UCC - Any info wantd!

[PeteMC]

Hi everybody! (My first post, awww )
Anyways, there is lots of info on here about UCD, Trinners and RCSI (kinda scary what people saying bout that ONE!) But not much about UCC! So I was just wondering what people knew about the place, people, but most importantly the course. I read about this new modular learning thing, with the 5 different 'streams' - Pros/Cons? I would love to hear any and all comments about the place!

Final question, coming from someone who is not from an previous 'Medical stock' - does the college you go to, affect future big time, like does it sound better to go to one of the big Dublin three? What kind of rep. does UCC have for producing physicians? Hope there is not too many questions!

Thanks,
Peter

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[deleted21609]

I can't tell you about UCC modules, but I can talk about your reputation question. I assume you mean how it'll affect your move to the US or Canada. In my experience, the Irish medical training has a collective reputation and that the particular school doesn't affect the perceived quality of your education (though it may affect the actual quality of your education). Reputation probably shouldn't be a significant differentiating factor in decideding between Irish schools.

 

[Mike MacKinnon]

Hey there Pete

I only have the information i got when i called them and talked to the admissions people.

1) They are in a small town not a large city. This is good or bad depending on what you like personally.

2) Some of the hospitals they use they are the only med students at. This is probably good? Depends on the subset of patients the hospital sees.

3) Thy only take 20-30 NA students per year (i think thats what she said). When i talked to the admissions lady she said they typically get 200-300 applicants for those positions. Ergo, its highly competitive.

Otherwise, i work with a Cardiologist who graduated from UCC. He had stellal things to say about the university and Cork in general. He loved it there and, in fact, still owns a house there and visits often. This was very positive thing to me.

 

[Unch]

I'm in first year at UCC so from the horse's mouth...
It's actually a three stream program and our class is the first with the "new curriculum". We're also the first to start in the beautiful brand new health sciences building. The streams are "Foundations of Medicine", "Clinical Practice" and "Person, Culture, Society." Nothing particularly innovative compared to some NAmerican schools but a big deal here. They really are working hard on the new curric and we're going to be seeing a lot of changes including, apparently, path and pharmm starting in second year so we get a full clinical year in year three. Already we're doing detailed case studies for each unit (eg Respiratory and Cardiac physiology) and practicing histories. pretty motivating overall.

In general, I don't think you'll go wrong with UCC (versus the Dublin schools). It's essentially the same national curriculum everywhere and if anything, UCC has a slightly better reputation to some in Europe, probably because it's a small school (better teaching ratios and less crowded cliniical environment etc.) Besides, in NAmerica, people will focus much more on Ireland than on which school per se. Choose based on where you get a spot and which city you want to be in (Cork is great).

 

[PeteMC]

Thanks for the info guys, Very much appreciated! So I know its negative, but I've gotta ask - anything negative about the UCC experience?

 

[avantsp]

I'm also in first Med at UCC and agree with Unch's post. Pretty good description. But because you asked, here are some of the negatives. Some concerns the class have come from some of the scheduling of courses and tests. One can argue that this stems from being the first year of a modular system and the kinks are being worked out... which they are by and large. One personal issue I have is I'd like to be tested more often. We get one test per module and then finals at the end. The modular tests encompass everything covered in that module in a 90 minute exam. So on one hand, having one test and it's over for another 8 weeks is nice, but on the other hand, having one test covering 11 major topics from Physiology, Biochemistry, Anatomy, and Histology plus labs isn't so nice.

And the clarification part pertains to Cork itself and the Med School facilities. Cork is not a small town unless 250,000 people constitutes a small town. And being the only med students in the teaching hospitals is a good thing. These hospitals do provide full services you'd find in NA so your exposure to patients and wards will not be any less eye-opening or educational.

 

[Jammer]

And the clarification part pertains to Cork itself and the Med School facilities. Cork is not a small town unless 250,000 people constitutes a small town. And being the only med students in the teaching hospitals is a good thing. These hospitals do provide full services you'd find in NA so your exposure to patients and wards will not be any less eye-opening or educational.

I suspect that you have not worked in a University Hospital in North America or else you would realize that we offer many more services compared to Irish hospitals where they are still lancing veins to eliminate the 'evil humors'.

 

[deleted21609]

These hospitals do provide full services you'd find in NA so your exposure to patients and wards will not be any less eye-opening or educational.

Well, I won't get into what sevices are provided. You won't be involved in the provision of any of the services anyway, so it makes little difference. Stay for an intern year if you want to do anything beyond H&P's.

 

[big-gun]

Well, I won't get into what sevices are provided. You won't be involved in the provision of any of the services anyway, so it makes little difference. Stay for an intern year if you want to do anything beyond H&P's.

Exactly brother! Did you know that in Ireland you do not learn to suture until your third year of post grad training? Also, you do not have the opportunity to suture until your 3rd year of post grad training because none of the other small minded idiots with whom you work will allow it.

Conversely, American med students learn to suture in their second year of med school and they are permitted to use those skills, albeit under supervision.

Why even consider med school in Ireland?

USA!
USA!
USA!

 

[Jammer]

Well, I won't get into what sevices are provided. You won't be involved in the provision of any of the services anyway, so it makes little difference. Stay for an intern year if you want to do anything beyond H&P's.

The only thing that you'll be doing beyond H & P's in intern year in Ireland is starting IV lines.

 

[Jammer]

The only thing that you'll be doing beyond H & P's in intern year in Ireland is starting IV lines.

Also, I forgot about getting films.

 

[deleted21609]

Also, I forgot about getting films.

I didn't do an intern year there, but I have heard about getting films, and carrying charts around.
It's almost weird that a 3rd year in the US might put in an epidural or do a thoracentesis while we in Ireland didn't even put in a PPD. I guess you pick it up eventually...

 

[xTinaBna]

I just had a quick question...if you go to medical school in Ireland and choose to practice in the U.S., do you have the M.D. degree after your name? Or what exactly is your title after graduating medical schoool in Ireland? Thanks!

 

[leorl]

You can also use the title, "MD." Technically, we get an MBBChBAO, but it's much simpler to use MD when going back to the US to avoid confusion.

Regarding the above posts, as said time and time again, medicine is what you make it. If you don't find people offering to let you do things, ask if you can do them. If they say No, well then alright but ask someone else if you get the opportunity and that doctor might let you. I think it's a fatalistic attitude to just assume you don't get to do crap. I've learned to suture, we have classes on surgical techniques, and in the OT the consultants or registars are pretty good sometimes at letting you have a go at suturing even though it takes you like 15 minutes and it takes them 2 seconds. So at my school anyway, you are definitely taught that stuff while you're still a student. As well as putting in catheters, bloods, etc. While in the US, that's "nurses" stuff, it's still important to learn. And depending on what rotation you get, you do have the opportunity to learn bigger procedures (ie. bone marrow aspiration). Guess it depends on your environment and the team you're working with, but if you're proactive, you'll find it rewarding. While clinical education is more observational here, Irish medicine isn't backwards.

 

[Mike MacKinnon]

wow, i didnt know you could use the MD after your name. All the UK physicians i know used the other one (which is long). Maybe its just because they are proud of it

 

[leorl]

the English looooove letters .

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Although a lot of your time will be spent with H+P, you can learn other skills as a medical student. You just have to volunteer.

So far I have:
Taken blood
Put in lines
Administered medication
Intubated
Inserted a catheter
Done a spinal anaesthetic
Sutured

Most of these are supervised of course.

Other people have inserted chest drains, assisted in surgery etc.

However, most of these skill are irrelevant to my exams. H+P and Eamination are more important than taking blood. The most valuable experience I'm given is having my own room in outpatients and then presenting to the consultants.

UCC is a fine medical school. We have almost all of the major specialities (we only lack transplant and paediatric cardiothoracics). We are not overcrowded with medical students like the dublin hospitals. Cork is a relatively small city if you are use to London, New York etc. but is less expensive and has a nicer atmosphere than dublin (unless you like stag parties, heroin addicts and pickpockets).

 

[Ghost]

is lennox's really the best chipper in ireland?

 

[leorl]

Cork has a nicer atmosphere than Dublin? how so? Dunno about the chipper, but never heard of Lennox's. In Dublin there's Beshoff's. mmmmm .

 

[superstarmd]

is lennox's really the best chipper in ireland?

Hell yeah!

 

[PeterJH]

I went onto the UCC website, and can't find the info I want. Does UCC have prereqs (bio, org chem, etc...) needed to apply??

 

[Sage880]

Cork has a nicer atmosphere than Dublin? how so?

I think it does. I lived in Dublin for a year and now Cork for 2. Dublin is truely a big city - great for spending money, not too friendly.

Cork is definetly more Irish - meaning the % of the population that is Irish is higher. Yeah, you have to put up with a certain amount of xenophobia from people here as you get to know them but it goes away quick. It's also a small enough city but is really compact so feels bigger when you're downtown. It's easy to get around. I'll be honest, there's things I miss about living in a bigger city - mostly the convinence. But I prefer Cork by a slight margin. But for sure it has a nicer atmosphere - Irish people stop on the street to talk to you here. It's a very small town type of feel for how big it is.

Aside: Any applicants reading this, I'll give you some advice: 99% of the north americans who come over here seek out all the other north americans the first week (north american bbq's!! Woot!!) and form Canadian/American cliques. They then spend a lot of their time complaining to each other about how things are here compared to back home. Even if you say you're not going to do this, bookmark this post and think about it next Feb. It's almost impossible not to. You'll be scared and not sure what to expect from a new place and you'll cling to what's familiar.

I personally gaurantee that if you try your hardest to actively ignore the other north Americans and meet and hang/go out with as many Irish as you can you'll be a lot happier. You can always go back to the group of North Americans if you want! They'll still be the same group that you met the first day you came to Ireland.

 

[Sage880]

I went onto the UCC website, and can't find the info I want. Does UCC have prereqs (bio, org chem, etc...) needed to apply??

No pre-reqs. When I applied, the MCAT was required. Don't know if it still is.