27th May 2026
5 Tips for Leaving Cert Exams From a Current Medical Student
So the dreaded time of the Leaving Cert exams has rolled around once again and I'm sure many of you are trembling in your seats at the mere mention of it. But trust me when I say that I can completely relate with you. This time last year I was in your position, getting ready to sit the Leaving Cert, my head flooded with feelings of excitement and anxiety for what lay ahead. I know that f ...
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18th May 2026
Should I Choose a Medicine Course With a Pre-Med Year?
There are six universities in Ireland offering undergraduate medicine: University of Galway, University of Limerick (new course for 2026 entry), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), University College Dublin (UCD), University College Cork (UCC), and Trinity College Dublin (TCD). These universities offer two course options, 5-year programmes that begin with medical studies immediat ...
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13th May 2026
Is HPAT Stressing You Out? Here's How to Use Stress to Your Advantage
You may have heard that stress negatively impacts performance, particularly in a high-stakes, intellectually challenging exam like the HPAT. You may have been told that if you are too stressed in the lead-up to an important exam such as the HPAT, you won't do well. You may have been advised to look for ways to relieve your HPAT-related stress. While this may be true, in some cas ...
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11th May 2026
9 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Medical School
There are 6 universities in the Republic of Ireland which offer undergraduate medicine: University of Galway, University of Limerick, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Dublin (UCD), and University College Cork (UCC). It may seem difficult to decide which university is right for you and students often end up making their choice purely ...
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11th May 2026
How to Apply for Medicine in the UK as an Irish Student
UK medical schools have an excellent reputation internationally and many Irish students travel to the UK to study each year. Applications to UK universities are made through UCAS (like the UK version of the CAO). Irish students applying to study medicine in the UK in 2027 can start their UCAS application over the summer before 6th year (applications open on 12 May 2026). They must submit th ...
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8th May 2026
How to Prepare for the HPAT in 5th Year
So you're in 5th year and you're thinking about pursuing a career in medicine. You've been getting great grades and you have the people skills to become a doctor, so there should be no problem getting in. Then you find out about the HPAT. You hear that it can be a major obstacle to your journey, and only a select few are able to succeed in the HPAT. You hear about all the people wh ...
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6th May 2026
Distributed Practice and the HPAT: What You Need to Know Part 2
In part 1 of this blog, we looked at why it is important to study with distributed practice for the HPAT. In part 2, we will look at how to implement distributed practice into your HPAT plan. How to implement distributed practice for HPAT Here are some tips and strategies on how to best use distributed practice in your HPAT preparation (you can also use them in your secondary schoo ...
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6th May 2026
Distributed Practice and the HPAT: What You Need to Know Part 1
Over the last few years various catch-phrases have circulated in the education sector: “study smarter not harder”, "do less work for more reward” and others. They can seem too good to be true. Nevertheless, there is one system that eclipses all others in the research conducted, the widespread implementation and the unanimous praise it has received from sci ...
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4th May 2026
Everything You Need to Know About the HPAT
Do you want to study medicine in 2027? If so, you will need to sit HPAT 2027. This blog describes everything you need to know about the 2027 HPAT. What is the HPAT? HPAT stands for Health Professions Admission Test. It is a test developed by ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research). HPAT is used to help select students into medicine in Ireland. The HPAT takes a ...
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24th April 2026
So You Want to Be a Doctor? How to Get Into Medicine
Congratulations on your decision to pursue medicine as a career! Medicine is one of the most respected and rewarding professions you can choose. The process of getting into medicine can be confusing, so here's a straightforward introduction to help you get started. Criteria for getting into medicine The minimum points required to get into medicine varied from year to year and b ...
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