16th April 2026
Prerequisites for Studying Medicine in Ireland
The six universities that offer medicine all have a minimum requirement of 480 points from the same sitting of the Leaving Certificate or equivalent. They also have minimum subject requirements, so it is essential to consider this when deciding which Leaving Certificate subjects to choose. Some medicine courses are five years long and some are six. The 6-year courses have a pre-med ...
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16th April 2026
What is HPAT 2027?
HPAT stands for Health Professionals Admission Test. It is one of two main criteria used by most universities in Ireland to select students into high demand health related careers such as medicine (the other being the Leaving Certificate). Unlike traditional school and university exams which assess knowledge, HPAT assesses generic skills, including logical reasoning and problem solvi ...
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17th March 2026
Is Medicine for Me? 5 Tips on How To Make the Big Decision
Trying to decide whether medicine is for you? Personally, it took me months, along with lots of research and thought, to finally make that decision. Compared to most Bachelor’s degrees, which are usually three years in duration, courses in medicine take much longer – about five years to complete. Then there is postgraduate study and specialist training. You could be looking at ma ...
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2nd March 2026
I'm Sitting HPAT 2027 – What Do the Changes Mean for Me?
If you're planning to apply for undergraduate medicine in Ireland, you've probably heard that the medical entry system is changing. You might be wondering what it all means in practice – do you still need to prepare for HPAT? Will HPAT still matter? And what should you do to ensure your place in medicine? What are the Changes for HPAT 2027? From 2027, the way HPAT and ...
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22nd February 2026
HPAT is Over! What Now?
For the few weeks leading up to the HPAT in February, it can seem like the entire world revolves around it. Working on full exam HPAT mocks, HPAT guides and the Question Bank becomes your priority! Often you put off worrying about day-to-day issues until after the day of the HPAT. So, when the test date does roll around, and you walk away from your computer with your head held high, having ...
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13th February 2026
A Student’s Experience Sitting HPAT Online 2026 (Plus Some Tips!)
I just sat HPAT 2026 online – and what a relief to have it over with! Overall it was as I expected with no major surprises, having done practice exams on MedEntry’s online platform. Check in process The check in process was similar to what was outlined in the ProctorU video emailed to us by ACER. I logged into the ProctorU site a little early, and when there was a ...
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11th February 2026
Top 10 HPAT Tips for the Last 24 Hours
So, your HPAT testing day is nearly here and you’ve been working up to it consistently. Now it’s time to put your HPAT strategies into practice. Here’s some advice to help you be at your prime in the last 24 hours leading up to the HPAT: Relax the Day Before Spend the day before doing something you enjoy, something relaxing, something fun and something that w ...
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9th February 2026
HPAT Nutrition
Napoleon Bonaparte once famously said “an army marches on its stomach”, and that is as relevant for HPAT as it was for the French Armies that Bonaparte commanded. Making sure you put the right things into your body in the lead up to HPAT is vital to making sure that you perform well on the day of the test. I’m sure you are well aware of what a quality diet consists of, so i ...
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8th February 2026
HPAT Countdown: Musings From an Experienced Tutor
The day of your HPAT is without a doubt one of the most terrifying – yet unusual days of the year. Over the past few years, I have uttered the phrase “The HPAT is a game” numerous times, and now, on the brink of becoming an actual doctor (finally!) and exiting the world of HPAT, I thought I’d pass on my suggestions for this game. Suggestion 1: Learn about HPAT te ...
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5th February 2026
HPATPHOBIA Don’t get Scared, Stay Motivated!
Does the thought of HPAT day make you cringe and consider hiding in your room? That's how I felt in the weeks that led up to HPAT. Being a student in my final year of high school I had rarely been in a position where I was sitting an exam which was so important for determining my future career pathway. Sure I had been through many school exams and academic competitions, but I felt ...
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