Donegal Medical Academy

What Do Our Students Say?

Emma Maguire

My year at the Donegal Medical Academy has been the highlight of my time studying medicine! I was initially nervous to go somewhere that seemed so far from Galway, but as soon as I met the amazing team in the academy, I felt right at home! The academy experience is totally unique: instead of being in big, impersonal lecture groups like in preclinical years, you are in much smaller tutorial groups of less than ten students. Academically, this really gives you an opportunity to engage and learn in a way that you simply can’t in the larger group setting in Galway. The tutors are so kind and enthusiastic and really help you to consolidate what you have seen and learned on the wards with activities and lessons in the classroom. The hospital itself is a great experience too. Due to smaller student numbers there is ample opportunity to see a wide array of clinical procedures and to really get involved with the teams you are attached to.

There is a really welcoming atmosphere in the academy building itself, with the wonderful academy administrator always going above and beyond to make you feel at home. There are always spaces to study and couches and tables where you can sit and relax.… or have a tea party or two!

Socially, you will get to know the group of students with you for your time in Letterkenny really well. Who else are you going to share your first ever Pat’s Pizza with while recounting tales from Voodoo the night before?! And if exploring the Letterkenny nightlife isn’t your scene, there are some incredible beaches and national parks only a stone’s throw away. There are loads of other things on offer in the town too like great cafés and restaurants, at least three different gyms and a cinema. Before long you will be fully immersed in the Donegal way of life, but be careful – if you’re like me, you won’t want to leave!

Aisling Dunne

To say I was initially quite apprehensive when assigned Letterkenny academy for my placement may be a slight understatement, however, I soon grew to absolutely love it there!

The academy and hospital could not have been more welcoming to us as students and soon we found ourselves integrated into a new community. The people of Donegal are notoriously friendly and we found it refreshing how enthusiastic both the doctors and patients were to engage in teaching. Being in a smaller hospital meant that we were much more included in our teams, and I therefore found it easier to approach all staff, from the canteen staff that doted on us, to our consultants and tutors whom answered all of our questions (no matter how simple they seemed.)

The academy provided much more than academic support however. The tutors and academic staff made every effort to get to know us individually and support us in any way that they could - which was a luxury coming from a large hospital. The smaller groups enabled us to get to know not only our own class better, but also the class below - which made for great chats in the academy and endless cups of tea!

People who have yet to venture up to Letterkenny may be hesitant and constantly remind you that it is ‘too far away.’ While you may have to travel further than some of your classmates, for us, this meant that we were more inclined to spend our weekends in Donegal. This encouraged us to get to know each other even better and Donegal did not disappoint in providing us with entertainment - beaches, walks, becoming a local in Mac’s Deli, trips to Derry, student cinema deals and great nights out!

So in stark contrast from the very apprehensive girl I was initially, I would, if given the choice again, rank Letterkenny number one for placement in a heartbeat.