1. In the following passage girl reflects on her current situation with her very sick mother.
“I always remember the days when she was okay. It wasn’t long ago, two years to be exact. I prefer the old days and often just sit there by her bedside, daydreaming about the past when we were able to talk and laugh together, while she sleeps. It is the memory of what used to be that keeps me going. She always sleeps.
I wish it would be possible to go back in time and re-live those memories once again. I know it is not possible, yet every day I wish for things to go back to the way they were. The memories are what I cling to and that sometimes helps me to deal with the issue.
We hardly talk anymore, mainly because she is always asleep and if she does wake up she is too tired. I feel exhausted too, waiting for her to overcome her illness. I wish she finally would and I could get my life back.”
The daughter relives her past...
A – Because she cannot interact with her mother in the mother’s current state.
B – Because she refuses to face the reality of her mother’s condition.
C – To get respite from the reality of her situation.
D – Because until her mother wakes up it is the only thing left for her to do.

2. Interpersonal Understanding Answer
Lesson 5 HPAT
Interpersonal Understanding
Answer
HPAT
A - Incorrect. While the girl cannot interact with her mother as much anymore, she does not state that this is the reason
for her daydreaming.
B – Incorrect. The girl wishes she could go back to the old days, however she accepts this is not possible due to her
mother’s condition when she says: “I know it is not possible, yet every day I wish for things to go back to the way they were”.
C – Correct. The girl states: “It is the memory of what used to be that keeps me going.”
It is clear that in this difficult time the girl uses the memories of happier times to escape the reality of her current situation.
D – Incorrect. We do not know anything about the girl’s situation outside of her mother’s state. The girl’s life is not
discussed, it may be busy and hectic, or it may be quiet and slow. This answer is not supported by the text.

3. Lesson 5 HPAT
HPAT:
The Health Professions Admission Test – Ireland (HPAT – Ireland)
Admissions test used to assist with the selection of students into medicine and health professions degree programs.
HPAT
Measures a candidate’s:
logical reasoning
problem solving skills
nonverbal reasoning
ability to understand the thoughts, behaviour and/or intentions of people.
The test is designed to complement academic achievement, by providing assessment of skills in the areas of reasoning understanding and working with people.
No more ‘Straight A’s med students with poor bedside manners!’

4. Lesson 5 HPAT
HPAT:
Strong focus on general skills and personal abilities.
These skills have been identified as important for a competent health professional.
The test does not test academic knowledge and candidates do not require special understanding of any academic discipline.
Usually taken in February of Leaving Cert Year. €130 cost. Results out late June.
3 Sections over 2.5 hours. All multiple choice. Reasonable Accommodation applies.
Up to 300 points can be scored in the HPAT Exam is a more realistic score.
These are added to the Leaving Cert student points* to give an overall points tally towards Medicine programmes.
HPAT

5. Lesson 5 HPAT
HPAT:
* Applicants must score a minimum of 480 points in their Leaving Cert.
If a student scores above 550 points then they will receive 1 extra point for each 5 leaving
cert points increment.
i.e. A leaving cert with points will be capped at 551 for Medicine application.
All Medicine applicant leaving cert scores are then combined with the HPAT scores to
from the final points presented for application.
Students often use ‘grind’ schools like MedEntry and often start their
preparation in the summer of 4th Year.
They said it could not be ‘grinded’ but ………
HPAT

6. Lesson 5 HPAT HPAT: Med Schools and Associated Points 2016 University
University College Dublin
730
Trinity College Dublin
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
725
University College Cork
726
National University of Ireland Galway
723
HPAT
Lowest required points last year was Galway, with a minimum combined points of 723.
Applicants needed a minimum of 157 in HPAT and 625 points in the Leaving Certificate.
A HPAT score of 210 would have needed only 513 points in the Leaving Certificate for entry into Galway last year. 

7. Lesson 5 HPAT HPAT: For those who miss out on medicine
Options available include:
If your Leaving Certificate points are high, but your HPAT is not, you can re-sit HPAT
(note that you can use this year's Leaving Certificate points for entry into medicine next year)
If your Leaving Certificate points are not high, you can re-sit both HPAT and Leaving Certificate
(note that HPAT scores are only valid for one year, so you will need to re-sit HPAT)
You can pursue graduate entry medicine (however, note that this is a more expensive and
time-consuming pathway, and there is uncertainty involved in terms of obtaining entry)
You can consider studying medicine in another country, such as the UK or Europe
HPAT also used for selection/elimination process for post grad entry courses like
Masters in Speech and Language Therapy UL
HPAT