As an educator, it pains me to see students from agricultural backgrounds, who have spent their lifetime caring for animals, struggle to meet the criteria of 590 CAO points necessary for admission into UCD for veterinary studies. There’s a pressing question on whether the points requirement would decrease due to the proposed new university placements.
Ongoing conversations about the establishment of a second veterinary faculty in Ireland have been in circulation for quite some time. While it’s widely believed that this would likely be situated in the southwest, considering our recent history with major constructions, it may take several years before we start seeing an influx of graduates from this sector. Hence, a significant drop in CAO points in the near future seems unlikely.
The existing veterinary faculty at UCD annually produces about 130 graduates, with roughly a 80/50 division between Irish/EU students and international ones, primarily from the USA. The possibility to increase the placement numbers for domestic students seems quite constrained without considerable financial investment.
The current student population shows an increased number of females compared to males. This may be due to academic achievements or change in job requirements. The demand for veterinary services for small animals, is expanding in both rural and urban areas. This trend may be the preferred choice for many rather than servicing the needs of our agricultural and equine industries, which require round-the-clock attention, often under physically taxing conditions.
However, considering the significance of the agricultural and equine sectors to our society’s social and economic welfare, we need to ensure there are pathways for dedicated students desiring to work with animals in rural areas to gain access to veterinary training.
At present, many of these students pursue their training in Budapest, Hungary, through Dr. Tim O’Leary, a vet based in Schull ([email protected]), or in various other East European countries via the EUnicas.ie website. These courses, delivered in English, disregard CAO points, and the acquired qualifications have full recognition in Ireland. European-trained vets currently form the vital support for many rural practices in Ireland.
Any students contemplating the European pathway should choose both biology and chemistry as two of their optional subjects for the Leaving Certificate.
For those deliberating over the creation of a brand new veterinary institution in Ireland, a novel suggestion could be to craft a tailored course centred on teaching those who are ambitious about working with larger animals.
Tailoring for specific requirements within our wider community is not unheard in our tertiary education system. Maybe we should establish a specific veterinary curriculum aimed at supporting the needs of our farming and horse racing sectors?