Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Mitchell O'Connor for raising this matter. The determination of selection criteria and processes for admission to medical schools is a matter for the universities and the medical schools in line with their statutory autonomy in academic affairs. A new entry process for admission to medical schools was introduced in 2009 on foot of a recommendation of the Fottrell working group on undergraduate medical education and training. The report of the Fottrell working group formed the basis for a programme of wide ranging reform and expansion of medical education and training in Ireland. These reforms also provided for an increase in the number of undergraduate places from 305 to 485 and the introduction of a new graduate entry medicine programme with 240 places annually.

The report recommended that leaving certificate results should no longer be the sole selection method for entry to medical education at undergraduate level and that a two stage mechanism should be applied consisting of the results obtained in leaving certificate and a standardised admissions test which would assess non-academic skills and attributes regarded as important for the practice of medicine. The new entry 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.

At the outset the medical schools committed to a review of the new entry mechanism within three years of its introduction. On foot of this commitment, a national research group evaluating revised entry and selection mechanisms to medicine was convened under the auspices of the council of deans of faculties of medical schools in Ireland in 2009. The research group comprised representatives from the academic medical education staff of each medical school, university admission officers and the Central Applications Office. Several international medical education experts have advised the group and continue to do so.

The research group has undertaken a comprehensive evaluation to determine the educational impact, reliability, validity and stakeholder acceptability of the new entry and selection approach. An interim report has recently been completed by the group and is due to be published on the websites of the medical schools in the next few days. I have been advised that the findings of the report of the research group will now be considered by the academic councils in the five institutions concerned. Approval of the academic councils would be required for any possible modifications to the operation of the admissions test.

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