BRIAN TREACY(18) is a Leaving Cert student at the Presentation Brothers College, Mardyke, Cork and spent the week preparing for the Health Professions Admission Test (HPAT)
THURSDAY
I’ve actually been sick with a throat infection for the past seven days – not handy at all. It’s mid-term and today was the first day I made it to the library. Still, better to be sick this week than next but the pressure is really on now.
I got to the library for about 10.30am and I did a fair few online practice drills. The Health Professions Admission Test (HPAT) has totally taken over study-wise. My pres have gone down the drain. I’m not too worried. Other people who managed to get med the first time told me that they got 100 points more in the actual Leaving Cert than they did in the pres. I wouldn’t be the greatest studier. I find the things I enjoy really easy and I have no problem putting the time in. I’d be a bit of a crammer for the other stuff.
FRIDAY
Today I studied from nine until one, just doing loads of HPAT drills on section three. I’m getting a lot more of those right. I tried doing a bit of Leaving Cert maths study in the afternoon but it was a lost cause so I ended up doing more drills.
If you had asked me what I thought of the HPAT before it came in, I would have said that it was a good idea. The principle of finding people who are suited to medicine is a good one but the reality is that it’s just as unfair as the CAO. I mean, most of the people in my year who are going for medicine are doing some sort of study course for it.
I did a two-day seminar just after Christmas and in those two days, my scores went up by 30 or 40 per cent. As part of the package with the seminar I have access to mock tests and drills so I’ve been working through those since. But I mean those courses cost a lot of money. Not everyone has spare money so you’re basically segregating people. You’d be much better off having an interview. That would help weed out the people who can do all of the thinking but none of the talking.
I’m going out tonight. Most people went out last night but I couldn’t because of my throat. A couple of us are going on a pub crawl. I’ll still be studying tomorrow though.
SATURDAY
It was great to get out last night but to be honest I didn’t get much done today. I did some drills but not as much as I would have wanted. Normally I’d be pretty relaxed about missing a day like that but this was frustrating.
SUNDAY
I did a full practice test this morning – highest-ever result. I’m delighted. The test takes three hours and then there are all the corrections so it takes a while. I did another this afternoon. We had a family lunch and I did some exercise after that. You can get twitchy if you study for too long so a bit of exercise is great.
I was very involved in rugby up until last year, but training three or four times a week just wasn’t going to be possible with all this going on. I have a life outside study – I do cheerleading for the rugby and I’m a prefect and deputy head boy in school but something’s got to give I suppose.
MONDAY
Up at 5.45am and started studying at 6am to get an hour in before school. My parents gave me a note explaining that I can’t do homework this week because I’m trying to get as much as possible done for the exam. The teachers have been really understanding. It’d be impossible to do all your homework and then launch into a mock HPAT.
Your result depends, not on how you do in the test, but rather how well you do in comparison to everybody else. I did one this evening and I got my highest score yet. I got 74th percentile for section A, 100th for section B and 85th for section C. Brilliant. It’s all moving in the right direction. I’ll do some corrections in a short while and finish them before school tomorrow morning. I’ve four more mock exams left to do.
I try to get up early and go to bed early. I’ve noticed that if you’re in any way tired or distracted for the HPAT, that’s when you do badly so I’m just going to have to make sure I stay focused on Saturday.
It’s a lot of work. It was really brought home to me by a lad who got medicine last year and came in to talk to us. He said that the HPAT is 300 points. That’s three Leaving Cert subjects. When you think of all the work you put in to one subject you get an idea of the kind of commitment this takes.
TUESDAY
There’s no single reason I’m choosing to do medicine. On a surface level, biology and chemistry are my best subjects. I can’t seem to do well in business studies – nothing sticks – but biology just makes sense to me. I’ve always been big into fitness and health. I suppose that started with the rugby. I had never played before first year but then by third year everything got so serious. You had to start watching yourself – nutrition, fitness, sleep – everything to get faster, fitter, healthier. I love the concept of looking after health. Im fascinated by medical developments.
I know it’ll be tough but I don’t mind. If you like something, you’ll continue no matter how tough it gets. I remember reading about the life of a junior doctor and it looked like a warzone but I think I’d enjoy that challenge.
I did an hour of corrections before school this morning and I did another HPAT test. 85th, 95th and 85th percentiles in the three sections. Great.
WEDNESDAY
I had to miss a Senior Cup match today to do a test. So disappointing. It was a good match too. Anyway, I didn’t do so well in section one today but I did really well in the other two. It’ll be really useful to do the corrections on section one I think. I’m taking tomorrow off. I’ll do the final two tests and the corrections and then that’s it. I’ll go to school on Friday but I’m finished my work for the HPAT. You have to be focused in the exam on Saturday and I’ll be better at that if I’m rested.
I was really nervous at the beginning of the week but now I’m feeling quite good about it. Not too good now – that could be a problem. Hopefully it’ll go well.
THIS WEEK I WAS . . .
Watching
Nothing - seriously, there was no time
Reading
Before this week I was reading The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. I’ll get back to it after Saturday.
Browsing
Facebook. Other than that I checked what ID I need on the day of the HPAT.
Listening
Again, nothing. I lost my iPod and I use my laptop for listening to music. Not this week!
