RCSI Advanced Therapeutic Technologies Q&A: Modules, Placement, Careers

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences offers Advanced Therapeutic Technologies (ATT), a four-year undergraduate programme combining science, data analytics, professional skills, and an eight-month industry placement. In this video, three ATT student ambassadors — Aisha (Year 3), Ella (Year 2), and Ciara (Year 2) — answer questions submitted by prospective students through the RCSI Student Life Instagram, covering everything from daily workload and social life to job opportunities and why they chose RCSI. What you will learn in this video What students enjoy most about studying ATT at RCSI and how it differs from a standard science degree What the workload is like across all four years, including how assessments are structured What the social life is like at RCSI and how ATT students build a work-life balance What modules ATT students study, including science, data analytics, and professional formation What a typical day in Year 1 looks like What career paths ATT graduates pursue, from clinical trials and data analytics to consultancy and medical devices What the Year 3 eight-month industry placement involves and how RCSI supports students in securing it What student supports are available at RCSI, including academic, health, financial, and career services Why each ambassador chose RCSI and ATT specifically What is Advanced Therapeutic Technologies (ATT)? ATT is RCSI's undergraduate programme for students who want a career at the intersection of health science, data, and industry — without following a traditional patient-facing clinical path. The course combines laboratory science, data analytics, computer-based analysis, project management, enterprise and innovation, and professional formation modules. In Year 3, students complete an eight-month industry placement from January to August, which can be completed in Ireland or abroad across a wide range of sectors including pharmaceutical manufacturing, clinical trials, quality assurance, research, and healthcare consultancy. ATT students share modules with Pharmacy in Year 1 and have some shared modules with Physiotherapy and foundation year Medicine students. From Year 2, the programme specialises. Cohort sizes are small — approximately 60 to 70 students per year — meaning students develop close relationships with peers, lecturers, and faculty throughout the programme. How ATT differs from a science degree ATT is described by the ambassadors as offering versatility that a standard science degree does not. Graduates are not limited to laboratory or manufacturing roles. Career pathways discussed in this video include clinical trials, research, data analytics, quality control, quality assurance, validation engineering, medical devices, healthcare consultancy, and cancer drug development. The programme's data analytics and coding components use statistical and computational tools rather than traditional mathematics, and students are provided with a laptop device capable of handling large data sets. Student supports at RCSI RCSI's student support services discussed in this video include the Compass careers team (offering CV support, interview preparation, and one-to-one mock interview sessions), a Peer Mentor programme for Year 1 students, personal tutors, a counselling service, access to Mercer's Medical Centre, and a free on-campus gym for undergraduate students. The ambassadors emphasise that students are encouraged to ask for support early and that reasonable academic adjustments are available through a structured referral process. Find out more about ATT at RCSI: https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/student-life Connect with RCSI student ambassadors on Unibuddy: https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/student-life Follow RCSI Student Life on Instagram: @rcsi_studentlife 00:00 Introduction: meet the ATT student ambassadors 00:17 Favourite part about studying ATT 02:27 What is the workload like? 05:27 What is the social life like at RCSI? 08:57 How is ATT different from a science degree? 09:39 Do ATT students share classes with Medicine, Pharmacy, and Physio? 10:10 How big is the ATT class? 11:10 Do you need to be good at maths for ATT? 12:34 What modules do ATT students study? 13:52 What is a day in the life like in Year 1? 15:35 What are the job opportunities for ATT graduates? 18:41 Year 3 placement: what is it and how does RCSI support you? 20:57 Why choose RCSI for ATT? 27:20 What student supports are available at RCSI? 33:25 Outro #RCSI #AdvancedTherapeuticTechnologies #HealthSciencesDegree