Medical ScienceEolaíocht Leighis

Leaving Certificate Requirements

Mature Applicants

Applications from mature students (23+) are welcome. Further details at www.tudublin.ie/mature

Additional Requirements

TU Dublin students must undergo Garda Vetting. They must complete the required documentation, including a full list of all previous addresses, in order for clearance checks to be made. Currently, Irish addresses are vetted by the Garda Vetting Bureau at no cost to the student.

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website. Applicants for this course should have a minimum IELTS (Academic Version) English Proficiency of 6.5 overall (or equivalent) with nothing less than 6 in each component.

Medical Science is the science related to medical conditions, their causes, diagnosis and treatment. This course provides multi-disciplinary training and clinical laboratory placement in all Biomedical Science disciplines, so that you may work in any of the following areas in pathology: Clinical Chemistry, Clinical Immunology, Clinical Cytology, Cellular Pathology, Haematology, Medical Microbiology, Molecular Diagnostics, and Transfusion Science.

Year 1 covers the core sciences and introduces you to Biomedical Science. Year 2 includes Immunology, Cell and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, as well as a module in each of the five major diagnostic pathology biomedical disciplines.

In your final year, you study core modules in Molecular Diagnostics, Professional Skills and Quality Systems, and Research Methods and Data Interpretation, and select two further modular options from Clinical Chemistry, Cellular Pathology, Haematology, Transfusion Science, Medical Microbiology and Clinical Immunology.

You then undertake a 12-week research project, hosted in a hospital pathology laboratory, a national reference site, an international research centre (under the Erasmus/Socrates scheme) or in a research facility in TU Dublin.

Study Abroad Opportunities

In final year, you may elect to undertake a 12-week research project in an international research centre (under the Erasmus/Socrates scheme). The School of Biological Sciences currently has the following EU partners for Research Project Placement: Belgium – Gent University, KU Leuven and Odisee University College; France – University of Lille and University of Limoges; Portugal – University of Coimbra; Spain – University of Navarra, and Sweden – University of Gothenburg, Karolinska Institute and Uppsala University.

Work Placement

In Year 3, you will undertake a 30-week Clinical Laboratory Placement in a hospital pathology laboratory. You thus will have completed both the Clinical Laboratory Placement and an honours degree in Biomedical Science, required for eligibility to practice as a medical scientist in clinical pathology laboratories in Ireland.

Professional Accreditation

This degree, which is accredited by both the Academy of Clinical Science and Laboratory Medicine (Ireland) and the Institute of Biomedical Science (UK), is recognised for employment in both public and private pathology and research labs, and Biomedical Science positions worldwide.

There are many opportunities for Medical Science graduates in both diagnostic pathology laboratories in the Health Service and in research laboratories. You would be eligible to work as a medical/biomedical scientist in clinical diagnostic pathology laboratories in Ireland, the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

• Medical Scientist
• Pathology Lab Technician

Graduate Employers

• HSE
• In vitro diagnostic companies
• Private hospital laboratories
• Research laboratories

 Advanced Entry is not being offered to this course in 2024.

On graduation, you may also proceed to postgraduate studies leading to the award of MSc, MPhil or PhD at research institutes and universities worldwide.