. What was the email address that response was sent from? I need to ask about their finance package.

Spike.

[laceta]

Hey Spike, it was just healthscience@ucd.ie but it did take them a few weeks to get back to me. You could try phoning to get the name of whoever's dealing with the finance package though.

[Dr Spike Hilton]

Thanks for that... Yeah there is no financial arrangement with the bank there.

[PlasteredParis]

Using a combination of info from family contacts who work in two different banks and from what I was told when I contacted UCD Medical School, it seems that UCD have negotiated loan deals with at least three banks - Ulster Bank, AIB and Bank of Ireland.

If you contact UCD Health Science office (healthscience@ucd.ie) they'll give you contact details for each of the three banks on request.

AIB - Adrienne Murray, Campus branch manager, adrienne.m.murray@aib.ie, 01 269 44 99

Bank of Ireland - Sinead Mulryan Manager sinead.mulryan@boimail.com
01 2696724

Ulster Bank - John Mahon, Branch Manager, Donnybrook, 01 2602645


I don't know why UCD don't just post this info on their website.

[Ronin]

Thanks

[couldntgetaname]

Any update on the particulars of the UCD loans?

[Ronin]

Any update on the particulars of the UCD loans?

Quoting from the information given to us
"Loans are a matter between the student and the lending institution only. The UCD school of medicine and medical science has no role in such lending agreements and does not endorse any particular product"

We were given contact details similar to those already posted

AIB - Adrienne Murray, Campus branch manager, adrienne.m.murray@aib.ie, 01 269 44 99

Bank of Ireland - Sinead Mulryan Manager sinead.mulryan@boimail.com
01 2696724

Ulster Bank - John Mahon, Branch Manager, Donnybrook,john.mahon@ulsterbank.com, 01 2602645

The meeting we had was rather informal and was just to introduce the school staff, they seem quite nice, and students, also nice, to one another.

[Dr Spike Hilton]

Ronin, the RCSI-AIB APR is 6.343% - Please let us know if you find a better deal at any of those places.

Thanks!

[Ronin]

Ronin, the RCSI-AIB APR is 6.343% - Please let us know if you find a better deal at any of those places.

Thanks!

Will do