Big changes to CAO rules for entry to medicine courses announced
Changes to entry requirements for studying medicine at university will see Leaving Cert results carry more weight.
Applicants to study medicine are currently required to sit the Health Professions Admission Test (Hpat) in addition to the Leaving Cert.
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Irish Times
7 days ago
- Irish Times
Ireland's most common genetic disorder: ‘It can creep up quietly and cause serious damage if it's missed'
Being tired is part and parcel of life, particularly, when during the teenage years, burning the candle at both ends and studying for exams. However, Alice Kelly felt 'permanently exhausted'. While she initially thought she just wasn't a very active person, when the tiredness, coupled with aches and pains, persisted right through her Leaving Cert year and subsequent exams – causing her to miss school and attend therapy – she decided something must be amiss. 'I started experiencing symptoms in my late teens,' she says. 'I was exhausted all the time with the kind of tiredness that you can't shake off. My fingers ached all day, but I put that down to baking and doing too much dough kneading. I also had dull, random stomach aches, mood swings that felt a bit too intense for just teenage hormones, and a constant fatigued dullness which made me feel lazy. Alice Kelly. 'But, deep down, I knew I wasn't a lazy person – and as every blood test came back 'normal', eventually I started to believe I just needed to rest and take time off my studies. So, I pushed through my Leaving Cert, convinced I was fatigued from school and the stomach pains were just anxiety, even though I didn't feel anxious. 'Therapy didn't seem to help much either, I would try to explain that I wasn't avoiding school due to stress, I just couldn't physically bring myself to sit there and listen when my stomach hurt and I was exhausted. But, as nobody could quite understand what I was trying to describe, I started to keep it to myself. READ MORE 'But by the time I was 19, the symptoms were affecting my whole life. I had my dream job (as a baker) lined up – baking full-time, creating content and filming recipes – but even then, I couldn't summon the energy to give it my all. Everything I loved started to feel like a chore and I just couldn't explain why.' After undergoing further tests, the now 21-year-old, who is studying Baking and Pastry Arts Management in TUD and has amassed 3.5 million followers on social media (@fromscratchbaker), was diagnosed with 'I was recently diagnosed with a genetic disorder called hereditary haemochromatosis , which is sometimes referred to as iron overload or the Celtic gene because it is especially common in people of Irish descent,' Kelly says. Alice Kelly. 'In simple terms, my body absorbs too much iron from my diet and doesn't know when to stop taking it in. This excess of iron builds up in the organs, mostly in the liver, but also the heart, pancreas and joints. Over time, the excess iron build-up can cause serious, even life-threatening organ damage.' According to the Irish Haemochromatosis Association , it is a hereditary condition in which excessive amounts of iron are absorbed via the small intestines from foods such as red meat, cereals and some vegetables. The excess iron is deposited in the organs, which may become damaged as a result. Looking back, haemochromatosis was the hidden thread connecting every one of my random symptoms – the fatigue, the stomach pains, the foggy feeling and the low motivation. But I had never even heard of the condition until I was diagnosed — Alice Kelly 'I have to give my parents a lot of the credit for encouraging me to go back to my GP, even when I was convinced I was a lost cause – because eventually, my serum ferritin levels were tested, and they came back alarmingly high. I was recommended to get a genetic test, and that confirmed it. I had two copies of the C282Y gene, meaning I had homozygous hereditary haemochromatosis,' Kelly says. 'I almost cried down the phone to the GP receptionist who gave me the results – I felt so much relief, after four years of thinking I was lazy or just couldn't handle the career that I loved so much. I finally had an answer – and more importantly, a treatable one. 'Looking back, haemochromatosis was the hidden thread connecting every one of my random symptoms – the fatigue, the stomach pains, the foggy feeling and the low motivation. But I had never even heard of the condition until I was diagnosed.' Alice Kelly. Last February, the Kildare woman was referred to a gastroenterologist and placed on a treatment plan, which has seen her quality of life hugely improve. Today, she is doing really well and would encourage anyone else who has symptoms to seek prompt advice. 'The most common treatment for haemochromatosis is venesections, which have very similar methods to blood donation,' she says. 'Every two weeks, I sit in a comfy chair with a needle in my arm and get up to 500ml of blood removed. It sounds medieval, but it works – as after just three venesections, my energy started to come back, my random stomach pains are disappearing and I finally feel a bit more normal. [ Haemochromatosis: it's known as the 'Celtic gene' for good reason Opens in new window ] 'I would advise people not to ignore haemochromatosis. You may not look sick and put your symptoms down to stress or a busy lifestyle, but haemochromatosis can creep up quietly and cause serious damage if it's missed. 'It's not a condition to be scared of, just one to be aware of. The test is as simple as a blood draw and genetic screening – and for those who get diagnosed, I promise the venesection needles are not as scary as the images online.' [ `I had to give about 40 pints of blood to get my iron back down to normal levels' Opens in new window ] Professor John Ryan, consultant hepatologist/gastroenterologist at Beaumont Hospital, says it is important to be aware of the signs. 'If you have two copies of the haemochromatosis gene, you may be at risk of developing iron overload,' he says. 'If haemochromatosis is undiagnosed or untreated, iron overload can lead to organ damage or even premature death. 'Because early symptoms of haemochromatosis such as chronic fatigue, joint pain, abdominal pain (non-specific) and low mood can be non-specific and attributed to many other causes, haemochromatosis can be initially difficult to diagnose. 'Most people don't have any symptoms, as the iron builds up very gradually over years. But if you are experiencing any of these symptoms or you have a history of haemochromatosis in your family, go to your GP and ask for an iron panel test. If your ferritin and/or TSat levels are elevated, a genetic test is recommended to confirm a diagnosis of haemochromatosis.' Alice Kelly. Once diagnosed, the haemochromatosis expert says, treatment can begin. 'The primary treatment consists of the removal of blood (similar to blood donation, only more frequent) at regular intervals until iron levels return to normal,' he says. 'Once normal iron levels are re-established, they can be maintained by periodic blood removal (2-5 times per year, depending on the individual). During this maintenance phase, if eligible, blood can be donated through the Irish Blood Transfusion Service .' About haemochromatosis Hereditary haemochromatosis is the most common genetic disorder in Ireland. One in five people are carriers and 1 in 83 are predisposed to developing haemochromatosis. The Irish Haemochromatosis Association estimates there are at least 20,000 undiagnosed cases of haemochromatosis in Ireland. Both women and men are equally at risk of having the condition. Early symptoms may include: Chronic fatigue. Abdominal pain (non-specific). Joint pain, especially in the knuckle and first joint of the first and second fingers. Loss of sex drive. Low mood. Later symptoms may include: Liver disease including cirrhosis and liver cancer. Type II diabetes (adult onset). Hypothyroidism. Disease of the heart muscle and irregular heartbeat.
The Journal
18-07-2025
- The Journal
Irish universities to change entry to medicine courses to ‘refocus on Leaving Cert achievement'
IRISH UNIVERSITIES WITH Medical Schools are to change entry requirements for undergraduate medicine programmes from 2027 in a bid to 'refocus on Leaving Certificate achievement'. The Irish Universities Association (IUA) said Leaving Cert performance has 'proven to be a stronger predictor of student completion than HPAT'. Applicants to study medicine are currently required to sit the HPAT, in addition to the Leaving Cert. The HPAT is intended to assess 'logical reasoning and problem solving, interpersonal understanding and non-verbal reasoning'. The IUA said that such multi-test assessment for admission to medicine programmes is 'commonplace internationally'. The HPAT was introduced in 2009 to follow international good practice and remove the then-exclusive reliance on the Leaving Cert to enter medicine. The IUA said most countries in Europe, as well as Australia, Canada and New Zealand among others, use an exam like the HPAT for admission to study medicine. Under the current system, Leaving Certificate scores above 550 points are 'moderated' – meaning they are adjusted to a maximum score of 565 points. The HPAT is also weighted to a maximum of 300 points. It means the current maximum total is 865 points (565 from Leaving Cert + 300 from HPAT). However, this is set to change for students seeking admission to undergraduate medicine degree programmes from September 2027. Points scored in the HPAT assessment will be weighted to a maximum of 150, down from 300 currently. Advertisement Meanwhile, Leaving Certificate scores above 550 points will no longer be moderated and full points scored by candidates will be applied in the calculation. So from September 2027, the maximum combined Leaving Certificate and HPAT points for Medicine will be 775 (LC 625 + HPAT 150), rather than the current maximum of 865 points (LC 565 + HPAT 300). Why the change? The IUA said the changes are the result of the 'significant ongoing increase in the number of medical places for CAO applicants since 2022'. 'By 2026, over 200 extra places will have become available across all undergraduate medicine programmes, including through a new programme in the University of Limerick opening in 2026,' said the IUA. It also pointed to an expansion of places in all the existing Graduate Entry Medicine programmes, with a new programme expected to commence in 2027 in the University of Galway. It added that the removal of points moderation brings the Irish medical schools in line with international practice for admission to medicine. 'Moderation of points scored from school leaving examinations is not a commonly applied approach either for other health professional programmes or other academic programmes more generally nationally,' said the IUA. 'Neither does this happen widely on an international level,' it added. The IUA further explained that the changes to the current weighting of points achievable from HPAT will align more closely with points achievable in individual Leaving Certificate subjects. It added that the Leaving Cert has 'proven to be a stronger predictor of performance in Medicine degree programmes'. However, it noted that 'relying solely' on Leaving Certificate results for entry to medicine would move away from international norms. The IUA added that the changes 'will refocus on Leaving Certificate achievement, which has proven to be a stronger predictor of student completion than HPAT'. 'The ongoing expansion in the number of medical places available, the changes to the Leaving Certificate grading scales and points system in 2017, and the planned unwinding of the Covid-era post-marking adjustment of Leaving Certificate grades from 2025 all point to the opportunity to introduce these changes for future selections to medicine from 2027,' said the IUA. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
18-07-2025
- RTÉ News
Changes announced for prospective medicine students
Changes have been announced to the requirements for students hoping to study medicine. From 2027, less weight will be given to the HPAT, the special exam that prospective medical students must sit in addition to the leaving cert.
