Basic Specialist Training (BST) is a hospital-based training programme completed in Senior House Officer (SHO) posts. It prepares you for Higher Specialist Training (HST), which is the final stage of training.

Completion of the intern year is an essential entry requirement.

BST is structured so that you rotate to a different post every three or six months, letting you experience different subspecialties and clinical teams. All posts approved for BST in Ireland are full-time and salaried.

In addition to supervised clinical training in the hospital, you will need to complete exams and courses designed to help you to develop professionally and acquire the skills and knowledge needed to provide excellent patient care.

A three-year clinical course, completion of BST in Obstetrics and Gynaecology begins your journey to become a obstetrician/gynaecologist in Ireland.

It is an essential entry requirement for Higher Specialist Training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The first two years of BST in Obstetrics and Gynaecology are spent in Senior House Officer (SHO) posts. You will be placed in a two-year rotation.

Your third year will be spent in a Junior Registrar post. There is a competitive interview process for Registrar posts midway through second year.

Your training will incorporate the following core elements:

• The combination of posts ensures a broad exposure to obstetrics and gynaecology over the three years
• Not more than six months is spent in any one SHO post
• There is an on-call commitment in obstetrics, gynaecology or combined obstetrics and gynaecology for the full three years

In addition to supervised clinical training in the hospital, you are required to pass the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (MRCPI) examination in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

To help you develop essential technical and surgical skills, you will also complete a hands-on two-day basic practical skills course and a Certificate in Basic Ultrasound. In addition, you will complete emergency training such as PROMPT, ALSO or MOET (in main teaching hospitals).

You are also required to attend a number of other mandatory courses.

The five hubs are:

• Rotunda (including Our Lady of Lourdes, Beaumont, and Cavan)
• National Maternity Hospital (including St Luke's Kilkenny, Wexford, and Mater Misericordiae)
• Coombe (including St James’s, Mullingar, Tallaght, and Portlaoise)
• Cork University Maternity Hospital (including Tralee, Waterford, and Limerick)
• Galway/Limerick (including Letterkenny, Mayo, Portiuncula and Sligo)

We have a dedicated administrative team to support Trainees in Basic Specialist Training. They are happy to deal with any questions you have about BST.  Contact the team on helpdesk@rcpi.ie