CLOSE TO 3,000 students have received the results of the new aptitude test for entry to medicine later this year.
Yesterday’s results will be combined with their Leaving Cert CAO points score.
The new system comes after criticism that only students with a “perfect” Leaving Cert score (over 570 CAO points) could secure a place in medicine. Under the new regime students with a minimum of 480 points combined these with their score in the Health Professionals Admissions Test (HPAT).
For students receiving results, the key issue is how they performed in relation to the other 2,900 applicants. Students are given their percentile score in relation to other applicants.
With only 480-490 places in medical school on offer, students will need to be in the top 20 per cent to stand any chance of a place.
Last night, careers expert Brian Mooney said students would need to be able to combine a high score in the aptitude test (scoring in the 80th percentile or over) with a Leaving Cert score of about 550.
In practical terms, the real change this year will be that students on 550 points stand a good chance of gaining entry to medicine provided they do well in the aptitude test.
The overall range of scores achieved in the HPAT ranged from a low of 71 to about 230, out of a maximum of 300 marks.
Applicants will be able to add the first 550 points they achieve in the Leaving Cert along with only one additional point for every five points they achieve over 550.
For example, a student who got a score of 225 in their HPAT and a Leaving Cert point score of 570 would achieve a score of 225+550+4=779.
Last night, David Ball of the Institute of Education said some of its students received results in the 99th percentile, achieving an overall score of 203. He said the average score was about 150.
Given that a large percentage of students gaining more than 570 points were female, the most noticeable effect of the new entry system is set to be a dramatic reduction in the percentage of females securing places.
In February, aspiring medical students paid €95 to take the test in five centres – Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford and Sligo.
The test is required for entry to the five undergraduate medical schools.
