Hi, my name is Mae Shan and I’m a 4th year medical student at University College Dublin.
Being here in Ireland for a good 4 years has been wonderful and an eye-opener. The first year was difficult as adjusting to a new environment and being away from home was hard, but it is still exciting to return back to Ireland every new school term.
The decision I made to come to Ireland was to allow me to have different connections with people all over the world and learn more about different cultures. A lot of people will ask why Ireland and not UK, I think it is about preference. I can say that Dublin is more to a manageable city compare to London or other cities in UK. Nonetheless, Dublin city is lively with live music and entertainment. There are nice parks for picnics if the weather permits and lovely trails for hike to enjoy beautiful nature experiences.
The course structure of Medicine in UCD is well organised. Every semester we would have 5 core modules and one elective of our choice which ranges from a variety of other subjects from
business, science to innovation. The diverse choice allows me to learn of disciplines outside of the boundary of medicine related subjects and provide a refreshing break from the hefty main modules.
IUMC office helped me in my transition during my first year by connecting me to seniors and checking my wellbeing from time to time. As a senior now, I am able to share my experience with new students on board to their first year of university life in UCD.