Pat Rabbitte
Ceist:133 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science her views on the proposed aptitude test for entry to medicine courses at third level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26134/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 27 October 2004
Ceisteanna (31)
Freagraí scríofa
The working group on undergraduate medical education and training has very recently presented interim recommendations for significant reform of the entry mechanism to medical education. These recommendations include the introduction of a multi-streamed model of entry to medicine, comprising undergraduate and graduate entry methods, with leaving certificate performance no longer the sole selection method for entry at undergraduate level. In this regard, it is proposed that selection for entry to undergraduate medicine would be based on two measures. Anyone opting for medicine who achieves 450 leaving certificate points will be eligible for consideration, with places to be allocated on the basis of performance on a separate entry test.
These recommendations are a very welcome attempt to address the huge pressures that are being placed on students in the second level system as a result of the extremely high leaving certificate points required for entry to medicine and certain other disciplines. In this regard, the potential exists for extending the proposed selection approach to other high points disciplines down the road. It is important that the significant implementation issues associated with this proposed change are carefully attended to, including the development of a proposed second selection test for entry to undergraduate medicine. I am currently considering the composition and terms of reference of an implementation group for this purpose and intend to bring forward proposals shortly on this front.