Frequently Asked Questions

The NCHD contract requires all junior doctors participating in a structured training programme to hold trainee specialist division registration. 

The NCHD contract requires all junior doctors participating in a structured training programme to hold trainee specialist division registration. Given the Training Bodies' role in the selection of trainees to training programmes and the subsequent proposal of such trainees to employment positions within the health service, it is required that all applicants to training programmes would either hold or be eligible to hold registration on the trainee specialist division.

Following amendments to the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 in 2020, all doctors who are eligible for registration in the General Division are now also eligible for registration in the Trainee Specialist Division.

The Medical Council (IMC) have advised that the following candidates (A-E) can be automatically considered eligible for the trainee specialist division:

Note: Doctors who qualified in an EU member state other than one of the above will be required to provide, inaddition to their medical degree, any additional documentation stated in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC, in order to establish eligibility for registration. Example, a doctor who qualifies in Poland will be asked to provide a LEK in addition to his/her medical degree when applying for registration.

All other candidates must provide proof of their eligibility to the general/trainee division at time of application to the IMC.

Doctors who have qualified outside the EU must pass or be exempt from the pre-registration exam, the PRES, to establish eligibility for General and/or Trainee Specialist registration.

Equivalent internship exemption

The Medical Council recognises internships undertaken in the following countries as equivalent and applicants for registration who have completed one of these internships will be exempt from the PRES:

• UK (Foundation Year 1)
• Australia
• Malaysia
• New Zealand
• Pakistan where the internship was commenced after 31st December 2008 (note: the rotations must meet the standards of an Irish internship)
• Sudan 
• South Africa where the internship was commenced after 1st July 2006
• Malta

Higher qualification exemption

Exemptions from the PRES can be granted to applicants who hold a listed higher qualification and have either undertaken an internship of at least twelve months which comprised of a minimum of three months in medicine in general and three months in surgery in general OR have completed a minimum of three years in an accredited training programme. Visit www.MedicalCouncil.ie for further information

• First time applicants for registration who have qualified in the EU should submit their application for registration 8 weeks in advance of their commencement date.
• Non-EU qualified doctors should apply at least 12- 16 weeks in advance.

Please note the Medical Council cannot confirm a doctor's eligibility for trainee specialist registration until anapplication for registration has been submitted to the Council and assessed. Note that it will take between 4 to 6 weeks before an application is fully examined and confirmation of a doctor's eligibility for trainee specialist registration cannot be provided before that time. Candidates are advised to apply to the Medical Council for registration and following submission of an application contact the Medical Council to seek an email confirming eligibility to the trainee division. This email confirming eligibility must be submitted with your application.

Applicants who have qualified outside the EU must pass or be exempt from the PRES to establish eligibility for registration in the Trainee Specialist Division. They must also have completed an internship which is recognised by the Medical Council as equivalent to an Irish internship.

The Medical Council recognises internships undertaken in the following countries as equivalent:

• Australia
• Malaysia
• New Zealand
• Pakistan where the internship was commenced after 31st December 2008 (note: the rotations must meet the standards of an Irish internship)• Sudan• South Africa where the internship was commenced after 1st July 2006
• UK
• Malta

The ability to communicate clearly with patients and colleagues is a key requirement for all healthcare professionals. 

The ability to communicate clearly with patients and colleagues is a key requirement for all healthcare professionals. Proficiency in the English language is therefore a core competency for NCHDs working in the Irish public health service.

Under Section 6 Standard Duties and Responsibilities of NCHD Contract 2010, NCHDs are required to be able to communicate effectively with patients and clients; and comply with statutory and regulatory requirements, corporate policies and procedures and human resource policies and procedures. 

The English language requirements for NCHDs are universally applicable. There is no distinction between training, non-training, intern or any other category or grouping.

Requirement for all NCHDs

Exemptions of IELTS/OET

Applicants that do not meet any of the exemptions outlined above are required to submit a valid, in date IELTS/OET certificate – see guidance below. 

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) certificate with an overall band score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 6.5 in each of the four domains – reading, writing, listening and speaking - on the academic test. The test must be undertaken no more than two years prior to the date of it being submitted at application stage.

Or

OET (Occupational English Test) certificate with an overall minimum grade of B and a minimum grade of B in Listening, Reading, Writing and speaking. The test must be undertaken no more than two years prior to the date of it being submitted at application stage.

Please note that:

• As outlined above doctors who have not previously been employed with the HSE/section 38 organisations who apply for an NCHD position or to a national Training Programmes must provide evidence of a valid IELTS/OET test dated within two years at application stage
• NCHDs applying for national Training Programmes who have completed IELTS/OET and are currently in employment or were previously employed by the HSE must provide evidence at application stage that a valid IELTS/OET test was completed and submitted to the employer at the time of first employment with the HSE. Test results cannot be combined. The HSE will only accept one test result.
• In addition to providing evidence, as required, of the IELTS/OET the NCHDs communication skills must be independently assessed, by employer or training body, as part of the application and interview process, before the NCHD is recommended for appointment or contract of employment issued (excludes Interns).
• Potential applicants must be informed of these requirements as part of the recruitment process. 

There are no exemptions to the above requirements

NCHDs communication skills must be independently assessed, by the employer or training body, as part of the application and interview process, before the NCHD recommended for appointment of contract of employment issued (excludes interns). 

Remedial action

Should the NCHD at any point not be able to demonstrate the required level of English language competency set out in Section 6 of the NCHD Contract 2010, the Employer may wish to consider remedial or other action under NCHD Contract 2010.

Queries

Potential applicants should address any queries that they may have regarding these requirements to the relevant local HR Departments. 

Applications from doctors in Foundation Yr. 1 at the time of applying will not be deemed eligible. Applications from doctors that have completed Foundation Yr 1 at the time of applying and doctors in Foundation Yr. 2 will be deemed eligible.

FY 2 applicants must bear in mind that the commencement date for GP training is the second Monday in July. Successful applicants must ensure that they are available to commence training on this date as requests for delayed starts cannot be accommodated.

Applicants are required to indicate True or False to declaration 3, 4 and 5 and provide additional information where appropriate.

Declaration One - ICGP Person Specification

I confirm that I have read and understand the entry criteria as listed in the person specification of the Irish College of GPs for GP trainee recruitment. I declare that my present experience makes me eligible to commence training with respect to the entry criteria listed therein and satisfy the requirements of the Irish Medical Council for registration onto the trainee specialist register. (tick box)

Declaration Two - Driving License 

There is a work requirement in this role to attend patients/duties at locations other than the main location of work. I confirm that if, for any reason, and at any time during my General Practice Training, I do not possess a full Irish/EEA drivers' licence and do not have access to a vehicle for work purposes I agree to provide a vehicle, or vehicle and driver, at my own expense so that I may continue to fulfil the above requirement. (tick box)

Declaration Three - Garda / Police

I declare that I have not, at any time been convicted (e.g. probation, fine, sentence, penalty) of a criminal offence (e.g. assault, public order, sexual assault) in the Republic of Ireland and / or any other jurisdiction nor are there any charges relating to criminal offences outstanding or pending. I have never been the subject of a Caution or Bound over order. I accept that making a false or misleading declaration may render any offer of a training position and associated employment offers as null and void.

True

False

Date:

If you have indicated False to the above declaration you will be required to provide further details on an additional form (Declaration 3 DOCX, 25KB)

Declaration Four - Training Organisation / Programme

I declare that I currently am not, nor was I ever the subject of an investigation by any professional medical training body or its equivalent in the Republic of Ireland and/or any jurisdiction. I accept that making a false or misleading declaration may render any offer of a training position and associated employment offers as null and void.

True

False

Date:

If you have indicated False to the above declaration you will be required to provide further details on an additional form (Declaration 4 DOCX, 25KB)

Declaration Five - Medical Council / Licensing Body

I declare that I am not, nor have I been the subject of any investigation by a medical registration or licensing body or authority in any jurisdiction with regard to my medical practice or conduct as a practitioner. I have not been suspended from registration, nor had any restriction on practice nor had my registration or license cancelled or revoked by any medical registration or licensing body or authority in any jurisdiction nor am I the subject of any current suspension or any restrictions on practice. I accept that making a false or misleading declaration may render any offer of a training position and associated employment offers as null and void.

True

False 

Date:

If you have indicated False to the above declaration you will be required to provide further details on an additional form (Declaration 5, DOCX 25KB)

There is currently no process to swap training posts with a colleague on another training scheme, prior to commencing training.

There is currently no process to swap training posts with a colleague on another training scheme, prior to commencing training.

The Irish College of GPs person specification is as follows: 

Yes, please view the Guide for Applicants (PDF, 732KB)

The table below shows the numbers recruited in 2023.

Yes, an application fee  will apply to all applicants. The introduction of this fee is as a result of an increase in the overall number of applications for the last five years, leading to a large increase in administrative work and the development of appropriate IT systems to support the process.

Shortlisting is based on applicants' performance on a Situational Judgement Test and Clinical Problem-Solving Test. Applicants must also provide details of a minimum level of postgraduate clinical hospital experience.

Hospital experience

Applicants will be required to have completed a minimum of nine months' paid full time (or equivalent) postgraduate acute hospital based clinical experience either as an intern or SHO at the time of starting GP training July 2024. Clinical posts must be a minimum duration of three months each (the only exception to this is where they are part of a structured intern programme).

The Certificate of Experience (COE) is a document that confirms that a doctor has successfully completed their internship to the Medical Council standards.

In order to be eligible for a Certificate of Experience you need to have completed your internship and the Medical Council need to have received final sign-off from your intern network coordinator.

Doctors who completed their internships prior to 2016 can request a Certificate of Experience application form by emailing coe@mcirl.ie

Please note that prior to 2011, Certificates of Experience were issued by the universities. Applicants who completed their internships prior to 2011 can request a letter from the Medical Council confirming that their Certificate of Experience was accepted for the purposes of registration. Alternatively, the original certificate can be requested from the university where you graduated.

View the HSE's current pay scale 

The Irish College of GPs, like all other training bodies, is required to comply with HSE national policy (PDF, 130KB) relating to recruitment, training, retention and development of specialist medical practitioners. 

As part of HSE requirements, applicants will be asked to provide the name and contact details for two supervising consultant referees with who they have worked with as part of the application form.

• One reference must be from the applicants current/most recent supervising consultant. In cases where applicants are not currently working in a hospital and are employed in general practice a reference from their current employer can be submitted. In this case the candidate must be in paid employment by the GP.
• Applicants are not permitted to submit referees/references from different supervising consultants for the same post/time period.
• References must be on the standard HSE BST appraisal form (DOC, 86KB). Other references will not be accepted e.g. references in letter format etc.
• Applicants being called to interview will be required to submit their references online in advance of interview. Further details on this will be provided to applicants later in the process.

Please note: The Irish College of GPs reserves the right to use references to preclude offers being made if the reference submitted is deemed to be unsatisfactory.

View details of the supporting documents required.

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