While followers of Grey’s Anatomy might be accustomed to the constant thrill of doctors dashing through corridors, groundbreaking medical operations and intimate intercollegial relationships, a career in health sciences diverges significantly from the flamboyant narrative portrayed on the small screen. However, that doesn’t detract from the allure of this particular field. Quite the contrary, health sciences is an incredibly diverse domain, extending beyond the usual confines of traditional medicine.
In the words of Noel O’Callaghan, who occupies the post of student development and wellbeing leader at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), studying in this discipline promises prospective rewarding occupations in various sectors for its graduates.
Elaborating on the career journey of these students, Mr. O’Callaghan stated that a majority of them kick-start their professional stint with an Intern Programme. For a significant number of pupils enrolling in RCSI via the CAO, their destination is the HSE Medical Intern Programme. This, in turn, paves the way towards fulfilling vocations as community-based General Practitioners or hospital clinicians, post the completion of specialist GP training. They can also choose to specialize in any of the hugely diverse fields ranging from surgery to paediatrics to psychiatry.
The professional avenues in this sector, however, aren’t limited to these roles. Students have vast prospects in academia as well, which includes teaching and conducting medical research. Furthermore, graduates of the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences are not only well-versed with the scientific aspects of pharmacy, but are also adept practitioners.
Additionally, for those with a strong inclination towards medical research as opposed to mainstream healthcare, there exist suitable courses for them such as a bachelors in advanced therapeutic technologies.
Alumni of physiotherapy courses form crucial components of multifaceted healthcare teams, specializing in areas including sports injuries, women’s health, intellectual disabilities or respiratory care.
Pharmacy graduates, although traditionally linked with community pharmacies, also have a wide variety of career alternatives in hospitals and the pharmaceutical sector, both domestically and internationally. Thus, the healthcare field is much broader than simply being a doctor.
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Health science programmes are renowned for being intensely competitive, particularly in medicine, where the Common Application Office (CAO) required points often skew towards the higher end.
Céleste Golden, the admissions representative from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, emphasised certain entry obligations specific to medicine courses. ‘I would urge students to explore alternate paths of entry with differing prerequisites and scholarship possibilities. The RCSI participates in the free tuition scheme and also extends graduate and mature entry spots,’ asserted Céleste Golden.
The five-year undergraduate medical programme mandates CAO applicants to have at least six subjects in the Leaving Certificate, encompassing Irish, English, Maths, and an additional language, along with a minimum grade of H4 in Chemistry and either Physics or Biology. Golden added, “Incoming students must also complete the Health Professions Admission Test (HPAT) within the same admission year.”
She continued to encourage students to explore diverse access avenues and scholarships, adding that RCSI is part of the free tuition initiative, offers multiple entry pathways for graduates and mature students, and maintains a 6% reservation for CAO places on reduced points for students eligible for the DARE (Disability Access Route to Education) and HEAR (Higher Education Access Route) Programmes.
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Although medicinal course points are considerable, they show some deviation across universities. Galway University required 729 points last year when combining Leaving Certificate and HPAT scores. Last year, RCSI wanted 733 points for their medical course, UCD 735, and Trinity 738.
In the wake of grade inflation connected with Covid-19, exceptional students achieving full marks have occasionally missed out on places.
In contrast, other undergraduate programmes do not necessitate taking the HPAT, however, they often set specific subject prerequisites. Applicants are urged to research the unique prerequisites for each university and course they are interested in. Health science programmes other than medicine generally have more relaxed point requirements.”/
The points requirement for study courses increases with demand, and the commitment for students continues even after securing a place on a course. A considerable number of these degrees are labour-intensive with inbuilt work experience and training as part of the programme.
However, Professor Gozie Offiah, education director at the RCSI School of Medicine, contends that while medicine is a rigorous degree, it still affords students the chance to fully experience university life. She says, “Medical students primarily aim to attain specialised medical skills, but they also acquire additional transferable skills which equip them to excel as a professional, communicator, scholar, leader, collaborator, and global practitioner.”
Universities overflow with clubs and societies and numerous organised events throughout the school year, all open to student participation.
For those considering these fields of study but have yet to interact with the health service, the idea can seem intimidating. Nevertheless, Professor Offiah assures prospective students that the broad, transferable skills-focused approach is designed to ready them for any challenges they may encounter once they begin professional practice.
Besides the transferable skills, practical, career-related areas such as patient interaction management and readiness for clinical practice also contribute to the comprehensive curriculum.
Prof Offiah claims that students get a chance to hone their skills in simulated settings before embarking on real-life hospital rotations. “Incredible facilities allow students to practice in simulated environments, like mock hospital wards, operating rooms, or using technologically advanced mannequins that can imitate scenarios like childbirth or trauma from a road accident,” she explained.
“Students not only learn practical skills like taking vital signs, but they also gain experience working collaboratively, and communicating effectively with both patients and colleagues in routine and emergency situations.”
Despite the demanding nature of work in the healthcare industry, it is also marked as one of the most gratifying. The challenging nature of the courses symbolises the job’s real world demands post-graduation.