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. 

The Irish College of GPs person specification is as follows: 

Essential Criteria 

Applicants must: 

• Hold a primary medical degree or equivalent medical qualification
• Be eligible for registration on the Trainee Specialist Division of the Irish Medical Council.
• Meet the HSE English Language Competency Requirements.
• Have completed a minimum of nine months of paid, full-time (or equivalent) postgraduate acute hospital-based clinical experience within the last three years, by July 2026. Clinical posts must be a minimum duration of 3 months each (the only exception to this is where they are part of a structured intern programme).
• Successfully undertake and achieve the required standard in both the:
  • Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
  • Clinical Problem-Solving Test (CPST)
• Demonstrate a range of competencies appropriate to the role of a GP trainee to the required standard at interview.
• Be fully competent and capable of performing the duties associated with participation in a GP Training Scheme.
• Be in a state of physical and mental health that indicates a reasonable prospect of rendering regular and efficient service in training posts. 

Note: Trainees’ physical and mental health must enable them to meet the expectations of the training position, appropriate to the stage of training. This includes consideration of personal, financial, or other stressors impacting wellbeing, as well as disability and illness. 

Exclusion Criteria 

Applicants must not: 

• Be currently registered on the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) IMG Rural GP Programme.
• Hold or be eligible to hold a Certificate of Specific Training/Acquired Rights in General Practice from the Irish Medical Council.
• Have exited a postgraduate training programme in any country before full completion without reviewing the Exit from Training Policy to confirm eligibility.

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)

Yes, a non-refundable application fee of €100 will apply to all applicants.

The payment cards accepted are:
 
•    Mastercard
•    Visa
•    American Express
•    China UnionPay (CUP)
•    Discover & Diners Club
•    eftpos Australia
•    Japan Credit Bureau (JCB)

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.

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 (PDF, 241KB). 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.

If you require more information please Contact us

Applicants wishing to pair their applications for the offers process may do so at scheme selection stage.  The purpose of paired applications is to allow applicants that wish to be on the scheme to only receive offers (if available) for the same scheme.

The pairing involves each applicant to consent to the terms & conditions of the pairing, provide the name & email address of the applicant they wish to pair with.

Terms & Conditions of Paired Applications: 

• Candidates will be required to confirm at scheme selection stage if they wish their application to be paired with another candidate. 
• Notification of requests to pair, or to unpair, will be considered only when the scheme selection process is open. 
• Notification of requests to pair or unpair will not be considered after scheme selection has closed. 
• Both candidates wishing to pair applications will be required to confirm the full name and email address of the candidate they wish to pair with.  
• Both candidates must make the same scheme selection(s). 
• Only pairings where both candidates have provided this information will be considered. 
• Candidates will be initially ranked independently on their performance at shortlisting and interview.
• For the purpose of offers, paired candidates will be assigned the rank of the lower-ranked member of the pair: 
  • Dr. X ranked 87 in the initial ranking of all candidates
  • Dr. Y ranked 243 in the initial ranking of all candidates
• For the purpose of scheme offers, both Dr. X & Dr. Y are ranked 243 
• Paired places will be offered to candidates only if two places are available on the scheme(s) chosen. 
• Both candidates must jointly accept or refuse any offer made.

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.

Applicants are required to confirm that they have read, understand and accept in full the terms and conditions as outlined below.  

I, the applicant, accept that:  

1. I have read the National Specialist Training Programme in General Practice prospectus.
2. I have read the 2025 Guide to Applicants.
3. I have read and accept the requirements in the 2026 Person Specification.
4. I have read the Irish College of GPs privacy policy and I accept that my data will be processed in accordance Irish College of GPs Privacy Policy.
5. The 2026 GP trainee recruitment process will be in three stages:
   • First stage: Interested applicants apply for the online Situational Judgement Test (SJT) and Clinical Problem Solving Test (CPST) (Application Form A). 
     The deadline for completed applications is Monday, 13 October 2025, at 5 pm. 
   • Second stage: Applicants who are successful in meeting the minimum standards in the SJT & CPST tests will be required to complete Application Form B. This will be open from 07 November – 24 November 2025 at 5 pm. 
   • Third stage: Applicants are invited to an online interview. Those who are successful at the interview may proceed to being offered a GP training post.
6. The application deadlines as outlined are absolute Key Dates.
7. I understand that the application fee of €100 is non-refundable in any event.
8. I understand that representations should not be made on my behalf.
9. It is my responsibility to ensure that I provide accurate contact details, including a valid email address which is checked regularly.
10. It is my responsibility to ensure that I meet the eligibility requirements for GP Trainee Recruitment 2026. Failure to meet the requirements does not entitle me to a refund of the application fee.
11. I confirm that the information and statements contained in my application and in the supplementary material provided with my application are accurate, true and correct. I accept that any false or misleading information submitted by me may render any offer of a training position and associated employment as null and void. 
12. The Irish College of GPs will not be liable if my application is deemed ineligible due to the submission of incorrect, insufficient, or illegible supporting documentation. I accept that in this instance, reassessment will not be facilitated. 
13. Changes cannot be made to the content of the application form after the application has been submitted. 
14. I will be required to undertake online Situational Judgment (SJT) & Clinical Problem-Solving Test (CPST) tests as part of the overall GP training application process.   
15. I am aware that the SJT & CPST tests will take place on Wednesday 22nd October between 7.15 am and 21.30pm (approx.) UTC+1 on the Risr test platform.   
    • I understand that while I may indicate a preferred test time on Application A, allocation of test times is subject to availability. In instances where demand exceeds capacity, the Irish College of General Practitioners reserves the right to assign test times randomly among applicants.
    • I will complete all mandatory pretest checks as required in advance of the test.
    • I am aware that if all mandatory pre-test checks are not completed by the deadline provided, I will not be provided with a link to undertake the live test. 
16. The results of my tests for the 2026 GP trainee recruitment process will apply only in this application year.
17. I will be required to nominate my training scheme preferences after the interviews.
18. I am aware of the requirements for “Paired Applications”. 
19. I am required to provide details of two referees. The referees must be supervising consultants with whom I have worked within the last 3 years. 
20. I am aware that one reference must be from my current/most recent role at the time of application and that the duration of the time in these posts is a minimum of three months. 
21. I am required to provide two fully completed HSE BST references . The completed forms are required after the SJT/CPST test from applicants who meet the minimum requirements. I accept that 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.
22. Applicants meeting the eligibility and shortlisting criteria will be randomly allocated to an online interview on either Tuesday 10th, Wednesday 11th or Thursday 12th February 2026. 
23. Candidates are responsible for ensuring they are situated in an appropriate location with reliable internet connectivity to complete the test without disruption.
24. Applicants will be offered training places in accordance with HSE Allocation of Training Places Policy and will be based on national ranking (including combined shortlisting and interview scores), candidate’s preference, and available schemes at the time the offer is issued.
25. If successful, I accept that I will be allocated to a scheme for four years, except where Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is granted, which will be for 3 years.   
26. An applicant who declines their first training offer will be included in the next round of offers and may receive another offer, but will not receive the same offer twice or an offer of a scheme which they have ranked lower than the scheme they have declined. 
27. By accepting an offer of a training place, I commit to train on the accepted scheme. I accept that a late withdrawal from an accepted training place is unprofessional and may be reported to the Medical Council.
28. The commencement date for GP training in 2026 is 13 July and requests for delayed starts will not be considered.
29. I confirm that I hold a current, valid driving licence or, alternatively, undertake to arrange suitable transport from the commencement of GP training on 13 July 2026. This is to ensure my ability to attend hospital and GP posts, participate in emergency and domiciliary care, and attend day-release sessions, as required to fulfil the obligations of the training programme.
30. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that they have the appropriate visa/work permit in place to enable them to commence training on 13 July 2026. 
31. If successful, I will accept the hospital posts and GP training practices assigned to me by my training scheme.
32. Failure to meet the requirements of any relevant employer may result in removal from the training scheme as training posts cannot be filled without the required documentation. 
33. If my application is successful, my application form in its entirety including my BST reference forms will be made available to the relevant employers/clinical sites that facilitate the delivery of specialist training in General Practice. 
34. If my application is successful, in addition to meeting the requirements of the training body, participation in the scheme throughout its duration is dependent on my meeting the relevant employer’s requirements. Such requirements include: 
    • Formal Garda Clearance
    • Induction
    • Satisfactory completion of occupational health assessments
    • Provision in a timely manner of the relevant documentation required by employers for employment purposes e.g., CPR
35. Data from the GP training recruitment process may be used by the Irish College of GPs to future improve the process and this data may be shared with relevant departments within the College structure and relevant external bodies, including HSE and /or those acting on their behalf. 
36. Requests for inter-scheme transfers will not be considered. 
37. Standard feedback will be provided to applicants who do not meet the minimum standards in the SJT & CPST Tests. Feedback following interview can be provided to unsuccessful applicants on request.
38. If successful, my training contract will be with Irish College of GPs, and my employment contract will be through HSE.
39. Applicants who have previously resigned from or been removed from a training programme prior to completion, or who have been subject to disciplinary action, are required to declare this and submit the relevant documentation as part of the application process. Failure to disclose such information may result in the application for GP training being rendered null and void. Policy - Exit from training 
40. The Irish College of GPs reserves the right to retract or pause an offer based on unprofessional conduct/patient safety concerns.
41. Applicants are expected to uphold the highest standards of professional behaviour throughout the application process, in line with the HSE Code of Conduct for Health and Social Service Providers. Unreasonable conduct, for example, abuse of staff or rude behaviour, may result in exclusion from the selection process or withdrawal of an offer.
42. Any false claims may be referred to the Irish Medical Council. 

• 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 –  Have completed a minimum of nine months paid full time (or equivalent) postgraduate acute hospital based clinical experience either as an intern or SHO, within the three years up to July 2026. Clinical posts must have a minimum duration of 3 months each (the only exception to this is where they are part of a structured intern programme). 
• Applicants must also meet IMC & HSE eligibility criteria

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. 

Applicants wishing to pair their applications for the offers process may do so at scheme selection stage.  The purpose of paired applications is to allow applicants that wish to be on the scheme to only receive offers (if available) for the same scheme.

The pairing involves each applicant to consent to the terms & conditions of the pairing, provide the name & email address of the applicant they wish to pair with.

Terms & Conditions of Paired Applications: 

• Candidates will be required to confirm at scheme selection stage if they wish their application to be paired with another candidate. 
• Notification of requests to pair, or to unpair, will be considered only when the scheme selection process is open. 
• Notification of requests to pair or unpair will not be considered after scheme selection has closed. 
• Both candidates wishing to pair applications will be required to confirm the full name and email address of the candidate they wish to pair with.  
• Both candidates must make the same scheme selection(s). 
• Only pairings where both candidates have provided this information will be considered. 
• Candidates will be initially ranked independently on their performance at shortlisting and interview.
• For the purpose of offers, paired candidates will be assigned the rank of the lower-ranked member of the pair: 
  • Dr. X ranked 87 in the initial ranking of all candidates
  • Dr. Y ranked 243 in the initial ranking of all candidates
• For the purpose of scheme offers, both Dr. X & Dr. Y are ranked 243 
• Paired places will be offered to candidates only if two places are available on the scheme(s) chosen. 
• Both candidates must jointly accept or refuse any offer made.

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.

View the HSE's current pay scale 

This NCDH guide (PDF, 3MB) provides information on working as a doctor in Ireland.