Katie Murphy, from Wexford, wants to study medicine at University College Dublin. A re-check of her Leaving Cert now means that she has the CAO points she needs to gain entry to the course. But things are not that simple. UCD says it cannot accommodate her this year as the course is full. Dozens of other students are reported to be facing a similar predicament in medicine.

Katie Murphy has been keeping a record of her efforts to gain entry to medicine. This is her story.

JUNE 1ST TO JUNE 24TH, 2005

Virtually the entire month is spent sitting the Leaving Certificate. After it, I am reasonably confident that I can secure the points I need.

AUGUST 17TH

I received my Leaving Cert results, getting 570 points. My exact results were: English A2, Irish B1, Maths A1, Physics A1, Chemistry A2, French A1, Music A2, and Applied Maths C2.

AUGUST 24TH

First round of CAO offers. I received an offer for science in UCD. I accepted it to keep my options open, but my focus is still on medicine, for which I needed 580 points. Now for the appeal process, in which Leaving Cert papers are re-checked.

AUGUST 31ST

Applied to view my papers.

SEPTEMBER 2ND

Second round offers. I did not receive an offer.

SEPTEMBER 2ND

I viewed my papers. I realised that to have exactly 90 per cent in chemistry I needed five more marks. However, I discovered that I had crossed out part of a question worth six marks. The crossed-out work was correct and legible. There was no alternate answer provided. I put in chemistry and Irish for rechecks.

SEPTEMBER 15TH

As I was still short of points, decided to repeat the Leaving Cert year. Moved out of home and to Dublin where I enrolled in an expensive grind school.

OCTOBER 12TH

I received the results of my rechecks. Good news! I was upgraded in both chemistry and Irish. My upgrade in chemistry brought my results up to 580 points, sufficient for my first choice - medicine in UCD. I rang the CAO office to confirm that I was now eligible for that course.

OCTOBER 13TH

I received a letter from UCD saying that I would not be offered a place for this year, as the course was full. I was advised that I would not be accepted for this year in any other medical school.

OCTOBER 12TH-17TH

My mother, Laura, rang the Department of Education on October 13th, 14th and 17th. She talked to a senior official. He was not aware of the number of upgrades waiting for places in medicine. The Department says it is awaiting a report from the Higher Educational Authority (HEA) on the current situation.

My mum rang the HEA and was briefed by a senior official. He said that the authority was waiting for the universities to come back with their report on this matter so that they can agree on an approach to the situation.

I called into the admissions office in UCD and spoke to senior figures in administration and medicine. To date, I have been advised that I will not get a place this year.

POSTSCRIPT

My mother finally managed, on Monday, October 17th, to speak to a representative of Minister for Education Mary Hanafin. He said the HEA are yet to come back with a report based on talks with the various colleges.

Have now cancelled my plan to repeat the Leaving Cert. I now have the points but not the place.

I am now sitting at home, waiting for progress.

Total time span: four months, 17 days.