Medicine and Veterinary are among the biggest year-on-year percentage increases in applications for honours degree courses (veterinary +16%). At least the same number that will go for vet studies to UCD, will go to Poland (approx. 80).
This year is very different for high school students and many parents are concerned about their children’s ability to start their dream courses in Ireland. “UCD being the only option on the island has traditionally caused many to travel abroad for veterinary education. 2020 may see unprecedented numbers going to Poland” says Education Advisor at Medical Poland Admission Office, Artur Banaszkiewicz. “When I worked at UCD’s School of Veterinary Medicine, I saw many disappointed parents and students doing anything their imagination could possibly come up with to try to increase their chances of getting a place on the vet programme. Now many of them seem to have embraced the new normal, which is university education abroad.”
The Veterinary Council of Ireland welcomed 133 new vets and 48 veterinary nurses onto its register in July this year. This brought the total number of vets and veterinary nurses to 2,938 and 1,019, respectively. The council predicted that increasing numbers of Irish veterinary students qualifying abroad will help to meet the growing demand for large animal vets in rural Ireland, as only 50 of the 133 newly registered vets graduated from UCD. Niamh Muldoon, CEO of the Veterinary Council of Ireland, said: “It is the council’s hope that the influx of new vets will help to meet the demands and recruitment challenges experienced by some under-serviced rural areas, particularly relevant to large animal practices.”
On the other hand, Irish Hospital Consultants Association said last year that “A shortage in consultants in Irish hospitals is perpetuating a spiral of burnout, stress and doctor emigration and diminishing the quality of care received by patients” with some 500 positions unfilled or temporarily filled.
However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel students will go through in the second week of September, between receiving their calculated grades on 7th September and CAO offers. The Medical Poland Admission Office, helping Irish students with their choices abroad for the last 6 years, has confirmed that this year the application period for medicine and veterinary has been extended to 15th and 17th September 2020 respectively due to the Leaving Cert release date changing.
“We were approached by parents and Guidance Counsellors indicating huge uncertainty leading to anxiety. School leavers grappled with the disruption to their studies, the cancelation of the Leaving Certificate here in Ireland and of final State examinations in many countries, but Poland seems to have been a stable and reliable solution for Irish students for a few years now” said the Head of Medical Poland Admission Office, Adam Krawczyk. “To help parents and students, this year Medical Poland introduces wellbeing workshops for new students and their parents to alleviate some of the Covid19 related anxiety” he added.
Sadhbh Moran from from Haggardstown, Dundalk - going into her 3rd year in Wroclaw- not only recommends education abroad in general, and Polish hospitality, but most of all availing of the ability to realise the dreams of becoming a vet: “I didn’t give up on my dreams after completing an undergraduate degree in Maynooth and switching to a Paypal job, but looked for other options and I’m now happy to work towards my vet career in Poland together with a group of 20+ new Irish students heading to Wroclaw this year”.
Contact:
Adam Krawczyk, 083 427 9427, adam@medicalpoland.ie
Artur Banaszkiewicz, 083 383 3426, study@medicalpoland.ie
Sadhbh Moran, (087) 963 3811 sadhbh64@gmail.com
