Any RCSI medics who did pre-med year?

[kim222]

Hello,

Just checking to see if there are any RCSI seniors around, need some advice.

Thanks!
Kim

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[mona925]

I did premed 2 years ago...and now going into 2nd med.

 

[Choda]

Welcome Mona!

I was wondering if you could provide us with a short overview of your impressions on rcsi (for those of us starting this fall).

Do you enjoy it?
How are classes like? (Instruction, class-size, tutorials, exams etc...)
The curriculum?
The faculty?
The facilities? (sports, computers, library...etc...) ((i've heard from some sources that sports and library facilities are not quite up to our "canadian university" standards))
Living in dublin?....how do you find it as a canadian over there?

thanks a lot! (you can reply here or in the other rcsi thread)

 

[13538]

I've been in the Mercer Library at the city centre campus and to be honest, it's nothing compared to any of the libraries at Trinity. As libraries go...when you're an undergrad the quality doesn't really matter since you'll be using mostly standard texts and references. Come exam time the libraries are packed in all medical schools...but I hear it's a particular problem at RCSI compared to Trinity or UCD, as the library is small in comparison to the size of the student body.

 

[kim222]

hello

does anyone know what textbooks they use for physics chemistry and biology in pre-med year at RCSI?

Would very much appreciate help !

Thanks
Kim

 

[lillaregn]

The only textbook I recommend purchasing in Pre-Med is "Biology" by Solomon. You can probably find it used at a good prize when you get to Dublin.

The Chemistry and Physics Departments do not recommend any particular textbooks. They do however provide comprehensive lecture notes by uploading the lectures in .ppt format on the Intranet. I found this to be more than sufficient. (I bought used Chemistry and Physics textbooks, but never opened them)

 

[kim222]

thanks for the quick reply!

just out of curiosity, what's life in pre-med year like?

 

[lillaregn]

At the beginning of the year, literally everyone will tell you how Premed is easy and how they spent the whole year drinking and partying. Telling new students this is a tradition, and I will probably be one of the people who tell you this.

Don't listen to us, however. Premed is not easy. Unless you have a very solid background in Biology when you enroll, the Biology course alone is enough to force you to do a lot of studying.

In Premed you will learn a lot of new concepts, and Firstmed is when you memorize the details about them. Memorizing the details is very hard work, and will be a lot easier if you know Premed well.

That said, there will be a lot of drinking and partying. This is fun, and allows you to get to know your new class. However, a lot of people will pay for it at Exam time.

If you have any further questions, I would be happy to answer them on email, msn messenger ([email protected]) or AIM (lillaregn). I do not know how often I will check this forum in the future

 

[mona925]

Welcome Mona!

I was wondering if you could provide us with a short overview of your impressions on rcsi (for those of us starting this fall).

Do you enjoy it?
How are classes like? (Instruction, class-size, tutorials, exams etc...)
The curriculum?
The faculty?
The facilities? (sports, computers, library...etc...) ((i've heard from some sources that sports and library facilities are not quite up to our "canadian university" standards))
Living in dublin?....how do you find it as a canadian over there?

thanks a lot! (you can reply here or in the other rcsi thread)

hi guys!

sorry for the late reply...i've just been really busy at work lately.

to answer your questions, yes i really do enjoy it. it is great going to an international school and meeting people from all over the world. obviously it took some getting used to living so far away from home but that is the case with anything.

the premed class is probably about 250 ppl, and you have lectures all together in the big lecture theatre. Tutorials (chem and physics) and labs (bio) are split up into assigned groups and you usually have the tutorials once a week while the labs are every other week. I personally found the labs to be a waste of time but they're mandatory so you gotta suck it up and just go to them. most exams take place in the exam hall, which is basically just a big room with desks and pictures of old people. for premed you'll really only have 3 courses: bio, chem, physics. you'll have a first aid course probably during 2nd term but that does not last the whole term.

for 1st med, you'll have anatomy, biochem, physiology, pharmacology, and psychology. psych does not start until 3rd term. for anatomy you will have to go into the dissection room twice a week.

the faculty is your regular faculty i guess...you have some profs that are like amazing teachers and then u have those who are clearly not interested in the stuff they're trying to teach so you wonder why you even bother showing up. I find that more with the premed teachers.

as i'm sure you've heard, the facilities at rcsi aren't really the greatest. for what we're paying, you would think that we'd actually have a proper campus, but no. there is a gym in the school as well as a basketball court and a squash court. all these facilities are open until 10 (except sunday b/c the school is closed).

the library is located next to the residences (mercer court, millin house) and is open from until 10 sunday thru monday, and closes at 9 on saturdays. yeah it sux that the library isn't open until later but its better than how it was before where it was only open for 4 hours on sundays. it isn't the biggest library really but then again our school isn't that big either. it is usually not too hard to find a spot unless it is exam time.

dublin is a nice city but it takes some getting used to. these are the differences that i found between toronto and dublin:

- the stores close earlier there (most close at 6...open until 8 on thursdays)
- everything is a lot more expensive (well it is europe)
- there are a lot more pubs than there are coffee shops lol
- its a wayy smaller city so u can walk almost everywhere (or take a cab)

hope i answered all your questions