RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

RCSI, Your University

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences is a really unique institution. Founded in 1784 as the national provider of surgical training in Ireland, we have evolved in the years since to become one of the world’s leading health sciences universities, with a global reach and operations in Ireland, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Our students learn in a truly immersive environment where teaching, research, public policy and outreach activities focus singularly on building multi-disciplinary excellence in healthcare.

We are Ireland's only specialist health sciences university and the only Surgical Royal College in the world to offer undergraduate and graduate entry programmes in the disciplines of Medicine, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy and Advanced Therapeutic Technologies.

This makes RCSI globally distinctive in combining the deep clinical and health systems insights of a national professional body with the educational and research expertise of a world-leading health sciences university.

RCSI is ranked #1 in the world by Times Higher Education for our contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal Number 3 'Good Health and Well-being'. This reflects our commitment to supporting people of all ages to live healthy lives and our work to promote the concepts of well-being and positive health.

RCSI is one of only a few prestigious medical schools to be recognised by the ASPIRE programme, which assesses international excellence in education in a medical, dental or veterinary school. The ASPIRE programme follows a rigorous peer-review process to measure and benchmark medical schools for world-class excellence in education.

A deep professional responsibility to enhance human health through innovation and collaboration in education, research and service informs all that we do. We welcome students and researchers into programmes of academic excellence and a lifelong community of colleagues that is clinically led, nurturing and supportive, enabling them to realise their potential to serve our global patient community.

We remain committed to institutional independence, service, academic freedom, diversity and humanitarian concern. Our independence enables us to chart our own course in service of excellence in human health. Placing the patient at the centre of all that we do, our values of Respect, Collaboration, Scholarship and Innovation continue to unite and direct our purpose.

RCSI degrees are accredited via our compliance with the national qualifications agency Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) as well as professional regulators across each discipline.

Research and Innovation

RCSI is a research-intensive university and we are widely recognised for leading pioneering research which has resulted in discoveries that are having a profound effect on the understanding and treatment of many diseases and disorders; and on better management of healthcare systems.

RCSI Principal Investigators receive competitive funding from a wide range of sources including government agencies and other national sponsors in Ireland as well as internationally – for example through the European Union where

RCSI researchers have had significant success through prestigious awards from the European Research Council – as well as from industry who we work closely with to ensure rapid translation of research to clinical and patient-benefit.

Our research is focused on translational research: clinical, laboratory-based and health service research informed by bedside problems and societal and global health challenges. It is focused on innovative research that leads to improved diagnostics, therapeutics and devices; tackles important healthcare delivery issues; informs policy and clinical practice and enhances the quality of education of healthcare professionals.

As an exclusively health sciences-focused education and research institution with strong links to acute hospitals, RCSI is uniquely placed to develop and enhance research for the benefit of patients and to improve human health. Our strategic research themes include:

• Biomaterials & Regenerative Medicine
• Cancer
• Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders
• Population Health and Health Services
• Surgical Science & Practice
• Vascular Biology

Our Campus

RCSI is a city campus located in the heart of Dublin city centre. Every element of the campus is designed with our students in mind, ensuring an immersive and enriching educational and social experience.

123 St Stephen's Green is our main campus building and one of the most iconic buildings in Dublin. It was RCSI’s first permanent address and the combined surgical college and health sciences university has been based on the site since 1810. Countless healthcare careers have been launched here during the last three centuries and it continues as an incredible place to learn - to become a healthcare professional or scientist; or to undertake advanced postgraduate training in research or professional roles.

Our flagship building, 26 York Street, is a world class environment enabling a truly transformative learning experience. It is the most advanced clinical healthcare simulation centre in Europe. This 10-storey building is an award-winning teaching, research and recreational facility. Its centrepiece is the 12,000sq.ft multi-disciplinary National Surgical & Clinical Skills Centre, mirroring a real hospital environment with its clinical skills training rooms, operating theatre and clinical training wards.

RCSI, Your journey
At RCSI, we offer five internationally-recognised undergraduate degree programmes; Medicine, Graduate Entry Medicine, Pharmacy, Advanced Therapeutic Technologies and Physiotherapy, across three schools.

We also offer flexible and multi-disciplinary taught postgraduate programmes from certificate to masters level. Programmes including Nursing, Surgery, Medicine, Ethics, Human Factors, Positive Health, Healthcare Leadership and Management provide the skills students need to develop as a leader in their chosen field. Innovative research programmes at PhD, MD, MSc or MCh level offered at RCSI help to drive research discoveries for the benefit of patients.

All our students have the best possible learning experience. Students are at the centre of all our programmes and our curricula are innovative, future-focused and integrated. During their learning journey, we work together with students to help them achieve academic success.

All our curricula have an intensive focus on acquiring excellent clinical and communication skills and understanding the central tenets of personal and professional identity formation. Our students are taught by award-winning RCSI academics, clinicians and researchers.

We follow a positive education approach. This combines the science of positive psychology with teaching best practice and encourages and supports students, allowing them to flourish. Our approach to learning actively promotes positive growth, resilience and well-being.

When studying at RCSI, students work alongside peers across the key disciplines of Medicine, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy and Advanced Therapeutic Technologies. This allows for the development of inter-professional collaboration techniques and practices which will prepare students for professional experience in their chosen field upon graduation.

In our undergraduate Medicine programmes, students begin interacting with patients in the first few weeks and will take part in immersive clinical placements. They also develop their research skills and take part in exciting and engaging research projects, including the Research Summer School.

Extracurricular programmes like the RCSI Student Engagement Programme (StEP) allow all students to work with our staff on bespoke projects to drive positive change throughout the university. Students also have the opportunity to collaborate internationally and undertake electives involving direct patient clinical care in some of the world’s leading hospitals.

We pride ourselves on our global approach to education, promoting mobility and global citizenship in everything we do. Postgraduate students are provided with numerous funded opportunities to travel to other universities and global healthcare settings, as well as collaborating with industry. Our medical graduates are extremely successful in progressing to postgraduate training outside Ireland and enjoy consistently high ‘match rates’ for residency places.

Our city-centre campus is located right in the heart of Dublin and is built to meet the needs of current and future students. RCSI's flagship 26 York Street building is home to the main RCSI library, and to the most advanced clinical healthcare simulation centre in Europe. This is an award-winning teaching, research and recreational facility spanning 10 floors.

RCSI students enjoy many opportunities to get involved in university life, participate in sports and fitness activities, create memories, and make friendships to last a lifetime. There are lots of extracurricular activities to choose from at RCSI, as well as our campus fitness centre and gym catering to all students.

Your Future

At RCSI, our number one priority is helping students to realise their potential as a healthcare professional. We pride ourselves on producing graduates who are knowledgeable in the science of their discipline and highly skilled practitioners.

RCSI-trained clinicians are highly sought-after by leading employers and join a global alumni network with more than 30,000 healthcare professionals working across 96 countries.

Careers-focused education

Our programmes ensure that our students possess the knowledge, skills, self-awareness, professionalism, resilience and leadership abilities needed to excel in a clinical environment. From the first day, we focus on preparing our students for their career as a healthcare professional in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.

Tailored career supports

Our Career Design Centre offers a tailored programme for each student to support every stage of their career from the moment become a student up until three years post-qualification.

Our Career Design Centre provides tailored resources to support all students in identifying, developing and pursuing their career aspirations. All of these supports are available to students from their first year at RCSI right up to three years after they graduate.

Career options

 RCSI students are extremely successful in progressing to internship in Ireland and enjoy consistently high match rates for residencies in the UK, Middle East, North America and Southeast Asia.

Our Careers Team supports our students in progressing their career after graduation. From CV-enhancing professional activities, to applying and preparing for medical licensing exams and residency places, we support our students every step of the way.

Global alumni network

Our alumni enjoy close connections with RCSI and with each other. As an RCSI graduate, students receive the support of a global community of eminent RCSI Alumni. Our alumni assist them in identifying research and clinical electives opportunities and support them in deciding on a specialty and a region in which to practice.

10 reasons to study at RCSI
1. We are focused exclusively on the health sciences and we have a unique surgical heritage.
2. You will study in the most advanced clinical healthcare simulation and experiential learning centre in Europe.
3. We lead pioneering research and you will be exposed to research opportunities alongside leading research minds across the spectrum of clinical and biomedical research.
4. We have a global impact in enhancing human health and we are recognised for our educational excellence.
5. You will enjoy a vibrant student life and will make friendships to last a lifetime.
6. You will be part of an international community with 28,000 Alumni from 98 different countries.
7. All our programmes have innovative curricula with a focus on career readiness, personal and professional identity through interwoven themes of professionalism, resilience, wellbeing and leadership.
8. On clinical programmes, you will experience early clinical exposure and heavy involvement in teaching from clinicians.
9. You will receive careers and professional supports extending from individual advice to careers symposia and flexible mentorship programmes.
10. We are located at the heart of Dublin city centre, an English-speaking European capital city.

Visit rcsi.com/dublin to find out more about studying at RCSI, Dublin.

Employing over 1,100 staff from over 45 nationalities, RCSI provides an exciting and challenging environment for committed and talented people to pursue their career with one of Ireland's leading higher education institutions dedicated to medicine and health professions education and research.

RCSI is a truly international institution, headquartered in Dublin with two medical schools in Malaysia (Perdana University-RCSI in Kuala Lumpur and RCSI UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC) in Penang), an Institute of Leadership in Dubai and a Medical University in Bahrain.

RCSI is passionate about sourcing, attracting, engaging, developing and retaining the best people for all of our campuses globally. With an international presence across three continents, career opportunities may arise in RCSI academic, research or professional positions for suitably qualified health professionals, researchers or scientists.