It was never a question for me what I was going to study as I have always wanted to be a physiotherapist. The real question was where. There are so many great places to study in North America and making a decision was going to be difficult. After researching many colleges, I discovered that going abroad was the best and most exciting option for me. Of all the places I looked at, Ireland stood out to me the most. The Atlantic Bridge Programme made the application process so easy and there was someone there to help me every step of the way. After receiving my acceptance from my top school, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, I couldn’t have been happier.
Adapting to the Irish lifestyle has been an extremely smooth transition as Irish people are especially welcoming and friendly. I have had an incredible time while studying in Ireland, making new friends and seeing new places. Deciding to go to college in Ireland is by far the best decision I have made in my life thus far.
Ireland is surprisingly diverse for such a small country. It has incredible sights to see so there is never a shortage of things to do. While it rains a bit, it is easy to accept as the country is so lush and green. Along with having plenty to do in the country itself, it is very easy to simply hop on a plane and travel anywhere in Europe for a quick and affordable getaway. Dublin city is incredible and has tons to offer. It is very student friendly and has loads of activities to partake in outside of college. It is steeped in rich history that begs to be explored. Not only is it the country’s capital it has a spectacular coastline that is only a short distance from the city centre.
The Royal College of Surgeons is located right in the heart of Dublin City on the beautiful St. Stephens Green. It is a world renowned institution that has been educating healthcare professionals since 1784. The college has incredible facilities as it only offers courses in health care. It is also an active research school which means that the professors are currently and constantly partaking in research throughout the world and many of their discoveries are being practiced in treatment today.
RCSI is extremely accommodating and welcoming to international students as the majority of its student body is not from Ireland. This creates an excellent learning environment as you experience cultures from all over the world that previously you may have not been exposed to. This also gives you the opportunity to travel and work in different countries once you are finished college as the university has many links with other learning institutions and healthcare facilities around the world. My time in Ireland and at RCSI has been more amazing than I could have ever imagined and I would recommend studying here.
