US Atlantic Bridge 2015
- Thread starter gillyp
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Dear Quote
thanks for your information. I guess most of us are worried about returning to North America after we have completed a very expensive education. I am in grade 12 applying to the 5 year dental program.I have been extremely successful in high school. However, I know that this doesn't always translate in university. The only reasons I considered studying at TCD are; that allows me to finish in less time,there is currently reciprocity with Canada, and I wouldn't have the uncertainty of applying after an undergraduate degree. I have been accepted as an undergraduate at Mcgill. I would be very interested in you thoughts on the above. I don't want to make a poorer decision because of my relative immaturity
Thanks
J
thanks for your information. I guess most of us are worried about returning to North America after we have completed a very expensive education. I am in grade 12 applying to the 5 year dental program.I have been extremely successful in high school. However, I know that this doesn't always translate in university. The only reasons I considered studying at TCD are; that allows me to finish in less time,there is currently reciprocity with Canada, and I wouldn't have the uncertainty of applying after an undergraduate degree. I have been accepted as an undergraduate at Mcgill. I would be very interested in you thoughts on the above. I don't want to make a poorer decision because of my relative immaturity
Thanks
J
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As long as you can practice dentistry in Canada without any issue after going to Ireland you shouldn't worry.
I strongly do not recommend high school students to go abroad for medicine because returning to Canada is highly competitive and the residency options are very limited.
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You seem to have pretty well sorted plans, @LAtoDavis. Also, I don't blame you for preferring to attend medical school in Ireland over an osteopathic program here in the States. The experience of being immersed in another culture is enticing and having a medical degree from Ireland would prepare you for residency training just as well. My applicant profile was similar to yours when I applied via ABP circa four years ago - i.e. non-traditional, graduate degree, medical work experience, etc. I ultimately chose to attend US dental school since I'm interested in specializing in craniofacial surgery. Had an acceptance from RCSI, UCD, or TCD come earlier, though, there would've been no hesitation from me to attend.
I know of another UCD med grad that trained in UW-Seattle for anesthesia and practices not too far away from you. PM me if you're interested and I can forward his contact info to you.
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Thanks for replying with this information, and congrats on making it to this point on your career path. Speaking of osteopathic COMs, I just withdrew from an interview at one a minute ago.
Craniofacial surgery is probably a really competitive field, too. Domestic ties seem to help with matching those. I'll think over what you said more so now that I've been through all of my MD interviews and will receive their decisions after I will tentatively hear back from the ABP about my application to Irish med schools.
Also, it looks like University College Dublin (UCD) is expanding its offerings to students toward residency matching; on the ABP website, they describe UCD as having pre-arranged elective rotations at the University of Pennsylvania, Emory, and the University of Kansas as "University College Dublin, for example, has full travel scholarships and pre-arranged electives with the University of Pennsylvania, Emory University and the University of Kansas medical schools." (http://www.atlanticbridge.com/medicine/residency/usa/).
That's pretty good. The anesthesiology resident I talked to before said he went to a big academic medical center (WashU, I think) for his electives, and that helped him matching a lot; the University of Pennsylvania is a great school/teaching hospital, as is Emory. Kansas seems to have Irish medical grads matching into some of the big surgical subspecialties (I saw a neurosurgery grad from TCD go there, I believe, with below average step scores. I don't know what that says about brain surgery, but what do I know?)
Also, I talked to an Irish medical school grad at Penn over the phone last week, too, who coordinates a clinical research training program, there (http://www.itmat.upenn.edu/mtr.shtml#administration , Dr. Meagher) . The impression I got is that the Irish medical degree is pretty well regarded and that there are decent alumni connections... if you know how to find them.
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From the past it looks like RCSI should be sending out interview invites this week and the next, I'm guessing UCC, UCD, and Limerick are sometime in March...
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Just got my RCSI interview invitation for Toronto yesterday!
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Congratulations!!!! That is pretty exciting. Best of luck to you.
I am also glad to see that there is finally some movement in the process. Everyone make sure to keep us all updated.
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could you please tell us your stats
28 MCAT (10-BS; 10-V; 8-PS). My undergrad GPA is low- 3.16 but I got a 3.9 in grad school from Hopkins and I've published several times (once as first author) as well as lots of extracurriculars.
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Congrats on the interview!
Couple of questions, do you remember when your application was marked complete by Atlantic Bridge? Also, are you an American or Canadian applicant?
The wait to hear back from schools is killing me!
Thanks for that Sassa. What would you say my chances are? I have a Gammy of 60 and a WES evaluated GPA of 3.00 (thank you WES for the undervaluation >.<). I do have a Honours IIa degree, so hopefully that counts for something.
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For interview invites, are they sent via e-mail or mail?
No one can really tell anyone chances. Everyone is competitive, it all depends on the cohort and the admissions committee.
Plus I don't know what a Gammy or IIa degree is
But yeah - the "what are my chances" question always irks me a little (not just you, for a few years now). Only admissions knows your chances and no one here is on admissions. If you had like a 2.0 and a degree in basket weaving, sure. I could tell you your chances, but for the most part - most people here are in the same boat.
Email.
I'm really interested in Trinity. I'm an American senior in uni. I have applied, just need one more LOR to be sent in this week. I was reading this thread and I'm worried mainly about funding. I know that Trinity takes FAFSA but does it fully fund it? I spoke to the Financial aid guy in Atlantic B and he said that even though it is undergrad (5 yrs), on our FAFSA app it is considered graduate. Which made me think, would they cover most or all costs (living expenses, tuition etc).??
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Hi again,
I perused this: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Information on Student Finances.pdf/Files/Information on Student Finances.pdf
And it says that now you have to have access to 7,000 euros per year, not 3,000. Does any of the American folk know whether FAFSA/Title 4s can be used to cover this? After I realised that Irish schools start in late Sep - October, I would imagine FAFSA would already be disbursed..? They are supposed to cover living expenses IN ADDITION to tuition! That's kind of what they are there for...?
To answer your question, Oce, they are SUPPOSED to. It doesn't matter that FAFSA is graduate. It works just like undergraduate one (if you have experience with PLUS loans). Question is, whether you can use JUST FAFSA to get into Ireland .i.e. what I am delineating above with the living expenses. FAFSA cannot cover the deposit, obviously, but at least in theory, it is supposed to be used for living expenses. Input, anyone?
EDIT: What I am asking is - can you state on your visa application that you have access to FAFSA in answer to the questions about 7,000 living expenses and tuition costs? FAFSA is supposed to cover ALL expenses (I called and researched this a bunch - there's no cumulative cap, and yearly cap includes ur tuition and living expenses. But there's a chance FAFSA will not be disbursed before you have to enter Ireland (physically). I know for a fact that that"s what happens if you study in the UK and they accept a simple statement that you have FAFSA.
Thanks.
I perused this: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Information on Student Finances.pdf/Files/Information on Student Finances.pdf
And it says that now you have to have access to 7,000 euros per year, not 3,000. Does any of the American folk know whether FAFSA/Title 4s can be used to cover this? After I realised that Irish schools start in late Sep - October, I would imagine FAFSA would already be disbursed..? They are supposed to cover living expenses IN ADDITION to tuition! That's kind of what they are there for...?
To answer your question, Oce, they are SUPPOSED to. It doesn't matter that FAFSA is graduate. It works just like undergraduate one (if you have experience with PLUS loans). Question is, whether you can use JUST FAFSA to get into Ireland .i.e. what I am delineating above with the living expenses. FAFSA cannot cover the deposit, obviously, but at least in theory, it is supposed to be used for living expenses. Input, anyone?
EDIT: What I am asking is - can you state on your visa application that you have access to FAFSA in answer to the questions about 7,000 living expenses and tuition costs? FAFSA is supposed to cover ALL expenses (I called and researched this a bunch - there's no cumulative cap, and yearly cap includes ur tuition and living expenses. But there's a chance FAFSA will not be disbursed before you have to enter Ireland (physically). I know for a fact that that"s what happens if you study in the UK and they accept a simple statement that you have FAFSA.
Thanks.
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Are you sure the 7000 euros is for Americans and Canadians?I hope not because thats redic :/ ... I think we have a diff amount. I looked it up a while back. I read that other countries that NEED a visa to get into Ireland will have to show proof of those funds but the countries that do not need the visa had an amount which was lower, around 4000 euros?? Am I confused or?
Oooh i see what you are saying. I sure hope that they will accept FAFSA as the funds we are required to have.
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Hey - could you please link me to where you found the 4,000? In the document I linked, I don't see any distinction that this is for visa-required countries. I know Americans can land in Ireland w/o visa, but we still need a visa to study there!
I am a bit disturbed by such paucity of information of how to do all this. I have perused multiple threads to find any Americans who used FAFSA to get in, but I don't seem to find any, which is scary in and of itself. Let's continue searching! out of curiosity - are you also relying exclusively on FAFSA? I mean I am pretty open about it - I have no family or savings and there's no way I can make much money over summer!
I am a bit disturbed by such paucity of information of how to do all this. I have perused multiple threads to find any Americans who used FAFSA to get in, but I don't seem to find any, which is scary in and of itself. Let's continue searching! out of curiosity - are you also relying exclusively on FAFSA? I mean I am pretty open about it - I have no family or savings and there's no way I can make much money over summer!
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I So I've been trying to build credit for a while now. And I completely forgot where I read that but here is something to look at...
***No. If you do not require an entry visa to enter Ireland, you do not require a student visa to study in Ireland.** That was a question answered in this link http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/travel_to_ireland/student_visas.html
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Seems like you're right - a sigh of relief. And - wow, I didn't realise you can study in ANY country w/o a visa - clearly, I should not be assuming that UK law is the same as Irish law. I stand corrected!!!
Thanks
I submitted everything middle of October... around the 18th I think.
I'm an American applicant.
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Is this for the 5 or 6 year program?Thanks
I submitted everything middle of October... around the 18th I think.
I'm an American applicant.
This is random...but is anyone (speaking to the Americans) hearing this thing about the "residency crunch" going to happen soon? I've been trying to ignore it but I can't help but to get worried a little that if I left to Ireland I will get.. um "crunched" (lol), when trying to come back to the states... Is it true guys, or are people just hating on IMG's lol...
Tell me what you think...
Tell me what you think...
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Its mainly hating on IMGs or misinformation. This residency crunch thing was one of the most widely talked about stories among US MD and US DOs in 2011-13. The predictions were by 2015 the US AMG graduation numbers would = US Residency positions and IMGs would be completely squeezed out. Look at 2014 Match Stats, does that look likely? Haha...
At the time I questioned it because it was all based on one article and the predictions failed to account for natural growth in residency positions and it crucially equated the number of 1st year US MD students with US MS4 graduates in its doomsday predictions, i.e. by 2015 there will be 26k first year medical students in the US and in 2011 there were 26k residency spots.
1. Even in the article it stated a 0.883% annual growth rate in US residency positions so off the bat the predictions are weakened.
2. On top of that the 2015 predictions of 26k first year medical students was then somehow miraculously equated to 26k final year medical students.
3. The numbers never took into account the fact that a number of DO students do not apply to US ACGME residencies and only to DO residencies.
Add on the recession and fears of reduced GME spots the doomsday theory took firm hold.
Crucially, most of the doomsday predictions were not even mentioned in the article and their point about a possible "drop in residency positions" in the future was not cited, it was just fluff pulled straight out of their ass. In fact, Medicare has funding for an annual growth in residency positions as shown by reality in 2012, 13 and 14.
http://www.medicalopedia.org/3946/n...says-journal-of-american-medical-association/
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1475200
This was the article.
So what really happened? http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Main-Match-Results-and-Data-2014.pdf
Unlike the 26k GME positions by 2015 theory in 2014 there were 29,671 positions. (if we are talking about PGY-1 positions then 23k in 2011 and now 26k in 2014)
U.S. allopathic medical school senior students comprised 17,374 of the active applicants in the Match, 113 fewer than in 2013.
The number of active U.S. citizen IMGs continued to grow, and at 5,133 was an almost 40 percent increase since 2010. The match rate for this group was 53.0 percent, the highest since 2005
The number of active applicants who were non-U.S. citizen students/graduates of international medical schools declined from 7,568 in 2013 to 7,334 this year; however, their PGY-1 match rate rose for the second consecutive year and at 49.5 percent was the second highest in the past 10 years
The forums are now silent about it, always be skeptical when people cry about the end of the world. Also be skeptical when people for whom this has no relevance to i.e. AMGs complain. Because it doesn't affect them personally, they are unlikely to do much research and because it makes them feel better about themselves they are more likely to spread the information around. A bad combination if you ask me.
Moral of the story, when people make claims, do your own research.
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I feel a whole lot better now ha. Im just tired of reading people bashing IMGs and trying to bring them down by any means... I feel as long as you do your very best and take the USMLE steps 1 and 2 seriously (and get good scores), you will be golden no matter if you're AMG or IMG. But hey I'm just a pre-med undergrad senior LOL...
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The worrying thing is that class sizes are expanding and moreso, new DO schools are opening up every year. It's always more difficult to match if you are an IMG and this isn't a problem that is exclusive to the US.
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I received my interview invite for RCSI this past Wednesday, after submitting my personal statement and printed MCAT via email earlier that day. I had sent my MCAT score through the official send scores function in early January, when I submitted my application. One of my transcripts (showing some summer classes) and my letters of recommendation are still outstanding.
Stats: GPA = 3.3 from a top tier liberal arts college - psychology major with medically relevant minor
MCAT= 35, PS=11, VR=12, BS=12
I work at Brigham and Women's Hospital right now, where I do some interesting research, have 2000 hours of EMT experience from college, and a plethora of other healthcare experience, but I think I hit an automatic trigger based on my MCAT. I received my invite within 6 hours of submitting my personal statement and printed MCAT score. That seems hard to explain absent some sort of automated trigger.
Given my late application, I am not sure if I will hear from any of the other schools, but I am excited about RCSI.
Since this is my first post, a little background on me and my current situation:
This is my second round through in the US. I have had interviews, as you would expect with my numbers, but have not been accepted anywhere in the US. I did not apply to DOs the first year and applied to them late this year. I have at least one more US interview coming up (at my first choice, actually). St. George's University in Grenada just accepted me. I was considering a post-bac (special masters) because my GPA and poor grades in fall of my senior year of college were not great, but I think I would rather just go to SGU or Ireland and prepare especially hard for the USMLE. Of course, my strong preference is to ace the interview at my first choice and go there.
Stats: GPA = 3.3 from a top tier liberal arts college - psychology major with medically relevant minor
MCAT= 35, PS=11, VR=12, BS=12
I work at Brigham and Women's Hospital right now, where I do some interesting research, have 2000 hours of EMT experience from college, and a plethora of other healthcare experience, but I think I hit an automatic trigger based on my MCAT. I received my invite within 6 hours of submitting my personal statement and printed MCAT score. That seems hard to explain absent some sort of automated trigger.
Given my late application, I am not sure if I will hear from any of the other schools, but I am excited about RCSI.
Since this is my first post, a little background on me and my current situation:
This is my second round through in the US. I have had interviews, as you would expect with my numbers, but have not been accepted anywhere in the US. I did not apply to DOs the first year and applied to them late this year. I have at least one more US interview coming up (at my first choice, actually). St. George's University in Grenada just accepted me. I was considering a post-bac (special masters) because my GPA and poor grades in fall of my senior year of college were not great, but I think I would rather just go to SGU or Ireland and prepare especially hard for the USMLE. Of course, my strong preference is to ace the interview at my first choice and go there.
http://www.valuemd.com/uk-irish-med...ucd-graduates-experience-atlantic-bridge.html
Just finished reading this post. I believe it's a MUST read to all prospective medical students from North America applying overseas, specifically Ireland.
Just finished reading this post. I believe it's a MUST read to all prospective medical students from North America applying overseas, specifically Ireland.
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Hi,
Did anyone hear form NUIG, TCD, or RSCI-Medical school of Bahrain for the 5-year program?
Thanks!
Did anyone hear form NUIG, TCD, or RSCI-Medical school of Bahrain for the 5-year program?
Thanks!
No one can really tell anyone chances. Everyone is competitive, it all depends on the cohort and the admissions committee.
Plus I don't know what a Gammy or IIa degree is
But yeah - the "what are my chances" question always irks me a little (not just you, for a few years now). Only admissions knows your chances and no one here is on admissions. If you had like a 2.0 and a degree in basket weaving, sure. I could tell you your chances, but for the most part - most people here are in the same boat.
Oops my bad. Gammy = GAMSAT AND Honours 2A = Honours Class II Division 1. Haha sorry my Australian instinct of shortening words kicks in automatically. But yeah on other note this wait is seriously unnerving. From the looks of it, I might become a patient of anxiety before I become a doctor lol.
Yeah I understand other people are in the same boat as well. I guess its just that any sort of positive indication or finding gives a bit of hope and calms the mind which most people find comforting.
That's fair. I was once in your boat
But in my experience, it really only fed the anxiety because there really was nothing being said other than "yeah you're in the running!! ... nothing has changed " And then people with higher stats won't get in, and you realize it really is a crapshoot. I never felt anxious for anything before waiting for acceptances / interviews. So good luck!
I have a 3.03 CGPa, and 3.80 SGPA and I'm waiting to hear back about my MCAT scores but I know I did really bad. I'm retaking it in April 2015, should I apply this year? I checked the Stats Forum for Atlantic Bridge, and a couple of people with 3.0s have got offers. so that's what's giving me the idea that I might have a chance this year.
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This isn't something that anyone on this forum is going to be able to tell you. This is completely up to you. If you are comfortable with the application fees, then there is no downside to applying and seeing how things play out. If you're unsuccessful then you can take time off to improve your application and apply again for the next cycle.
4 year program.
Maybe try and give the GAMSAT instead. Ireland accepts both. I personally found the GAMSAT exam (overall score 60) to be easier than the MCAT (overall score 23) . With the MCAT exam now becoming longer, all the more reason to try and avoid it. And unlike MCAT, its your overall score that matters not your individual ones and not to mention the schools cant see your previous attempt. The downside however is that you have an essay component in GAMSAT and you can only do the exam once a year (well technically twice a year if you take the UK version of Gamsat into account, but the scores from that can only be used for the following year).
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question for everyone: If I apply to RCSI and UCD, can I get an interview invite from both? Have been had interview invites for both or does Atlantic Bridge typically block you from getting accepted to two schools.
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Just got an interview from RCSI, GEP for NYC! Does anyone know if interviews are similar to the US system, in that if you get one you have a very good shot? Or do most people get interview invites?
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what were your stats?
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3.5 undergrad from a very good liberal arts school in the US
3.9 in a masters nursing program (I withdrew to pursue medicine, but have clinical experience from a few semesters)
Currently work as a research assistant in a Harvard affiliate hospital. I also volunteer in an oncology unit. I think I have pretty solid recs as well. My MCAT scores are being released next week.
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Is that for the dental program? Not familiar with RCSI in NYC.
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Hey! Was wondering if you could tell me when you applied/completed the application? Thanks so much!
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UCD doesn't do interviews, as far as the GEP programs, only RCSI and Limerick do interviews. So in that sense it shouldn't matter, and yes it is possible to get acceptance to more than one school according to the ABP reps I spoke to!
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Oops sorry for being unclear- NYC is where the interview is
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I think she meant the RCSI medical program (4 year), but that the interview takes place in NYC for the USA applicants
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I had gone back and forth about when to take the MCAT and ended up taking it earlier than originally anticipated. I submitted it in Feb.
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