THIRTY-TWO doctors graduated from the State’s first graduate entry medical school at the University of Limerick yesterday.
Established in 2007, the graduate entry medical school programme at the college is open to graduates from any discipline. Among those who graduated with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degrees (BM BS) were students with undergraduate degrees as varied as music, education and commerce.
Mike O’Callaghan, who studied mechanical engineering when he left school, graduated top of his class and received the first prize for overall performance.
Dr O’Callaghan (27) from Bruff, Co Limerick, also completed a master’s in computers and worked for Intel for two years before he decided to take up medicine.
“I worked at engineering for a while and I had an idea of the career path and where it was going for me but medicine was always something I wanted to do and when the opportunity came to study in Limerick, where I’m from, I decided to take it,” he said.
Former secondary school teacher, Brian King from Galway, taught maths and chemistry for four years at the Dominican College girls secondary school in Taylors Hill, before he decided to become a doctor.
Dr King (30), who was awarded gold medals in paediatrics and surgery, hopes to specialise in paediatrics when he finishes his internship next year.
University president Prof Don Barry said the medical school was an illustration of the pioneering ethos at the college. Founding director of the school Prof Paul Finucane said the diverse undergraduate backgrounds of the students enriched the programme.