Medicine:Pathologist

CareerOutline:
Afullyqualifiedmedicaldoctorwhospecialisesinexaminingandstudyingthe
causesandeffectsofvariousdiseasesandillnesses.

Pathologistsinvestigatethecauseandeffectofdisease.Theyworkin
laboratories,supervisingtheworkofotherlaboratorystaff.Theirworkincludes
chemicalpathology,cytopathology,dentalandoralpathology,molecularbiology,
haematology,histopathology,immunopathology,medicalmicrobiology,
molecularpathologyandneuropathology.

Pathologyisalotmorethanjustautopsies.Theyalsoworkinhospitallabsor
researchinstitutes.

TwoexamplesofPathologists'workare:

Histopathologists,thosewhodiagnosediseasefromchangesintissuestructure
ChemicalPathologists,thosewholookatthebiochemicalnatureofdisease.

Requirements:

Tobecomeapathologist,youmustfirstqualifyasamedicaldoctor.
Itisusuallyduringtheinternshipyearrequiredforthepurposesofregistrationthatmost
newlyqualifieddoctorsdecideonwhichbranchofmedicinetopursue.Somedoctorsenter
generalpractice,whileotherspursuespecialisationinhospitalpracticesuchasPathology.
PracticalandTechnicalTraining
Onceaprimarydegreeinmedicinehasbeenobtained,andayearofinternshiphasbeen
completed,atrainingpostinapathologylaboratorymustbeobtained.Thedutiesofa
Pathologistincludeperformingautopsiestodocumentcausesofdeath.

TobecomeafullyaccreditedPathologisttakesafurtherfiveyears.Afterthreeyearstraining,
anexaminationinthefirstpartofthemembershipoftheRoyalCollegeofPathologistsmay
betaken,andtwoyearslaterthesecondexaminationmaybetaken


AsuccessfulcandidatecanthenbecomeamemberoftheRoyalCollegeofPhysiciansin
Ireland(FacultyofPathology)andiseligibletobecomeaConsultantPathologistina
hospital.

Courses:

UCD Medicine and Health Sciences

MBH BCh BAO
Subject entry requirements for DN400: Passes (GCSE Grade C/ALevel Grade E or above) in English,
Mathematics, a
laboratory science subject,
another language, and two other recognised subjects, 480 points
equivalent +
HPAT
.
Title
Code
Final Points 2015
Medicine
DN400
736 See above
Medicine (Graduate Entry)
DN401
GAMSAT 58*
*All applicants with a score greater than this were accommodated but, as it was not possible to accommodate
all applicants with this score, random selection was applied.
Trinity College Dublin:

Medicine
CourseType:
Undergraduate
CAOCourseCode:
TR051
No.ofPlaces:
123
MinEntryPoints
for2014:
731*points
Duration:
5Year(s)FullTime
Award:
M.B.(BachelorinMedicine),B.Ch.(BachelorinSurgery)andB.A.O.(Bachelorin
Obstetrics)
SpecificEntryRequirements:
Seerequirements
RestrictedEntry:
Thisisarestrictedentrycourse.
ApplicationsmustbesubmittedtotheCAOby1Februaryoftheproposedyearofentry.
Applicantsmustachieveaminimumof480pointsandmeettheminimumentryand
coursespecificrequirementsinthesamesitting*oftheLeavingCertificateexamination.
Inaddition,allapplicantswillberequiredtosittheadmissionstest(HPATIreland)
whichisscheduledfor27February2016.Applicantsmustregisterforthetestat
www.hpatireland.acer.edu.au
by20January2016.Furtherdetailsontheselection

criteriaareavailableinthe
UndergraduateEntrytoMedicinebrochure
andfromthe
AcademicRegistry:+35318964500.ApplicantsshouldnotethatapplicationforMedicine
mustbemadeonlineat
www.cao.ie
*Alevelapplicantsmustsatisfyminimumentryandcoursespecificrequirementswithin
threeconsecutiveyears,e.g.GCSE(2013),AS(2014),Alevels(2015)

Howtoapply:
Seehowtoapply

SuitableLeavingCertSubjects:
SubjectsIamStudying:
English
Irish
Maths
Business
History
Biology
Spanish

FamilyInfluences:
MyparentsbothstudiedMedicineinCollegeatUCD.Myfatherisnowa
Histopathologist,specialisingindiagnosingdiseasesandidentifying
abnormalitiesindifferentslides.Mymothernowadministersinjectionson

behalfoftheHSE.Iamprobablyinfluencedgreatlybythemregardingmy
interests.

WhythisCareerChoice?:
Ithinkoneofthemostimportantthinginyourworkinglifeisthatyoushould
enjoyyourworkasitisprobablygoingtobeoneofthemajorpartsofyour
lifeinadulthood.Itisverydifficulttoknowexactlywhatcareerchoiceto
makeatthisstage,andI'vepickedthemedicinesideofthingsbecause
mostimportantlyIhaveagreatinterestinit.Thepointsareveryhighand
youalsohavetopasstheHPATtesthoweverInmyopinionifyouwork
veryhardin5thand6thyearyoucanachievewhatevergoalyouwantto.