The wish-list for many school leavers includes medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, psychology and physiotherapy. Sadly, for the majority of school leavers these careers are out of reach as demand far outstrips supply and the points requirements remain at very high levels.
Students interested in these courses should try to broaden their outlook and ask themselves why they are attracted to a particular career. Would-be doctors might be attracted to the idea of medical research - so, perhaps the laboratory-based sciences would satisfy their needs. Or it may be the caring aspect - what about nursing?
Anatomy is now available as a science subject in the University of Galway. Other subjects of interest might include genetics, biochemistry, physiology and biotechnology.
Dentistry
While the word dentist is enough to fill a large proportion of the population with terror, a substantial number of very bright school-leavers are fascinated with the profession.
Unfortunately for these school leavers, there is a limited number of first-year places in dental schools in the Republic - about 40 places in TCD and a further 30 in UCC. A number of Irish students usually apply to one of the 16 dental schools in Britain and Northern Ireland.
The limited number of places here and the high demand puts the points levels out of reach of the majority of school-leavers. Last year, 540 points would have been needed to secure a place in Trinity College and 520* (* denotes random selection applied) to get a place in UCC.
Prof Derry Shanley, dean of dental affairs at Trinity, says that, "it's a very intense course but people enjoy it. The course is a problem-based learning curriculum. We have moved away from the tradition of lectures. It's selfdirected learning. They are given problems and they discuss the answers between themselves." It is not an alternative to medicine, he warns, but it is a very different kind of course and career.
Prof Denis O'Mullane, head of UCC's dental school and hospital, says the first two years of the degree programme are spent studying basic clinical sciences - anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. The following three years are spent in the dental hospital learning techniques. "At the end of second year, students begin to look at pathology and then, in third year, they get involved in techniques . . . students treat patients for the last two years under supervision."
Of career options, he says that dentists go into general practice and the health boards. There are also opportunities in the Defence Forces, in dental schools and hospitals in Ireland and Britain.
Other Dental Careers
Trinity offers a one-year certificate course in dental nursing, a two-year diploma course in dental hygiene and a three-year diploma course in dental technology. Applications should be made directly to the university's admissions office before Monday, June 1st. There are up to 20 places available on the certificate course, six on the dental technology programme and a limited number of places open to Leaving Cert students on the dental hygiene course.
At UCC there is a two-year diploma course in dental hygiene with at least eight places on offer. Applicants must apply to the university's admissions office before Easter.
Psychology
Psychology is another perennial favourite with school-leavers. Students can opt for directentry programmes, offered by Trinity and UCC, or they can take the common-entry route through programmes such as science and arts. The catch with taking the latter option is that places in psychology are limited and you will have to do very well in your first-year exams to secure a place.
If you want to work as a professional psychologist, you will usually need a postgraduate qualification. In fact, many psychology graduates work in other spheres.
TCD
There are only 31 first-year places on Trinity's single-honours psychology programme, so points are usually very high (last year the cut-off was 515*). It is also possible to take psychology within the university's arts programme, but there are only 17 places available on the joint honours course and the points were even higher at 535* last year.
UCC
UCC has 30 first-year places for its direct-entry degree course in applied psychology. Last year, 500* points were the minimum needed to secure a place. Students take applied psychology with two other arts subjects in the first year. In second and third years, students take a single-honours degree in psychology. "Studies in psychology" may also be taken as a minor subject in an arts degree.
UCD
In UCD, psychology is offered under arts and science. Up to 85 students are taken on to the psychology programme after completing first-year studies - 70 from arts and 15 from science.
Prof Ciaran Benson, head of the college's department of psychology, explains that the university's three-year programme provides a good liberal arts education. He says the degree provides an excellent background for those who go on to work in personnel, research or the arts. Of course, it may also act as the first step on the route to a career in professional psychology.
If you persevere with arts, you end up with a BA in psychology, while if you entered through the science route, you will graduate with a B.Sc in psychology. Both degrees are equally valid if you wish to become a professional psychologist.
UCG
Psychology is offered through arts, with students taking psychology as one of their four first-year subjects. There are only 25 places available in second year, so, again, you must compete to secure a place.
Medicine
Last year's points tell the usual story - TCD (550), UCC (540*), UCG (540*), UCD (575) and the RCSI (535) - you needed at least 535 points to secure a place. Random selection applied in three of the five colleges, so not all students with these points levels secured places. UCD gave bonus points for higher-level maths last year so this year's points may appear lower, as the bonus no longer applies.
The RCSI does not come under the free fees scheme but there are 10 scholarships available to EU students. These include full remission of fees and a £1,000 bursary. Five scholarships are awarded on the basis of Leaving Cert results and five on the basis of the college's own entrance examination, which takes place four or five days after the Leaving Cert. This year, the entrance exam has been aligned more closely with the Leaving Cert.
Prospective doctors should be aware that their education and training does not end with the five or six years in college. There is a further year's internship, (training in the hospitals) and then it's competition time again. If you want to become a consultant in a particular speciality, structured training is a must. If, on the other hand, you are attracted by a GP's life, you must also compete for places on the GP training course. There is a long, hard haul in becoming established. Make sure you know what you are letting yourself in for.
Veterinary Medicine
UCD is the only college in Ireland to offer veterinary medicine. There are 70 first-year places and a number of these are reserved for students from Northern Ireland.
You would have needed 570* points to secure a place last year. With the abolition of bonus points for higher-level maths, this year's points may appear lower. However, the maximum bonus was 40 points for an A in a higher-level paper, so don't expect significant drops.
UCD's survey of 1996 graduates shows 71.4 per cent of veterinary medicine graduates in fulltime employment in Ireland and 22.9 per cent in full-time employment overseas. A very small proportion - 2.8 per cent - went on to research work or further study or training, while the remainder were not available for employment or study.
Physiotherapy
There are between 60 and 80 first-year places in the two colleges in the Republic which offer physiotherapy. Another exceedingly popular course, points last year were 560 in UCD and 530* (random selection applied) in TCD. Both courses are four years in duration and involve a substantial amount of clinical practice.
Students are advised to visit a local general hospital or other area where physiotherapists work to gain an understanding of the work. Physiotherapists usually work in hospitals, the community or in private practice.
Each year, a number of Irish students travel to Britain to study physiotherapy, However, there is also a very strong demand for courses there.
Furniture College Information Session
There will be two information sessions tomorrow at the Furniture College, Letterfrack, Co Galway, from 11.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and from 2.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Contact Debbie Ruddy at 09541660.
Maintenance Grants Update
Yesterday's column stated that if a course qualified for the free-fees initiative, then students were eligible to apply for maintenance grants. There are two exceptions - the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, and Mount St Mary's Montessori College, Dundrum Road, Milltown, Dublin. Students who are awarded a "full" grant in these colleges will have their fees paid up to a maximum of £2,598, and they will be paid full maintenance.
Additional reporting by Catherine Foley
Helpline
Students, parents and teachers with queries about colleges, courses and application procedures, are invited to call the College Choice helpline between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. today. Telephone (01) 679- 2350.