Irish universities to change entry to medicine courses to ‘refocus on Leaving Cert 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.
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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.
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