Each week we explain the ins and outs of a job. Today, medicine and nursing.

What are my options?Medical students do a five-year degree, followed by a year at a hospital. Then they decide whether to embark on a hospital career or to enter general practice. Both entail years of further training. Nurses train to degree level in general, psychiatric or intellectual-disability nursing. They may then specialise further.

What sort of talents and qualities will I need?The importance of effective communication cannot be over-emphasised. You must enjoy working with and dealing with people. While a sympathetic and understanding manner is essential, you must also have the ability to detach yourself emotionally from upsetting situations.

Doctors need to be able to make decisions under pressure. Academic talent and dedication are vital. You must piece together a range of symptoms to diagnose and treat a sick person.

A nurse has a lot of contact with patients, some of whom may be difficult or frightened. You need to be resourceful and patient, with excellent observational skills and an attention to detail. Flexibility and an ability to work in a team are essential.

What Leaving Cert subjects should I be thinking about?Requirements vary from institution to institution. Most require two science subjects for medicine; some specify the subjects and grades. At Trinity College in Dublin, for example, medical students must have at least a higher-level grade B and a higher-level grade C in two of physics, chemistry, biology, physics & chemistry or agricultural science. Physics & chemistry may not be presented with physics or chemistry; agricultural science may not be presented with biology. General nursing at Trinity requires a grade D on the ordinary or higher paper in mathematics and in one of biology, physics, chemistry, physics & chemistry and agricultural science.

Think particularly in terms of chemistry and biology, which will help greatly in any nursing or medical degree. Make sure you know the minimum entry requirements at your chosen college.

What courses are available?Entry into medicine is very difficult. UCC, UCD, NUIG, TCD and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland provide undergraduate degrees in medicine. Points in the third round stood between 570 and 580 last year.

Nursing is available at Athlone, Dundalk, Galway-Mayo, Letterkenny and Waterford institutes of technology, as well as at DCU, NUIG, TCD, UL, UCD, UCC and St Angela's College Sligo. Points for entry range between 310 and 480.

Are any other routes available?Mature entry is possible in nursing but is very restricted for medicine. A postgraduate- medicine course will be introduced shortly, but don't put off your medical ambitions in the hope that any such course will be less competitive.

Application to Ucas, the UK entry system, is always a good option if you're going for very high points. Entry to medicine is still competitive, but it is not always as fierce as it is here.

What sort of work experience might help?If you are lucky enough to be offered some time shadowing hospital doctors or nurses, grab it with both hands, regardless of the area you are interested in. Write to your local hospital to see if it takes students. Work in the summer if you have to. Failing that, talk to any doctors or nurses you know about what they do from day to day. Your local GP won't be able to give you work experience, but he or she might be willing to talk about the job.

Volunteer at a nursing home or do social or charity work. Anything that enables you to work with people in a caring capacity will give you an idea about whether you have what it takes.

Whatever you do, go in with your eyes wide open, and use this year to find out as much as you can.

See www.careerdirections.iefor more information. Check prospectuses for exact college entry requirements