Length and structure
Foundation Year (FY) consists of two semesters - delivered from September to May of the first year in the six-year Medicine programme.
- Semester 1 (FY1) - from September to December
- Semester 2 (FY2) - from January to May
Each semester comprises direct-contact teaching weeks, one week of revision and two weeks of examinations.
FY will provide you with a solid grounding in the biomedical sciences and professionalism, as well as the necessary IT skills to operate efficiently within the College's virtual learning environment (VLE).
The course is delivered as a series of stand-alone five credit modules taught in a single semester and integrated, systems-based modules, delivered across two semesters.
The FY structure is as follows:
First semester
- Fundamentals of Medical Physics (5 credits)
- Fundamentals of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (5 credits)
- Fundamentals of Human Biology (5 credits)
Second semester
- Disease Diagnostics and Therapeutics (5 credits)
- Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (5 credits)
Both semesters
- Musculoskeletal System, Nervous System, Skin, Special Senses, Reproduction and Endocrine Systems (10 credits)
- Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Immune, Gastrointestinal and Excretory Systems (10 credits)
- Professionalism in the Health Sciences (10 credits)
- Biomedical Laboratory Sciences (5 credits)
Teaching styles
A blended approach to teaching and learning is applied. FY is delivered as:
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Small group teaching
- Laboratory practicals
- Electives
Tutorials serve to reinforce and enhance your understanding of the fundamental concepts covered in lectures and test your basic understanding through applied problems in a practical context.
Elective opportunities facilitate your growing awareness of the crucial roles that communication, culture, collaboration, critical thinking, medical ethics, information literacy, project management and self-reflection play in the professional practice of medicine.
Assessment
Each module is assessed independently by a combination of continuous assessment (laboratory write-ups, mid-semester MCQ assessments, reflective assignments, group projects) and summative end-of-semester MCQ and short note question (SNQ) papers.
Inter-Professional Education (IPE)
IPE is an important step in developing competent healthcare professionals, who work in teams with professionals from different disciplines and specialities.
At RCSI, students in Medicine, Physiotherapy and Pharmacy work in teams on inter-professional themed projects. Through learning together, you will understand more about the healthcare professionals you will work with in the future.
Throughout your course (from first to final year, in the classroom and clinical setting) you will come together with your colleagues in Pharmacy and Physiotherapy in a range of IPE-themed activities from stroke care, to diabetes, low back pain, frozen shoulder and infection control. Working in small groups, facilitated by your lecturers and tutors, you will work through clinical scenarios together; each student is bringing their professions' perspective to the discussion to develop an appropriate care plan for the patient.
Timetable
Below is an example of a typical week for an FY student.
Morning |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Tutorial |
|
Tutorial |
Tutorial |
IPE tutorial |
Small
group
tutorials |
|
Chemistry
practical
(group 3) |
Chemistry
practical
(group 4) |
Tutorial |
Chemistry
practical
(group 1) |
|
|
|
Lecture |
|
|
Tutorial |
Tutorial |
Lecture |
Afternoon |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Lecture |
Lecture |
Tutorial |
Tutorial |
Lecture |
Lecture |
Chemistry
practical
(group 2) |
|
|
Lecture |
Lecture |
|
|
|
|