Medicine has always been an interest to me as I have always had the will to help people. It might sound like a cliche but I genuinely want to help the community in any capacity and I have always been passionate about the underlying science behind the human body. What better program to develop these skills than going into medicine and having the power to save lives; nothing could be more rewarding than that.
The decision of entering an Irish university from Canada was last minute for me. I had heard through the grapevine that European universities bypassed the need of a bachelors if accepted. I had decided to give the direct entry medicine program a shot and when I was accepted, it felt like a no brainer! There are less loopholes to jump through to obtain your MD/MBBS and I will be able to practice sooner. The additional bonus of going to school abroad is also the perks of traveling; flights are super cheap and it is easy to hop over to another country for the weekend. There is no better way to spend my early adulthood than learning in a field that I am passionate about and being able to see the world!
I was grateful for the members of Atlantic Bridge as they guided me through the process of applying to Ireland. The application process was tedious yet straightforward; I needed to complete a resume, personal essay, undergo interviews, provide my transcripts and a few references. Although there were many different components to the application, the same application was able to be submitted to many different universities across Ireland. Atlantic Bridge was great at communicating with me throughout the entire process and I felt like I had the support I needed to make this major jump.
Before moving to Ireland, I was ecstatic! I was excited to have my own place, meet new people, start a new program and live in a new country. After having arrived and spending a few days there, the adrenaline had worn off my first year and the challenge of adapting to a new culture and country without any support system was a bit difficult. I found that finding a friend who was also new to this environment eased many things. We had done day-to-day tasks together to adjust to our new life. Being able to shop, cook, workout, study and travel became less of a hassle when we had eachother. The friends you make will become your new little family.
My weekly schedule changed quite a bit during the year as each day was different but the following is an example of a week we had in November:
Monday: 7h day of lectures.
Tuesday: Anatomy room + lectures.
Wednesday: Workshops and tutorials.
Thursday: Lectures, pot sessions and patient examination.
Friday: Anatomy room + lectures.
My daily routine had changed during the time of year but generally had the structure of:
Waking up around 8 am, completing my morning routine and stretching, having lectures from 9am-11am, 11:30-1pm grabbing a coffee and heading back home to make lunch, 1pm-4pm lectures, 4-4:30pm grabbing groceries for dinner, 5pm-8pm studying, 8pm making dinner, 9pm-10pm heading to the gym, 10-11:30 pm studying and 11:30pm facetiming home.
RCSI has many different resources for different matters. We have a free gym, personal trainer and dietician. Our gym is located on campus and you can access the previous by appointment. There are also free classes and over 50 clubs and societies to choose from to entertain your hobbies. I personally have loved the kickboxing team, Wilderness medicine society and the art society! RCSI also has career counselors, psychologists, simulation labs, caterers for events, a cafeteria, many security staff, etc. You name it, it’ll probably be on campus! There are also many support systems for your time at RCSI. When you first arrive, you are assigned a personal tutor who is a lecturer. They are there to help you reach your goals and help with any other difficulties you may face. There are endless possibilities for mentors at RCSI.
We are in the heart of Dublin next to all of the shops, yummy food, parks, pubs and attractions! We also have RCSI student accommodations that are in the center of the city making it the best placement out there!
I was fortunate enough to be able to shadow a few doctors/surgeons during my summers off. They have been such jaw-dropping experiences. I have not only learned tremendously about each specialty but I have been able to interact with patients and see first hand a day-in-the-life of a physician. I definitely encourage anyone who has the chance to gain experience from physicians to take it!
Preparing for the next steps after graduation such as matching for residency can be a big stressor. I have decided to split it up in a couple of different categories: education, research, electives, community work and hobbies. I believe if those five areas are well developed, there are endless possibilities of discussion and experience that can come from those. Furthermore, these activities allow you to interact with many different groups of people. Developing relationships is key for a profession such as medicine and these bonds will allow for ease of transition.
I definitely believe you need a strong character to be able to not only go into a demanding course such as medicine but also be independent enough to step away from your comfort zone and into a new country. It is a challenge but once you get comfortable, it can be the best decision you have made for yourself. It will develop you as a person and you can learn so much about yourself and the world.
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