Medicine (Surgery and Obstetrics)

Bachelor of Medicine (MB) of Surgery (BCh) and of Obstetrics (BAO)

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Course Overview
Key Facts
Course Outline
Further Education
Why Choose This Course?
Course Fees
Find Out More

Our Medical academies Clinical Facilities Tour General Practice Student Placements Information for US/Canadian students considering studying medicine

Entry Points (2024)

#728*

Course Overview

Medicine has been taught at University of Galway for 175 years and we have a long tradition of clinical education. We have pioneered hospital-based and bedside teaching and our medical graduates are highly sought-after doctors, practicing medicine in healthcare facilities across the globe.

Our vision

The University of Galway Undergraduate Medical Programme is a destination medical programme for students from diverse backgrounds who will practice excellent, patient-centred medicine with knowledge, skill, compassion and resilience in equal measure, to advance human health through discovery and innovation and serve the needs of their community.

Our mission

We deliver a transformative education experience, in an inclusive environment, that enables our graduates achieve excellence in critical thinking, safe collaborative practice and communication skills, with a focus on patient- centred care that is sustainable, ethical, and equitable.

Our core values

Excellence, Respect, Inclusivity and Sustainability are embedded in our practices and processes.

Our curriculum aims

We provide a distinctive medical education programme that:

Supports our graduates critically interrogate and apply a scientific and patient-focused knowledge base in their provision of the best patient care possible.
Prepares our graduates to be excellent communicators, collaborators, leaders,
Empowers our graduates to be ready to participate effectively in hospitals and community care anywhere in the world.
Enables our graduates to lead and contribute to the development of healthcare knowledge and practice through research and innovation.
Encourages our graduates to be effective teachers and mentors for the next generation of doctors.
Fosters continuous personal and professional development of our medical students as confident, adaptable and resilient professionals.

The foundations of our curriculum are built on

Excellent faculty development support systems for our teachers, robust professional support systems and superb medical education facilities.
The core values of excellence, respect, inclusivity and sustainability

We offer both a five year and a six-year undergraduate medicine programme.

As a medicine student you will acquire a range of qualities and skills during your time in the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.

You will be:

A safe practitioner
An effective communicator
A constructive collaborator
A curious learner who develops continuously both professionally and personally
A caring, patient centred physician

The professional attributes we value most highly as a medical school will equip our medical graduates with the tools required to provide excellent care to their patients in any healthcare system and to make a positive contribution to the development of medical knowledge.

As professionals, our medical graduates will always put their patients' needs and welfare first. You will apply your theoretical knowledge and practical clinical skills in a safe manner and subscribe to the time-honoured principle of primum, non nocere (first, do no harm). You will be exemplars of effective and compassionate verbal and written communication, with patients, their families and colleagues. You will work well with others in multidisciplinary healthcare teams and you will never cease to learn and you will embrace a healthy pattern of life-long learning throughout their careers. You will be generous with this knowledge and support the education of students and junior trainees.

Our undergraduate medical programme aims to foster the development of these graduate attributes by providing authentic patient contact in a safe learning environment and by encouraging civic engagement and participation in campus-based extracurricular activities which promote leadership and teamwork.

Our simulation based education activities, support you in these activities and give you exciting opportunities for clinical learning that were previously unavailable. You can now communicate with, diagnose and manage a simulated patient, perform procedures on them and work within a multidisciplinary team to manage their care, all in a safe supportive simulated clinical environment. You will receive encouragement and support from faculty and even from the simulated patient.

Our campus is based adjacent to the Galway University Hospital. As you gain experience you will assume greater responsibility and undertake clinical placement rotations in a network of affiliated hospitals in as part of the Saolta Hospital Group. In addition you will be involved in the delivery of primary care in a variety of community settings.

Medical Academies - University of Galway

“University of Galway's Medical Academies. In the clinical years at University of Galway, students relocate from Galway to spend a full calendar year at one of our academies. Each academy has a purpose-built facility of the highest international standards of medical education, comprising lecture halls, tutorial rooms, clinical skills labs and student chat/social spaces. These academy buildings are located on Saolta University Hospital sites, ensuring ease of access from the hospital to teaching and learning facilities. Students gain a unique experience of service delivery in a secondary health care centre. Each academy has dedicated academic and administrative staff, under the direction of an academy Dean, with excellent student-staff ratios. Small student numbers enhance teaching and mentoring from clinical staff and facilitate patient contact."

Click here to find more detail.

We offer excellent supports to our medical students, find further details on the links below.

Student Services - University of Galway

StudentSupportMap_SOM (universityofgalway.ie)

Applications and Selections

Who Teaches this Course

Requirements and Assessment

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Minimum Points Requirement: 480 points from the same sitting of the Leaving Certificate Examination. Applicants must achieve both the required subjects and the points in the same sitting, CAO applicants must complete the Health Professions Admission Test (HPAT). Minimum A-Level Grades: A*A*A* (AS) or equivalent combination plus HPAT-Ireland Test results.

Leaving Certificate Entry Requirements:

GY501 Medicine (5 year): In addition to the 6-year requirements, H4 in two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physics/Chemistry, Agricultural Science. For further details, refer to the website.

GY501 Medicine (6 year): Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, another language, Mathematics, a laboratory science subject (i.e., Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry (joint) or Agricultural Science), and any other subject recognised for entry purposes.

GY501 Medicine (8 year): Students entering the medical programme have the opportunity also to engage in a PhD degree through a period of dedicated research, so that after successful completion of a period that is likely to be eight years, both the medical degree and PhD are conferred. Students of the medical programme who are interested in doing a PhD will undergo a selection process at the mid-point of their medical studies.

Please contact the School of Medicine for further details on schoolofmedicine@universityofgalway.ie

Additional Requirements

Students must satisfy the Garda/Police vetting and Medical Clearance requirements.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Duration

5, 6 or 8 years

Next start date

September 2025

A Level Grades (2024)

universityofgalway.ie/alevels

Average intake

148

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

GY501

Course code

Course Outline

Medicine Timetable

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Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits: You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module: An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject: Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional: A module you may choose to study.
Required: A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject: A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester: Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.

Further Education

Honours graduates can also pursue higher degrees in a wide range of related disciplines, for example:

Applied Clinical Data Analytics (MSc)

Cardiac Rehabilitation (PgCert

Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (MSc)

Cellular Manufacturing and Therapy (MSc)

Cheminformatics and Toxicology (MSc)

Clinical Education (Masters/PDip)

Clinical Research (MSc, full-time and part-time)

Diabetes (MSc)

Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation (MSc)

Obesity (MSc)

Surgery, Masters in (MCh)

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Why Galway for Medicine?:

Galway is a vibrant contemporary city. Our University has excellent facilities (Sport and Leisure Centre, Clubs and teaching and learning facilities) all within walking distance
We offer a challenging curriculum using modern learning techniques
We offer a friendly supportive high achieving Medical School with dedicated, enthusiastic cross professional teachers.
We provide a challenging curriculum using modern learning techniques to support excellence including:
- Simulation.
- Clinical placements across specialties and healthcare settings
- Early patient contact & patient voices programme
We provide opportunities for personal development (such as volunteering locally/International placements/ ERASMUS)
We provide opportunities for community engagement (volunteering/ school orchestra)
You will have opportunities for student research (structured summer research programme/ HRB/ Welcome Trust Scholarships).
You will be part of a School with strong research and innovation portfolios

Your Medicine degree from University of Galway will be internationally recognised from one of Ireland's oldest and most prestigious universities. We have pioneered hospital-based and bedside teaching and our medical graduates are highly sought-after doctors, practicing medicine in healthcare facilities across the globe. You will benefit from world-class new and purpose-built teaching facilities and the main teaching hospital is located adjacent to the main University campus. You will learn from lecturers who are at the forefront of the latest medical research.

Our Medicine graduates find employment in diverse areas, such as:

Clinical Practice (hospitals, general practice, private practice)
Education and research
Community rehabilitation services
Career Opportunities include:
Clinician - Many different disciplines & specialties, hospital and/or community
Academic Clinician
Clinician Researcher
Clinician Educator
Clinician Leader/Manager
Clinician Innovator
Clinician Engineer

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

In partnership with HSE, and our regional hospitals, the School of Medicine assists in an Intern Placement Scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to ensure that medical graduates receive the appropriate training and experience to become registered physicians. We work hard to ensure that as many graduates as possible obtain 12 months placement in recognised intern posts

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€7,408 (Foundation); €9,213 (First Med) p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Tuition

€4,268 (Foundation); €6,073 (First Med) p.a. 2025/26***

Fees: Student Contribution

€3,000 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Student levy

€140* p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Non EU

€55,000** p.a. 2025/26

EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Contribution Charge + Student Levy* €140. *Payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI.

NON EU Fee**

All new entrants are required to pay a fee of €200 towards a subsidised Occupation Health Service provided to students of the College of Medicine, nursing and Health Sciences in compliance with relevant legislation and standards.

For 25/26 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing years fees***.
**Excludes Full-Time EU Undergraduate fees. These are fixed and do not change

Find out More

School of Medicine
Clinical Science Institute
T 353 (0)91 544 475
F 353 (0)91 494 519
E schoolofmedicine@universityofgalway.ie

What Our Students Say

Dr Evan O'Flaherty, 2023. | Medicine

Opting for the Undergraduate Medicine program at the University of Galway was a deliberate decision grounded in the institution's commitment to cultivating a collaborative and impactful learning environment. The institution's reputation for excellence in medical education, coupled with my local ties to the city, affirmed that Galway was the optimal choice for embarking on my medical journey.The program not only equips students with the necessary medical knowledge but also instills a sense of responsibility and compassion for the broader community. My involvement in community activities, ranging from health promotion to charity fundraising, was encouraged and facilitated by the university, showcasing its commitment to nurturing well-rounded clinicians.There is a real emphasis simulation-based learning, providing students with immersive and hands-on experiences that simulate real-world medical scenarios. This approach enhanced my practical skills, clinical decision-making, and overall preparedness for the working in the medical field.

Dr Shival Salgaonkar | Medicine

As an international student from Australia, moving to Galway to study Medicine was a big move, I didn’t know anyone in Ireland and I had to navigate around a new city and university. I was able to undertake core clinical electives in University Hospital Galway and Letterkenny University Hospital as well as overseas electives in Australia and India. These electives allowed me to better understand patients and broaden my knowledge about medical training throughout the world, I was grateful for these opportunities. The clinical tutors and lecturers at University of Galway provided us with the utmost support and knowledge enabling us to handle difficult situations such as the COVID 19 pandemic. I was able to interact with hundreds of patients throughout my clinical years, from seeing my first surgery to my first birth, I have gained invaluable experiences. These past 5 years have given me lifelong friendships, unforgettable memories and the foundations to grow in my medical career.

Lorcán Ó Maoileannaigh | Junior Doctor

Throughout my 6 years of study I had numerous opportunities to contribute to college life, both academically and secondary to my participation in many of the societies University of Galway has to offer. In University of Galway medical students are exposed to clinical practice early in their academic career; special study modules and early patient contact facilitate the translation and application pre-clinical theory to patient care and management. This is followed by clinical years wherein students are supported and guided by fantastic medical and surgical teams who very much take you under their wing and make you feel part of the team. University of Galway has also given me opportunities through societies, sports and as President of the Students’ Union to represent the college on a national and international stage. Opportunities and memories that I now cherish were very much supported by the School of Medicine throughout my studies. Medicine at University of Galway promotes a sense of community, one that simply cannot be replicated where the importance of inter-professional learning, giving back and academic collaboration are all central.

Réiltín Ní Theimhneáin | Medicine class of 2020

Studying medicine at University of Galway is a remarkable opportunity to gain exposure in a fantastic teaching hospital and feel secure in the knowledge that there will be people to help and guide you every step of your journey. The friendships you develop along the way will stay with you throughout your career and you will have countless opportunities to be involved in your community from your foundation year to your final year. Galway is a wonderful city to live in, with most facilities within walking distance and plenty of scenic recreational areas to enjoy. I personally found that studying at University of Galway enabled me to maintain hobbies and extracurricular activities while obtaining a high standard of medical education. This ability to balance ones work scheduled was a skill that University of Galway medical faculty felt strongly about and they supported individuals who wished to uphold high standards of sport, music and other talents including art and debating