Atlantic Bridge 6-year program

[CurveballfromCanada]

Hello. I apologize for creating yet another "Atlantic bridge thread", but I have already posted in other threads without any success.

I'm currently in my first year of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing undergraduate degree, in Toronto, Canada, applying to the 6 year undergraduate programs at NUI Galway, UCD, and RCSI. My marks in the prerequisite high school courses for biology, chemistry, and calculus were 96%, 95%, and 91% respectively. I have ~80 hours of volunteer experience at a nursing home and 4 letters of recommendation from my professors. I don't expect to be accepted this year, but I was wondering what I could do to improve my applications for next year? Right now my main goal is to find a shadowing position with a physician. Is there anything else I should do, or are my grades too low?

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[AlbertanMedStudent]

Don't sell yourself short, I had lower marks and I am in my first year of the 6 year program at RCSI. I graduated high school in Alberta with about a 90% average.

 

[CurveballfromCanada]

I graduated high school in Alberta with about a 90% average.

Was that your top 6, or overall grade 12 average? Also, did you have any experience with shadowing or volunteering at a hospital?

How are you finding the curriculum at RCSI?

 

[AlbertanMedStudent]

That was my 6 cores (bio, physics, chem, english, social, and math). And I didn't have troubles but that's because I am from a very small town and the doctors were really easy to get to know since there were only 2 or 3

 

[CurveballfromCanada]

That was my 6 cores (bio, physics, chem, english, social, and math). And I didn't have troubles but that's because I am from a very small town and the doctors were really easy to get to know since there were only 2 or 3

I figure if I can get experience with shadowing a doctor I'll have a much better shot at acceptance. My letters of reference are from nursing professors with decades of experience, so that should help out some (my GPA won't be very high, ~3.5, but I'm currently taking 7 courses so I figure that will balance out some). Did you shadow or volunteer at a clinic?

 

[AlbertanMedStudent]

That's probably right, clinical experience would most likely give you a better shot of acceptance. I shadowed doctors in our clinic and emergency department (since we're a small town, our family docs worked in emerg as well) but I was mostly working in the lab. I started off as a volunteer but was hired on for the summers

 

[CurveballfromCanada]

That's probably right, clinical experience would most likely give you a better shot of acceptance. I shadowed doctors in our clinic and emergency department (since we're a small town, our family docs worked in emerg as well) but I was mostly working in the lab. I started off as a volunteer but was hired on for the summers

How many letters of recommendation did you have? How are you finding Ireland in general?

 

[AlbertanMedStudent]

I think I had three. One from my boss at the hospital, one from my vice principal, and one from someone who works for our town. And ireland is good so far, RCSI's curriculum is straight forward. I am enjoying it all so far

 

[CurveballfromCanada]

Is there a competitive premedical first year where you all have to apply to the medical program after that, or do you continue through all six years as long as you pass each one? The main reason I don't want to apply to NZ is because I don't want to risk spending $50k on a program where I may get washed out after year 1.

 

[Medstart108]

I think you actually have a pretty reasonable chance of getting in if you have a top 6 over 90 and especially Bio and Chem over 90 which you do have.

In addition, you have volunteering experience, not sure how well you are doing in 1st year uni but I believe your marks won't count from 1st year anyways. If you want to improve your application I would probably just continue the volunteering, maybe do some leadership in your school or program. Standard "premed" stuff works for medical schools on both sides of the Atlantic.

Shadowing physicians works too, it works slightly better for Irish medical schools than schools in Canada.

I agree with the poster above, don't sell yourself short. I would say your chances of getting into the 6 year programs if you applied to all 3 are probably over 75% (depends on if you have any other ECs from high school for example).

Source: I have been accepted to both the 6 year programs in the UK and Ireland and medical school in Canada at various points in my life.

 

[CurveballfromCanada]

I agree with the poster above, don't sell yourself short. I would say your chances of getting into the 6 year programs if you applied to all 3 are probably over 75% (depends on if you have any other ECs from high school for example).

I don't unfortunately, I didn't know I wanted to pursue medicine until after I had graduated.

My biggest concern is that even if I do get accepted, what are residency acceptance rates in North America? I don't want to spend 6 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars only to come to find there are no spots when I come back to North America. Is there anything I can do that would make me eligible for residencies in Ireland? What happens to those who don't get residencies in NA, do they go to other places in Europe, or are they out of luck?

 

[Medstart108]

I don't unfortunately, I didn't know I wanted to pursue medicine until after I had graduated.

My biggest concern is that even if I do get accepted, what are residency acceptance rates in North America? I don't want to spend 6 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars only to come to find there are no spots when I come back to North America. Is there anything I can do that would make me eligible for residencies in Ireland? What happens to those who don't get residencies in NA, do they go to other places in Europe, or are they out of luck?

The match rates are around 60%. If you look around this forum there are published unofficial match rates from each school year on year. The schools vary year to year but on average I would estimate a match rate of around that. Closer to 50% if you look at Canada only and probably closer to 65% for US+Canadian residencies.

Realistically without EU citizenship you won't be able to stay in Ireland, i'm not too familiar but most people say don't expect it.

I would recommend a shorter program if you are older, the 6 year programs are primarily geared towards high school students.

 

[AlbertanMedStudent]

The match rates are around 60%. If you look around this forum there are published unofficial match rates from each school year on year. The schools vary year to year but on average I would estimate a match rate of around that. Closer to 50% if you look at Canada only and probably closer to 65% for US+Canadian residencies.

Realistically without EU citizenship you won't be able to stay in Ireland, i'm not too familiar but most people say don't expect it.

I agree. The match rates seem low but honestly if you do well on the equivalency exams, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Some schools are better than others, like the above poster said. For example, RCSI says they have about an 85% North American match rate (although this could just be exaggerated to attract more NA students). However, I do know that the past two graduating groups had very good success rates. RCSI expects you to not try and stay in Ireland but rather go back to North America. They have USLME studies timetabled right into their schedule. I don't know much about other schools, but I have a pretty good understanding of RCSI.

Also, above you asked if it has a competitive premed year that you have to apply to med afterwards and the answer is no. I'm considered to be in my premed year right now, and as long as I pass this year, I move on to the actual medical studies. Although i am considered premed, you still learn basics of medicine minus the clinical skills and anatomy labs. For example, this semester is medical physics (GSWs, etc), general medical bio, pharmaceutical chem, two human systems classes, a professionalism class, and a chem and biology lab.

So even though it's premed, you still learn on the fundamentals of medicine.


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[Dennis Yik]

Hi Albertanmedstudent, I am now doing grade 11 in Toronto, in your experience if I have over 85% average, I could get in a 6-year program?
Thanks very much in advance.

 

[Dennis Yik]

I agree. The match rates seem low but honestly if you do well on the equivalency exams, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Some schools are better than others, like the above poster said. For example, RCSI says they have about an 85% North American match rate (although this could just be exaggerated to attract more NA students). However, I do know that the past two graduating groups had very good success rates. RCSI expects you to not try and stay in Ireland but rather go back to North America. They have USLME studies timetabled right into their schedule. I don't know much about other schools, but I have a pretty good understanding of RCSI.

Also, above you asked if it has a competitive premed year that you have to apply to med afterwards and the answer is no. I'm considered to be in my premed year right now, and as long as I pass this year, I move on to the actual medical studies. Although i am considered premed, you still learn basics of medicine minus the clinical skills and anatomy labs. For example, this semester is medical physics (GSWs, etc), general medical bio, pharmaceutical chem, two human systems classes, a professionalism class, and a chem and biology lab.

So even though it's premed, you still learn on the fundamentals of medicine.



Hi Albertanmedstudent, I am now doing grade 11 in Toronto, in your experience if I have over 85% average, I could get in a 6-year program?
Thanks very much in advance.

 

[jack1234567]

I have a 87% average in grade 12. (Top 6 classes: english 95, nutrition and health 92, bio 87, physics 83, chem 82 and advanced functions 82). I still didn't hear from UCD or RCSI for the 6 year program. Im wondering it's because of my rough grade 11 marks... (79% average) Do they check grade 11 marks or do they only focus on grade 12?