Changes Coming to Medicine School Entry Requirements in Ireland

Medical schools in Irish universities are considering altering entry requirements for studying medicine due to concerns that applicants are manipulating tests designed to assess their aptitude for the medical field. Applicants currently need to combine their Leaving Certificate results with the Health Professions Admission Test (Hpat), introduced in 2009 to evaluate skills essential for medicine like reasoning and problem-solving.

Originally intended as an unpreparable test, the Hpat now faces criticism due to the rise of private tuition services where students can pay up to €800 for 15 weeks of preparation. Deans of medical schools recently met and agreed to reduce the significance of the test, pending approval by university academic councils. The proposed changes would likely take around two years to be implemented.

The Hpat, currently worth 300 points, would be reduced to 150 points under the new plans. This adjustment aims to balance the weight of the test with other entry requirements. Approximately 3,000 students take the Hpat annually, mandatory for studying undergraduate medicine at various Irish universities.

The test was introduced to address concerns that only high-scoring Leaving Cert students were securing spots in medicine programs. However, the availability of additional exam support and Hpat tutoring has created disparities in access to medical education, with a higher percentage of affluent students pursuing medicine compared to the overall student population.