Ninth Level Ireland

“Trinity’s Schools of Medicine and Dentistry have said they will not be offering extra places for incoming freshers this year. Last week, the government announced 1250 additional CAO places for ‘high demand’ courses such as medicine, law, and engineering. Higher Education Minister Simon Harris today announced a further 800 places, following the announcement of the highest leaving certificate results in history on Monday …” (more)

[Emma Donohoe, University Times, 9 September]

“Medicine students on placement this year will have to buy their own surgical scrubs, rather than getting them from hospital dispensers as was previously the case …” (more)

[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 26 August]

“Extra college places in Medicine and other hotly contested areas are on the agenda for discussion ahead of next month’s CAO Round 1 offers. Higher Education Minister Simon Harris confirmed today that more places are likely to open on some high demand university courses …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 12 August]

“NUI Galway has challenged a finding in an interim report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation that its medical school had received and paid for 35 infant remains from the Tuam mother and baby home. In its fifth interim report, published in April of last year, the commission found that between 1949 and 1964, Galway Medical School ‘received and paid for 35 infant anatomical subjects’ …” (more)

[Patsy McGarry, Irish Times, 30 July]

“Louise O’Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will work with third-level universities to expand the number of medical training places for students applying through the Central Applications Office system to help increase the number of doctors nationally …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 30 June]

“Trinity medical students have been warned that cheating in their Ear, Nose and Throat exam today may lead to ‘significant disciplinary consequences’ and possibly prevent them from receiving a grade for the module, after a review of yesterday’s Ophthalmology exam concluded that students had likely cheated on it …” (more)

[Cormac Watson, University Times, 19 June]

“Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students that recently took their HPAT exams; his views on whether these exams took place in and around the time of the pre-examinations those students with an ambition to study medicine would have focused more on the HPAT than the pre-leaving certificate; his further views on whether these students are now at a distinct disadvantage in view of the recent announcement that their calculated grades will be partially based on those pre-results; his plans to provide equity for these students; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 9 June]

“Some 228 University College Dublin (UCD) medicine students graduated on Friday during a virtual ceremony due to the coronavirus restrictions. In 17 days time many of the new graduates will begin medical internships on the frontline of the fight against Covid-19 in Irish hospitals …” (more)

[Jack Power, Irish Times, 1 May]

“The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan and President Michael D Higgins have sent messages of congratulations to over 130 new doctors who have graduated from the University of Limerick. The final year students at the Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS) are UL’s first ever cohort of students to be conferred remotely in absentia due to the Covid-19 crisis …” (more)

[David Hurley, Limerick Leader, 29 April]

“The Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor has welcomed the decision to defer this year’s HPAT-Ireland results until after the leaving certificate examinations are complete, bringing them in line with previous years …” (more)

[Department of Education and Skills, 23 April]

“Almost every graduating doctor this year is to be offered an internship in a bid to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has pledged. For the first time, more than 1,000 internships are to be offered to this year’s medical students as they graduate, according to Mr Varadkar …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 17 April]

“The graduation of 190 medical students from NUIG has been fast-tracked to ensure more doctors are available to work during the Covid-19 pandemic. NUI Galway’s 2020 graduation event, which was held online for the first time, took place on Monday morning through a Facebook live event. The students’ final year exams had previously been brought forward to enable them to enter the healthcare workforce without delay …” (more)

[Sorcha Pollak, Irish Times, 6 April]

“NUI Galway is to hold two virtual conferring ceremonies for more than 300 medical graduates and their families. The university took the decision to bring the final year medical examinations and graduation forward to ensure that the medical graduates would be available to enter the healthcare workforce …” (more)

[Conall Ó Fátharta, Irish Examiner, 3 April]

“Third and fourth-year medicine students have been asked by Trinity to volunteer to work in intensive care units in hospitals, as fears grow that the coronavirus pandemic could severely stretch Ireland’s healthcare system …” (more)

[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 28 March]

“A Group of medical students in Cork have claimed that systematic racism is damaging their career prospects in the Irish health service. The Medical Research and Tech Society at University College Cork (UCC) will host an event this month aimed at discussing and tackling the issue of racism in the Irish health system …” (more)

[Darragh Bermingham, EchoLive, 4 March]

“Ulster University has finally sealed the deal on the purchase of the former Foyle College site in Londonderry, allowing expansion plans to proceed. A year after it was expected, the university (UU) confirmed it now owns the Duncreggan Road site …” (more)

[Donna Deeney, Belfast Telegraph, 29 January]

“Plans to expand Ulster University’s Magee Campus are said to be progressing well following the acquisition of the former Foyle College site. The Magee Medical School will be at the core of the expansion …” (more, audio)

[Highland Radio, 25 January]

“If I were to ask someone to list the qualities that they believe are central to being a good doctor, I imagine that they would most likely focus, in some form or another, on those relating to intelligence, dedication and personality. Naturally, you would therefore assume that the application procedures for medical courses nationally would assess candidates for such characteristics …” (more)

[Jake Gilchrist, University Times, 25 October]

“University College Dublin (UCD) and Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) have launched a new medical university in Malaysia. The newly established RCSI + UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC) is Malaysia’s first accredited private medical school …” (more)

[Sarah Moran, Trinity News, 20 September]

“The genial, Scottish-born, Trinity College professor and former vice-provost Ian Howie, who has died just two months before his 90th birthday, will be remembered not only for his immense contribution to the Dublin university but also for his outstanding work in a voluntary capacity elsewhere …” (more)

[Irish Times, 27 July]