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Medicine

MB BCh BAO (NFQ Level 8)
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This course is available through the following application route(s)

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Our Medicine curriculum is patient-centred and continually adapts to the needs of society and developments in medical knowledge. You will learn from world-class educators and patients in state-of-the-art facilities, immerse yourself in our acclaimed undergraduate student research programme and benefit from a diverse, international student population.

The main hospitals associated with our programme are St Vincent’s University Hospital and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital. In addition, there are more than 20 other training hospitals and more than 120 primary care practices that will facilitate your learning. You will also benefit from a diverse range of exciting international placement opportunities.

About This Course

Our Medicine curriculum is patient-centred and continually adapts to the needs of society and developments in medical knowledge. You will learn from world-class educators and patients in state-of-the-art facilities, immerse yourself in our acclaimed undergraduate student research programme and benefit from a diverse, international student population.

The main hospitals associated with our programme are St Vincent’s University Hospital and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital. In addition, there are more than 20 other training hospitals and more than 120 primary care practices that will facilitate your learning. You will also benefit from a diverse range of exciting international placement opportunities.

Your First Year Experience

n your first year, you will be introduced to the science of medicine, which underpins our biomedical and clinical curriculum. You will also be introduced to ethical, societal and technological issues relevant to the practice of medicine.

Teaching methods include lectures, small group sessions, practicals and tutorials. There are four themes running through the entirety of both our undergraduate and graduate programmes: Evidence based medicine and research; Clinical competencies and preparedness; Professional medical practice; and Healthcare systems, quality and patient safety.

First Year

Focuses on core sciences and their application to Medicine. Highlights include:

Chemistry • Biology • Physics • Genetics • Human Ethics • Healthcare Imaging • Science Medicine & Society

Second Year

Focuses on the structure and function of healthy organ systems. Highlights include:

Anatomy Dissection • Interviewing patients in the community

Third & Fourth Year

Complete the study of organ systems in health and disease. Begin clinical attachments. Highlights include:

Pathology • Microbiology • Pharmacology • Neurosciences • Respiratory Diseases • Clinical Skills & Attachments in Hospitals • Clinical Diagnosis & Therapeutics • General Practice & Professionalism • ENT & Ophthalmology

Fifth & Sixth Year

Immersive clinical attachments, instruction in the various medical specialties, clinical elective and professional completion. Highlights include:

Medicine • Surgery • Obstetrics & Gynaecology • Paediatrics • Psychiatry • General Practice & Community Medicine • Legal Medicine • Public Health Medicine • Professional Completion

The Medicine course combines lectures, seminars, patient educator sessions, simulations, small group tutorials and clinical bedside learning.

Our international network offers students exciting opportunities to gain experience overseas. Scholarships are available to support elective periods in clinical and academic centres all over the world.

Graduates of the School have achieved worldwide recognition in clinical practice, research and healthcare leadership. Following graduation, you are required to work as a supervised intern for a year by the Irish Medical Council. This can be followed by training towards a career in a wide variety of specialties and settings including hospitals, primary care facilities, or laboratory-based diagnosis and research.

Opportunities for Research 

The Student Summer Research Awards (SSRA) programme is an eight-week research opportunity that brings to life our commitment to foster a passion for enquiry, discovery and investigative research for more than 100 students each year.

UCD School of Medicine Office C134,
1st Floor Health Sciences Centre
Belfield,
Dublin 4


Tel: +353 1 716 6686
Contact: ucd.ie/medicine/contactus/

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
CHEM10130 Applied Intro. & Phys Chem Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
MDCS10310 Patients, Doctors & Healthcare Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PATH10020 Basic Principles of Cell Biolo Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHYC10120 Physics in Medicine Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
RDGY10090 Healthcare Imaging and Information Systems Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
ZOOL10010 Medical Zoology Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
CHEM10080 Inorganic Chemistry Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
CHEM10090 Organic Chemistry Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
MDSA10210 Science Medicine and Society Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PATH10200 Basic Principles of Genetics Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHYC10130 Physics II Medical Science Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
MEIN10030 Multimedia Studies Spring  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
ANAT20030 Basic Tissues & Early Develop Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
ANAT20080 Musculoskeletal Biology Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
GPRS20010 Introduction to General Practice & Professionalism UEM Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
MDSA20210 Molecules in Medicine 2 Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
PHYS20100 Cell-Cell Signalling Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
MDSA20170 Vascular Biology Spring  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
MDSA20180 Cardiac Biology Spring  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
MDSA20190 Renal Biology Spring  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
MDSA20200 Respiratory Biology Spring  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
PHPS20010 Introduction to Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Public Health Spring  5
Stage 2 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
NMHS10100 Health across the Lifespan Autumn  5
Stage 2 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
FDSC10010 Food Diet and Health Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 2 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
NMHS32480 Introduct to Health Systems Spring  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
ANAT20040 Neurosciences Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
ANAT20060 Locomotor Biology Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
MDSA20010 Gastrointestinal Tract and Liver Biology Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
MDSA20030 Endocrine Biology Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
PATH30080 Disease Mechanisms & Pharmacological Principles Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
MDSA30090 Understanding Disability for Healthcare Students Spring  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
MEMI30040 Principles of Infection and its Treatment Spring  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
PATH30060 Genetics, Perinatal and Paediatric Diseases Spring  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
PATH30190 Oncology & Immunopathology Spring  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
PHAR30110 Cardiovascular and Renal Diseases Spring  5
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
ANAT20050 Basic Principles of Trauma Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
ANAT30000 Sonographic anatomy Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
PHYS30110 Adaptation to hypoxia: high altitude and lessons for disease Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
PATH30220 Rare Genetic Disorders Spring  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
MDSA30050 Respiratory Disease Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
PATH30030 Haematology/Immunosuppression Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
PATH30040 GI/Hepatobiliary Diseases Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
PHAR30060 Central Nervous Systems Diseases Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
PHAR30070 Endocrine Diseases Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
MDSA30300 Clinical Skills Spring  10
Stage 4 Core Modules
MDSA30310 Advanced G.P & Professionalism UEM Spring  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
MDSA40060 Otolaryngology/Ophthalmology Spring  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
MEDN30000 Therapeutics Spring  10
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
CLIP30240 Stem Cells in Medicine Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
PHYS30110 Adaptation to hypoxia: high altitude and lessons for disease Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 0 of:
Non-mandatory Options
RDGY30470 Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging Autumn  5
Stage 5 Options - B) Min 3 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine
SURG40080 Surgery 2 Trimester duration (Aut-Spr)  20
Stage 5 Options - B) Min 3 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine
FLME40130 Forensic & Legal Medicine Autumn  5
Stage 5 Options - B) Min 3 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine
MEDN40090 Medicine I Autumn  10
Stage 5 Options - B) Min 3 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine
MEDN40100 Medicine II Spring  10
Stage 5 Options - C) Min 4 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine
MDSA40140 Medicine in the Community Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 5 Options - C) Min 4 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine
OBGY40110 Obstetrics & Gynaecology Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 5 Options - C) Min 4 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine
PAED40120 Paediatrics Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 5 Options - C) Min 4 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine
PSYC40150 Psychiatry Autumn and Spring (separate)  10
Stage 5 Options - D) Min 1 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine
MDSA40240 Medicine Elective Spring  10
Stage 5 Options - E) Min 2 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine.
PHPS30020 Public Health Medicine, Epidemiology & International Health Autumn  5
Stage 5 Options - E) Min 2 of:
Students are registered to all modules by the School of Medicine.
MDSA40160 Professional Completion Spring  20

UCD Medicine was my first choice as I knew that the academic staff, support and facilities on campus were excellent. An important factor for me was UCD’s partnerships with the Mater Hospital and St Vincent’s University Hospital - two of the leading acute hospitals in Ireland, where I knew I would get fantastic clinical experience and exposure during clinical placement. UCD’s reputation worldwide and opportunities for international electives were key factors - I really enjoyed a scholarship to do my summer clinical elective in America during my degree.

Shauna Galligan, Graduate

HPAT admission test. For scoring details see: ucd.ie/registry/admissions/DN400_HPAT.html

Additional compulsory course requirements each year of study: www.ucd.ie/medicine/studywithus/undergraduate/medicine/programmerequirements/

Students who have previously been unsuccessful in any Medicine course (i.e. have not met academic or other requirements within the course) or have any issues that would affect their registration with the Irish Medical Council will only be considered for admission on a case-by-case appeal basis in exceptional circumstances, to be considered by the Medicine Programme Board.

General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Medicine:

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceInt MDS2
Medicine
Bachelor of Medicine,Bachelor of Surgery,Bachelor of Obstetrics
Full-Time
Commencing September 2024
Undergraduate Degree (Non EU)
Non EU Undergraduates
Closed
showAudience-audienceInt MDS2
Medicine
Bachelor of Medicine,Bachelor of Surgery,Bachelor of Obstetrics
Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Undergraduate Degree (Non EU)
Non EU Undergraduates
Apply
showAudience-audienceEU DN400
Medicine
Bachelor of Medicine,Bachelor of Surgery,Bachelor of Obstetrics
Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Application through CAO Apply via CAO
* you can change options at the top of the page

Additional special entry route(s) to Medicine:

These options have additional eligibility requirements to cater for specific applicant cohorts. You should not apply via these routes before consulting the requirements or contacting the responsible UCD office.

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt MDS2
Medicine
Bachelor of Medicine,Bachelor of Surgery,Bachelor of Obstetrics
Full-Time

Commencing September 2025
Access Progression Pathway
Access Progression Pathway
Application to this Non-EU Access Progression Pathway is by invitation only. If you are NOT currently enrolled on an Access programme at UCD, your application will be marked as invalid.
If you are not a current Access student, but you are a non-EU applicant seeking admission to an undergraduate degree, please submit an application via the "Undergraduate Degree (Non-EU)" course type
Apply