Pros and Cons

[Lifehouse]

I'm an incoming college freshman in the U.S. and plan to apply to medical school in three years. I recently came across the website for the Atlantic Bridge program and am interested in the 6-year medical programs at Irish schools. If I am fortunate to gain acceptance to an Irish medical school and plan to practice medicine in the United States, what would be the pros and cons of receiving an Irish medical education as opposed to attending a U.S. school? Thanks.

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[ebzik]

I recently came across the website for the Atlantic Bridge program and am interested in the 6-year medical programs at Irish schools..

The 6 year atlantic bridge option is for people who are right out of high school. By the time you try to apply you might as well apply for the graduate entry progams (RCSI,UCD, Trinity starts next year) after you finish your degree. Since you are already doing your undergard dont bother not finishing it. Medical schools want people with BSc or BA. You need to show that you are mature and dependent. They are moving away from accepting people without these qualifications.

And you never know it might just be worth it to hold on and apply for american med schools because with how the irish system is know they dont look so kindly on training students and having them leave to practise in another country. Esp with the lack of doctors here in Ireland.

Just do what I did and do your undergrad-its the best thing!!

 

[Lifehouse]

Thanks for your advice! Are you currently studying in an Irish medical school?

 

[ebzik]

No but I transfered from Penn State to NUI Maynooth to finish my BSc degree over here. Right now I am still waiting to hear from TCD and I have an interview at RCSI in a week (fingers crossed). Prob the worse mistake I made out of all of this was to go to a college abroad, so when it came to application time in America no one has ever heard of this college. Even with a 4.0 (ie a fisrt class high honours) I still got rejected.

Anyway just stay in school because they are changing the system and it will be easier to apply with an undergrad degree... Plus if u drop out of medical college you have something to fall back on.

 

[Lifehouse]

Very good points. Thanks again for your insight.