Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

The selection criteria and process for admission to medical schools is a matter for the medical schools and universities in line with their statutory autonomy in academic affairs.

The new entry process for admission to medical schools was introduced on foot of a recommendation of the Fottrell working group on undergraduate medical education and training that entry to undergraduate medical education programmes should not be exclusively determined by reference to leaving certificate performance. The report of the Fottrell working group had been endorsed by the Government in 2006 to form the basis for a programme of reform and expansion of medical education and training. The new mechanism which was introduced by the medical schools in 2009 is based on a combination of leaving certificate results and performance in an independent admissions test, HPAT, designed to measure students' problem solving, understanding and reasoning skills.

A research group comprising representation from the Council of Deans of Faculties with Medical Schools of Ireland, admission officers, the Central Applications Office, Irish medical education experts and international advisers has been established for the purpose of ongoing evaluation of the new entry process. The work of this group will also inform a review of the new entry mechanism which will be undertaken within three years of its introduction. I have been informed that the research group is examining the performance of candidates in 2009 and 2010 and in particular the performance of candidates who sat HPAT for the second time in 2010. I am informed that the analysis of these results is ongoing but is expected to be completed shortly and will be made publicly available.

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