Ireland is a separate system from the UK. Doctors are registered by the Irish Medical Council (not the GMC), and postgraduate training is organised by the HSE National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) unit together with the Irish postgraduate training bodies, which meet through the Forum of Irish Postgraduate Medical Training Bodies. A UK registration or a PLAB pass does not register you in Ireland, and an Irish registration does not register you in the UK.
The Irish career ladder in one table
| Stage | What happens | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Basic medical degree | An Irish medical school, an EU/EEA degree recognised under EU law, or a degree from elsewhere that the Medical Council accepts | 5–6 years |
| Internship | A supervised first year of clinical work; completing it earns a Certificate of Experience, needed for registration | 12 months |
| Non-consultant hospital doctor (NCHD) posts | Service posts (SHO, registrar) that are either on a training scheme or “non-scheme” | Varies |
| Basic Specialist Training (BST) | Two years of broad training, with the membership exam of the relevant college, in schemes such as medicine, surgery, paediatrics, anaesthesia and psychiatry | 2 years |
| Higher Specialist Training (HST) or run-through schemes | Specialist training that ends with a certificate of completion; General Practice is a separate four-year scheme run by the Irish College of General Practitioners | 4–6 years |
| Specialist Division registration | Entry to the specialist register after completing training, or after assessment of equivalent training elsewhere | On completion |
Which route is yours?
| If you are… | Your starting point | Read next |
|---|---|---|
| A graduate of an EU/EEA (or Swiss) medical school | Automatic recognition of your degree under EU law, then Medical Council registration and Irish training schemes | EU/EEA graduates and Irish residency training |
| A graduate from outside the EU/EEA | Credential verification, then a Medical Council eligibility assessment and, unless exempt, the PRES exam | The PRES exam and recognised qualifications |
| A non-EU doctor who is sponsored by a national body (for example in Pakistan or Sudan) | A fixed-term training placement through the IMGTI | The IMGTI |
| A non-EU doctor who wants to enter an Irish training scheme | Recruitment rules favour EU/EEA applicants; read how the Forum and NDTP describe the options | The Forum of Training Bodies |
Ireland or the UK?
- The two countries have separate regulators, training schemes and exams, although Irish and UK Royal College memberships (for example MRCP and MRCPI) are closely related.
- If you want the UK, follow the PLAB route or another GMC route. If you want Ireland, start with the pages in this section.
- Many doctors work in both systems over a career. Keep certified copies of your degree, internship and good-standing certificates: both regulators ask for them.
Your checklist
- Decide if you are an EU/EEA graduate or a non-EU graduate
- Read the Medical Council guide to registration for your category
This page is general education, reviewed 24 October 2026. Rules, fees and dates change: always confirm with the official sources below. It is not medical, legal or immigration advice.