Welcome to RCSEye!

​Q1. How long is the course?

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RCSI’s Advanced Therapeutic Technology course is a 4 year degree programme.

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Q2. Where do I have class?

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ATT students have class in our city center campus across several buildings including 26 York St, 123 St Stephens Green, York House, and the Mercer Building.

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Q3. Could you give a quick overview of ATT?

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“It is a 4 year Level 8 BSc science degree. The programme aims to address the future-focused needs of the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland. Students develop a mix of skills during the 4 years. For example there is a big emphasis on the latest scientific discoveries and innovations, precision medicine and development of power skills to make us workplace ready."

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Q4. What modules do you study in Semester 1, Year 1? Are they difficult, interesting?

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“Year 1 is an introduction to the basic principles in the fundamental sciences and laboratory skills. You will gain a basic understanding of the anatomy, physiology and biochemistry of the human body. You will also recognise and appreciate ethical and legal concepts which apply to professional scientific practice. Students start to develop their power skills which are a key requirement of graduate employers. You will also develop an understanding of immunology and microbiology, along with the key principles of drug delivery. The labs where we work are fascinating and really help to further explain the content that is taught in the lectures."

An example of modules covered in Semester 1 include:
The Cellular Basis of Life
Health - Body and Function
Fundamentals of Medicinal and
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Medicines - Pharmaceutics 1
Foundations of Data Analytics
The Scientist: Professional Formation 1

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Q5. What advice would you give students preparing for first year of the ATT programme?

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"ATT is such a broad course, meaning that there is lots of different areas to cover! What is really nice about the course is that all modules tie in together and eventually make sense! The best thing to do will be to keep on top of your study each week, be open to new modules that you may have not even heard of before and ask as many questions as you need!"

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Q6. How does first year differ from other years?

 

"In first year, we take some modules with MPharm students to grasp the basic understanding of the human body and the principles of drug delivery. We also take modules like statistics and data analytics. Them from second year onwards, we focus on our ATT-specific modules which differ from the MPharm curriculum. There is a big emphasis put on things such as specialised therapeutics and health technologies as you progress through the programme."​

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Q7. What is the placement comprised of?

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“The placement is for a duration of 8 months and ATT students are taken on as full time employees. This means that we are working as part of the team and get paid for the work we do. There are so many different avenues for the placement, with many students option for (Bio)pharmaceutical and related industries."

 

"The ATT placement gives students the opportunity to bring what they have learned in the classroom to life in a real-world setting, and allows us to see the results of what we have learned and studied. It enables us to expand our professional networks, find an area of interest and gain practical experience for when we graduate and are looking for jobs".

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Q8. What type of career opportunities are there for an ATT graduate?

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“ATT allows for many options post-graduation. Students can find opportunities in many areas, including (Bio)pharma industry positions such as drug development and delivery, pharmacology and computational biology to name but a few".

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Q9. What type of student would be interested in ATT?

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“If you are someone who enjoys science, biology and healthcare, however would prefer not to be in a patient-facing role, then you should definitely consider ATT."

"Students who are interested in latest developments in technology will also love this course as it keeps us up to date with everyday trends and advancements."

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Q10. What is it like studying in RCSI?

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“"Studying at RCSI is a bit different to other universities. It's smaller, so you get to know people well, even people doing different courses. The class sizes are also small, so its great for getting personalised help from the lecturers. There are so many opportunities to get involved with the clubs and societies we have on campus, which help alleviate any academic- related stress and meet other students! The fact that RCSI is based in Dublin City Centre means that there is always a buzz around the college and it is so easy to hit the shops or grab lunch and sit in St.Stephen's Green park!"​

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Q11. Why did you decide to study ATT?

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“I wanted a career that was in healthcare and didn't know where in the healthcare system I wanted to work. ATT combines a lot of medical sciences degrees into one and that opens a lot of doors for me in the future, to work anywhere really in the healthcare industry."

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Q12. How many hours of class do you have each week?

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“When I was in year 1, semester 1 was very theory based with you getting all the building blocks of pharmacy like chemistry and pharmaceutics. However, in semester 2, we began to get more clinical skills as well as continuing theory (which is the structure for all the system based modules like cardiovascular and respiratory!!) I enjoyed this combined way of learning as I was able to increase my knowledge through lectures and study as well as improve my practical skills in labs and hospital visits."

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Q13. Are exams a mixture of continuous assessment, assignments, group work etc.?

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"We do everything. For all modules, you sit an exam at the end but you will also be required to do some form of a continuous assessment such as group projects, labs and written tasks."

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Q14. What is the transition like from high school to first year of the ATT programme?

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"In comparison to high school, the learning environment will be much different.  There is a lot of individual learning and study, however there are lots of mentors to help keep all the students on track. The best thing for you to do will be to attend your lectures and keep on top of all your coursework and you will have no issues! Take accountability for your work and embrace the challenge."

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Q15. What is your favourite thing about ATT at RCSI?

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"There are so many things that I love about RCSI. The fact that everyone in our year is so friendly and willing to help makes such a big difference. The course size is quite small, so it was super easy to make lifelong friends from the start, and this also helps when things get a little bit more challenging as the programme advances. There is a huge support from lecturers and all academic staff who are readily available to give you help where needed!"