Most people's view of medical schools is coloured by the still popular, if dated, series of Doctor in ...... films from the 1950s. Dirk Bogarde was the handsome and hapless medical student and James Robertson Justice the growling senior consultant. Scenes of students fainting at their first anatomy lesson are etched indelibly on many people's memories.

Founded in 1784, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) might appear to be an ideal candidate to fulfil the stereotype portrayed in these pieces of cinema, but nothing could be further from the truth. True, the college's landmark building on St Stephen's Green reeks of history, including a central role in the 1916 Rising, but while the bricks may be dated, the activities of the college certainly are not.

This is exemplified by the choice of key themes of the RCSI registrar, Professor Kevin O'Malley, when he talks about the college - diversification of programmes and the use of information technology in education and training. This latter area is one where RCSI leads the field in Ireland, and not only among its fellow medical colleges.

The RCSI was probably Ireland's first "wired" third-level college with all students being issued with laptop computers to assist them with their studies. "I see information technology providing us with the opportunity of reaching people on a global basis and not just in Ireland," he says. "It brings us closer to the notion of the university without walls, where people can access material at any time, from any place, at their own convenience."

The college has already launched its BeST course - electronic Basic Surgical Training. This Internet-based programme offers trainee surgeons a complete programme in basic surgery. It contains 18 modules and trainees can take it in their own time and at their own pace and in their own place. "We see this as a model for the way education is going," says Prof O'Malley. "We are looking at projects with other partners in medical education using this model."

This form of distance education will not replace the more traditional direct model, however. "Generally speaking we are providing the theory for the underlying practice," he says. "Surgeons will still learn the techniques and skills of their profession in a clinical setting under a supervisor. What BeST does is provide a knowledge base that supports clinical practice. This will be a prototype for similar programmes in a large number of specialities."

Already the college is planning to provide the education element of the anaesthesia course in this way. It is hoped to do this in conjunction with the College of Anaesthetics.

Apart from leading the way in IT, the college has long been a standard bearer of multiculturalism with three quarters of its 1,000 students coming from overseas. "We have students from 40 different countries," says Prof O'Malley. "But they are mainly from North America, Malaysia, the Middle East and Norway."

This balance in favour of overseas students dates back 30 years or more when the perception was that there was no reason to train significant numbers of Irish doctors. "This was a time when resources where very scarce and the economy was not as healthy as it is now. It was thought that there were enough doctors in the country. I wouldn't comment on whether that view was right or wrong but at the RCSI our view would be that the market should decide on such things. In any case, it became our policy 30 years ago to take in students from those countries that needed more doctors."

The college has built up a very strong brand for itself over those three decades. "The strength of our brand is very valuable to us," says Prof O'Malley. "But it is not simply a function of having been around for a long time. That doesn't entitle us to anything. It is the result of hard work by successive Councils and the staff of the college who went out and marketed the services we offer. We have earned our reputation. It's not there as of right."

This strong brand identity has served the college well. "Our market research shows that most of our students come here on the basis of word of mouth," he says.

ANOTHER key activity for the college is research. "Our research activity has mushroomed over the past three to five years, largely thanks to the new Higher Education Authority funding," says Prof O'Malley. "We have been very successful in receiving funding under the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) and this has enhanced our research activities by an order of magnitude. Research expenditure now represents a significant proportion of the college's annual expenditure.

"Research is a key indicator of the quality of a third-level institution. We're concentrating on biopharmaceutical research and, within that, we put a high value on strategic alliances with other organisations, both commercial and educational. We have significant links to TCD, UCC and Maynooth and we are planning collaboration with UCD and possibly DIT in the future."

Underpinning this research activity is the recent opening of a new 48,000 square foot clinical sciences building at Beaumont Hospital. The £10 million building is the first of its kind in Ireland and incorporates state-of-the-art teaching facilities, space for postgraduate teaching, surgical training, clinical research and in-patient and out-patient facilities.

Alongside this development, the college is planning a significant diversification of its services. Last year a school of physiotherapy was started, a school of pharmacy is planned for as early as the coming autumn and a school of nursing may open in 2002. "The timing of these depends on a number of variables - we will require more space and we have plans to expand the facilities on campus."

With its improved research facilities, links with other colleges and organisations, and the diversification of its courses and services, the RCSI is well positioned to build on its already excellent brand.