Looking to the future of medicine

Doctors and medical staff are in high demand, with increased waiting times seen in GPs across the country and a shortage of services felt in rural Ireland.

It is estimated that Ireland will need an additional 9,000 hospital doctors within the next 20 years due to the increasing age of the population. To fill this demand, it will become increasingly important to not only retain people currently working in the sector but also attract young people and the next generation of doctors.

There are several pathways into studying medicine in Ireland, depending on your educational background, age and nationality. This includes the undergraduate entry, graduate entry and pathway for international students.

Due to the high academic standards, limited availability of places and the demanding nature of training, becoming a doctor or going into medicine is challenging. There are approximately 700 undergraduate medical places and 300 graduate-entry places available annually, with a significant portion reserved for international students.

Graduate entry

To study undergraduate medicine in Ireland, you must pass the Health Professions Admissions Test, also known as the HPAT, and achieve a minimum of 480 CAO points.

With the closing date for registrations to the HPAT on 17 January, students need to ensure their application is completed on time.

The two-and-a-half-hour computer-based HPAT test is made up of three sections, and each is separately timed. The questions appear in a multiple-choice format with four or five response alternatives – applicants are asked to choose the most appropriate.

The sections are broken down to assess performance in:

How to register for HPAT

Before registering for HPAT–Ireland, all medicine applicants need to have their CAO number.

For 2024, the HPAT costs €156.80. There is an additional fee of €10 for University of Limerick (UL) applicants who are required to complete a written English component.

You need a HPAT score to apply for admission to the following college courses:

Once you have your CAO number, you should create an account with HPAT on their website. Use an email address that you check regularly because all HPAT information will be emailed to that account.

Along with passing the HPAT, applicants also have to meet entry requirements set out by the universities.

If you have a disability or other health-related or educational needs that could interfere with your ability to sit the test in the standard manner, you should apply for adjustments as soon as possible.

About the test

To sit the HPAT-Ireland test via remote proctoring, you will need to use a desktop computer or laptop. Remote proctoring involves sitting the test under live supervision using your own computer in a quiet and private location.

Applicants must pre-check their equipment by performing a Test Your Equipment check through ProctorU Test using the computer and internet connection that you plan to sit the test with.

Preparing for the HPAT

As the test doesn’t draw on any particular body of knowledge or curriculum, it is nearly impossible to predict what questions are going to appear on the day. Instead, it is advised that preparation should be focused on being familiar with the different types of questions, understanding what to expect and what format they will be asked in.

The test measures skills acquired over some time, including your ability to reason, make logical deductions and form judgments. It is not aimed at testing academic knowledge and therefore, doesn’t require a specific understanding of any academic disciplines. To prepare, there are e-books with practical tests that cost €22.

There is a written English section but this is only applies to applicants for the University of Limerick. Applicants need to submit two essays and these are auto scored by a computer.

The test window takes place across several days from 14-23 February.

Graduate entry route

Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is the pathway into medicine for those who already have a bachelor’s degree.

The eligibility criteria for students is having a bachelor’s degree (minimum 2.1 or equivalent) in any field.

The entrance exam that graduates have to take what is known as the GAMSAT (Graduate Medical School Admissions Test), which assesses problem-solving, critical thinking, and scientific knowledge.

It is a computer-based assessment developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). Registrations are now open and will close on 20 January for the March 2025 test date.

The GAMSAT is divided into two test windows; the first is section is Written Communication and is conducted via remote proctoring. The second is both Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences, and Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences; these sections are completed at in-person test centres, around three weeks after the first test.

Applicants apply through the CAO using their GAMSAT score and academic credentials. Universities offering graduate entry medicine include:

During an already stressful time in students’ calendars, these exams might seem like another stressor. However, they play an important role in ensuring doctors and medical staff have the empathy and interpersonal skills required to work in the field.

See gamsat.acer.org