The RCSI Graduate Entry Programme (GEP) Open Day took place at Connolly Hospital on Saturday, 3rd November 2012. A total of 57 potential GEP students, from a diverse range of academic backgrounds, attended the Open Day. The format of the day was based around small group interactive sessions which provided the participants with the opportunity to experience ‘a day in the life’ of an RCSI GEP Student.
The event was opened by Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences who welcomed the attendees. Professor McGee provided an overview of RCSI, followed by Professor Seamus Sreenan, Director of GEP, who introduced RCSI participants and the format of the day. This was followed by a series of short talks regarding the GEP programme, RCSI facilities, the structure and style of the curriculum as well as details of the application process and bank loan facilities presented by Professor Sreenan and Ms Céleste Golden, EU Admissions Officer, RCSI.
The theme for the day was cardiology and Professor Jim O’Neill, Consultant Cardiologist at Connolly Hospital, introduced a heart transplant patient to the attendees in the style of the “case of the week”; a weekly clinical case presented each Monday during the first two years of the programme and which informs the teaching for the week. The case was followed by a series of small group interactive sessions.
Dr Ibrahim Yearoo, Cardiology Registrar introduced the prospective students to Diagnostic Investigations, which provided an introduction to basic clinical skills with an emphasis on cardiology including echocardiography.
Other break-out sessions included an introduction to how the RCSI Virtual Learning Environment ‘Moodle’ supports learning in the programme, delivered by Mr. Eric Clarke, Lecturer in Health Informatics at RCSI and a session focusing on the importance of good communication skills to clinical practice, given by Dr Asiya Suleiman, GEP Clinical Tutor and RCSI Graduate. Attendees also met current GEP students for 30 minute discussion sessions.
After lunch, Dr Martin Rourke, (RCSI GEP Graduate) presented and discussed the transition from Medical Student to Internship.
The GEP Open Day concluded with a question and answer session. Attendees had the opportunity to address their questions regarding the process of application, loan facilities and medicine as a career with Professor Sreenan, Dr Rourke and Ms Golden.