College Choice/Brian Mooney:Paramedical programmes attract between 250-650 first preference applications and make offers to, on average, 25 per cent of applicants, all at relatively high points given the small numbers involved.
Indeed, in many courses outlined below even those students with 505-580 points may still be subject to a random selection process. Details on qualifax.ie
Pharmacy
Three colleges offer pharmacy: Trinity College, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and NUI Cork. Applications dropped again by 7 per cent last year, resulting in a drop in points for the 152 places available. The RCSI last year offered 30 places to students scoring 540 points or above. Trinity and UCC, which offer 70 and 60 places, had the highest points requirements, offering places only to those applicants holding more than 550 and 560 respectively.
UCD offers pharmacology (DN034), where students study drugs and their effects on living systems. There are 20 places and 420 points were required in 2007. Students of the UCD omnibus science programme or the medicinal chemistry and chemical biology degree also have options in the area. DIT, and Athlone and Carlow ITs offer certificate programmes in pharmacy technician studies, for those interested in working in pharmacies, at between 270 to 305 points.
Dentistry
Trinity (TR052) and UCC (CK702) offer courses in dentistry, with 62 places on offer. In 2007, 248 applicants listed dentistry as their first preference, almost the same as the previous year. Both colleges offered places to those on 555 points. Both universities have dental hospitals attached and students get a chance to treat patients. After graduating, students join the Irish Dental Association and work either in a private practice or for a health board. There are a wide range of other dentistry-related courses. See www.qualifax.ie
Optometry
There is only one course in the State which qualifies students as ophthalmic opticians, and that is at DIT. It accepts 25 students each year and the minimum point score of successful applicants in 2007 was 500 points. The course prepares students to be optometrists or ophthalmic opticians.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapists work with people whose lives have been disrupted by disability, physical injury or illness, developmental problems, psychological problems and/or social and environmental impediments. Occupational therapists aim to help people to improve their day-to-day quality of life. There are 95 places on offer, 40 in Trinity, 30 in UCG and 25 in UCC. The points required in 2007 were 505, 515 and 520 respectively.
Speech and language therapy
Speech and language therapists work with people who have communication disorders, helping them to find ways to maximise their speech, language and communication skills. There are 81 places available: 30 in UCG, 26 in Trinity, and 25 in UCC. The points required in 2007 were 525 in Trinity, while UCC and UCG required 530. UL offers a MSc in speech and language therapy and occupational therapy.
Physiotherapy
There are 141 places available: 56 in UCD, 40 in Trinity, 30 in UL and 15 in RCSI. This year saw a decline of a third in demand for these places, following reports that many physiotherapy graduates were unable to gain employment in Ireland, resulting from a lack of career opportunities in our health services.
This decrease in applications resulted in a decrease in points generally. Points dropped 30 in UL to 555 points. Trinity and RCSI went to random selection at 525, but UCD saw a slight increase in points at 535.
Physiotherapy applicants scoring 350-420 points might consider the level 7/6 programmes offered by IT Sligo (SG435) (340) and IT Carlow (CW106) (405). Both these programmes are linked to full physiotherapy degree programmes in the UK.
The BSc in Health and Performance Science (DN096) from UCD, and the BSc in Sport and Exercise from UL (LM089) also cover topics such as exercise science and injury management.
Radiography and radiation therapy
There are 25 radiation therapy places on offer in Trinity (510). UCD offers 40 places in Radiography (505).
Radiographers produce high-quality images to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Radiotherapy is one of the main methods used to treat patients with cancer.
Neuroscience
UCD offers neuroscience (DN036) which required 470 points in 2007. The programme focuses on the study of nerve cells and how they interact to form the brain and regulate bodily functions and human behaviour.
Biomedical science
Biomedical science is offered in UCG, the DIT, NUI Maynooth and UCD, where it is titled biomedical, health and life sciences. These degrees will lead students into biomedical and health research, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, hospital laboratories and sport science, and provide excellent preparation for entry into postgraduate programmes in medicine.
Other courses
DIT offers human nutrition and dietetics (20 places), run jointly with Trinity, and clinical measurement (30 places).
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