If you are a European citizen or any person with EU rights, you can get registration with the Medical Council of Ireland to work or train as a Doctor in Ireland. This is thanks to the Automatic System or the General System of recognition under European Directive 2005/36/EC. Registration in Ireland also includes the right (licence) to practise.

Automatic recognition of your medical degree means that you don’t have to pass an exam as a condition for getting registered. It is the route that most European doctors make use of to practise in another member-state of the EU, including Ireland.

The key condition for the automatic recognition of your medical degree in Ireland is that it is acceptable under Directive 2005/36/EC. An “acceptable” medical degree:

  • conforms to article 24 of the Directive,
  • or your European degree, combined with your work experience and history of registration in Europe, conform to article 23 paragraph 1 of the Directive.

Alternatively, your medical degree may be recognised by the Medical Council of Ireland through the General System of the same Directive. Different rules apply here, so contact us if you think that the Automatic System does not apply to you. We have experience using the General System route of recognition, too.

Six reasons to choose Irish Medical Registration by UKmed

For your peace of mind, our Irish Medical Registration support is all-inclusive, to help you start working and earning sooner. We will:

  • obtain all the required official documents for you, including certificates of current professional status and criminal record checks from every European country you are registered in
  • translate the right documents and have them certified correctly
  • deal with the unpredictable Medical Council’s bureaucracy instead of you wasting valuable time and energy
  • manage this lengthy registration process so that costly errors are avoided
  • help you set up your Medical Council online account correctly, and
  • offer you practical advice about how to enter the Irish job market safely, including indemnity cover and how to avoid losing your registration year on year.

I am a European citizen with a non-European medical degree

If you are a European citizen or have EU rights but your medical degree is from outside the EU (e.g. Serbia, the US or China), then you still have a chance of recognition under the Automatic System of Directive 2005/36/EC, provided that your degree – combined with your work experience and prior registration history in Europe – meet article 3 paragraph 3 of the Directive.

Contact us for advice on your individual circumstances.

English language certification for medical practice in Ireland

Irish law requires you to have the communication skills necessary for the safe practice of medicine in Ireland. However, the Medical Council does not require to see proof of an English language test at registration stage.

Yet – and this is important for a successful career in Ireland – your Irish employer will check your level of English. So, you could buy time by starting your Medical Council registration while studying to improve your English.

Specialist or GP registration in Ireland

If you are a European citizen or have EU rights, you can also get specialist registration with the Medical Council of Ireland, if and only if your specialist qualification (title) meets the requirements of article 25 or (for GP’s) article 28 of Directive 2005/36/EC, and is listed in Annex V of the Directive.

Just like in the UK, you can apply for registration with your medical degree and specialist qualification at the same time, i.e. submit one application not two.

If you are not a European citizen but your specialist qualification conforms to the Directive, you can contact us for advice on how you could obtain Irish specialist registration. However, you should be aware that it is a much more complicated route, strict national rules apply, and it’s worth first assessing the costs vs the benefits of being a recognised Specialist Doctor in Ireland.

Is Irish Medical Council registration possible without an EU passport?

Yes, but only through a totally different process which UKmed can help you with individually, so contact us if you are a non-European, e.g. a South African national, wishing to practise in Ireland.

Do I have to go to Ireland for an identity check?

Νο.

How much is the Irish Medical Council’s annual fee to stay registered?

Different fees apply in Ireland, depending on which division of the medical register you are on.

Typically, the main two types of registration for European doctors are either in the General or the Specialist Division.

You can find out the Irish Medical Council’s current fees here.

Please note that you will also be charged a fee once for your application to be processed.

I was registered in Ireland in the past and only need restoration.

It’s at the discretion of the Medical Council of Ireland whether to only ask for just a few documents – mainly certificates of current professional status – or ask you to start a fresh  registration application.

If the Medical Council is happy that your degree and specialist qualification don’t have to be recognised again, then your restoration process will be faster and cheaper.

If not, you will have to apply for registation from scratch.

Working as a doctor in Ireland

Ireland has a much smaller publicly funded system of healthcare provision than the UK, given the size of its population and public budget. However, pay can be very good. There is also a growing private healthcare sector. Job opportunities are often mediated by agencies. There is also a well-structured specialist training system.

Our advice is, don’t rush to any decisions without good advice. The wisest step is to first seek an individualised career advice session with UKmed.

Price

Our Ireland Medical Registration service family includes:

  • Ireland Medical Registration
  • Ireland Medical Registration with Specialist
  • Ireland Restoration

If you are interested in having UKmed on your side, please contact us for a quotation.

Please note that all UKmed prices are all-inclusive, meaning that they include third-party costs for document notarisation and other costs. Medical Council fees are not included.

What else for a successful medical career in Ireland?

You will need:

  • a professionally written CV for employers and agents
  • a sustained job-finding campaign including contacting agents
  • indemnity or liability insurance once you start
  • good advice and coaching from the start
  • (after you start work) our Stay OK annual service to keep your registration safe.

UKmed has you covered. Contact us to plan ahead.

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