Big jump in points needed to study medicine

THE controversial new selection system for medicine degrees has seen Leaving Certificate grades jump 20 points for some courses and only students with scores in the top one-third in a new aptitude test being offered a place.

Since last year, school leavers must combine their exam grades with scores in an aptitude test (Health Profession Admission Test or HPAT) before being ranked for around 450 places in the medical schools at four universities and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

It was designed to reduce the requirement for almost perfect CAO scores as only those with around 570 out of a maximum 600 points had previously qualified. Last year, many students with top Leaving Certificate grades did not get into medicine because they did not perform so well in the HPAT.