RCSI opens doors to prospective students

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to perform surgical stitching or have you ever had the pleasure of viewing a real-life gallbladder operation?

Some 350 students from across Ireland will get a feel for life as a medical student when they visit the RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) for an open day at the college on St Stephen’s Green in Dublin today.

Featuring interactive workshops in the fields of medicine, pharmacy and physiotherapy, the students will gain an insight into the working life of healthcare professionals through interactive workshops in each of these fields.

Incorporating three open days in medicine, pharmacy and physiotherapy, the RCSI is throwing its doors open to prospective students currently studying for the Leaving Certificate.

Visiting students will view a real-life 3D operation using virtual reality, witness a pregnancy scan, and will get some “hands-on practice” in physiotherapy and pharmacy, as well as a preview of new facilities opening at RCSI’s campus later this year.

Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI said: “The annual Open Day is a great opportunity for second level students to get a sense of life, both academic and social at RCSI and this year we are running three separate Open Days for medicine, pharmacy and physiotherapy to give a more focussed insight into each of these three programme.

Highlights of the interactive workshops include ‘VR surgery’ where the students will experience what it is like to be in the operating theatre in Beaumont Hospital by viewing a real-life gallbladder operation in 3D using virtual reality (VR) headsets. Students will witness a pregnancy scan on a mother-to-be and will also get hands on experience by performing surgical stitching and suturing on dummy patients.

“We want our guests to leave with a good understanding of what a career in healthcare entails so our hands-on workshops give potential students a practical insight into what life really would be like, not just as an RCSI student, but in their career afterwards, whether that be as a doctor, pharmacist or physiotherapist,” said Prof McGee.