International Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine

DEVELOP YOUR SPECIALIST SKILLS IN IRELAND

The International Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine is a three-year training programme, developed by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. It is fully delivered in Ireland, certified by RCPI and recognised for registration purposes by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS).

The International Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine 2021 opened for applications on November 2 2020.

Click here to view the brochure for this programme.

The International Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine is designed to train doctors in the secondary care and prevention of adult disease and illness. Training is primarily structured around developing skills and expertise within the core areas of General Internal Medicine, Subspecialty Training and Clinical Judgement.

Successful completion of the International Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine leads to:

Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (MRCPI) in Internal Medicine.
A Certificate of Achievement of Residency Training in Internal Medicine awarded by RCPI

Webinar for applicants to the International Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine

On Tuesday, November 17 we hosted a free webinar for applicants to the International Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine. This webinar discussed the application process, outlined what to expect from the programme, heard from its expert trainers and from RCPI on what to expect of a move to Ireland. At the end of the webinar an expert panel answered questions about this programme and the application process. This webinar is now available to watch back at the link below.

Entry requirements for the International Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine

To apply for the International Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine:

You must have completed your primary medical degree through
English
You must have completed a structured internship
You must have provisional sponsorship from your National Training Body/Ministry/Hospital to cover your fees, salary and living expenses for the full duration of the programme
You must have two letters of recommendation from senior clinical or academic supervisors at your University or hospital
You must not currently hold a position on a Residency Programme in your home country

Following acceptance into the programme, you must:

Achieve an Academic IELTS score of overall 7.0 (with no one domain less than 6.5) or an overall OET score of B (with a minimum score of B in each domain)
Complete all requirements for registration with the Irish Medical Council

In order to train in Ireland, the Irish Medical Council requires that you possess one of the following qualifications:

Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) Part 1
United States Medical Licencing Exam (USMLE) Step 1 and 2
Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE)
Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I
Australian Medical Council MCQ (AMC)
Saudi Boards for Health Specialties Intermediate Module/Part One Examination or Complete Saudi Boards for Health Specialties
Arab Boards for Health Specialties Intermediate Module/Part One Examination or Complete Arab Boards for Health Specialties

To view a full list of exempting qualifications from PRES Level 2, visit the Irish Medical Council website.

Candidates that possess Part 1 of the MRCPI/UK, the required IELTS/OET and/or one of the above-mentioned qualifications for Irish Medical Council registration may be given priority at interview.

Practicing medicine in Ireland is a rich experience on both the professional and personal levels. As I progressed during my medical training with RCPI, I got the privilege of observing and working with great teachers and capable specialists in their field. Being involved in providing interdisciplinary medical care to patients with evidence based approach is a cornerstone in how medicine is practiced in Ireland. That taught me to get to know my patients personally and have a holistic approach in addressing their medical needs. I’m happy that I got the opportunity to come to Ireland and being challenged to achieve the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. This has helped consolidate my medical knowledge and evolve as a capable physician.

Dr Husam Alzayer
Trainee on the Joint Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine

Proposed three-year International Residency Training Programme in Internal Medicine: What to expect

Year 1 in Ireland

Your first year of training in Ireland will build your core skills in Medicine, including exposure to the following key health areas such as Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Medicine for the Elderly and Respiratory Medicine.

You will complete this year of training in an approved training post in Ireland under the supervision of the RCPI
You will be required to attempt the MRCPI Part 1 Written examination in General Internal Medicine
You may elect to sit the MRCPI Part 2 Written examination in General Internal Medicine
You will be required to pass an end of year evaluation in Ireland

Year 2 in Ireland

Your second year of training will include rotations specialties such as General Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Emergency Medicine and Nephrology.

You will complete this year of training in an approved training post in Ireland under the supervision of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
If not achieved in Year 1, you will be required to pass the MRCPI Part 1 & 2 Written examination in General Internal Medicine
You will be required to pass the MRCPI Part 2 Clinical examination in General Internal Medicine
You will be required to pass an end of year evaluation in Ireland

Year 3 in Ireland

Final mandatory rotations will be completed in your final year of training such as ICU/Critical Care and Neurology, with the option to gain exposure to areas such as Dermatology, Haematology, etc.

Further to completion of the MRCPI in General Internal medicine, your third and final year of training in Ireland will be spent at the Senior Resident level, during which time you will have the opportunity to develop your clinical independence and decision-making skills. You will also have the opportunity to select an elective area of practice that interests you and focus on this sub-specialty for a number of months.

You will be required to complete all requirements for training and to pass your Final Year Evaluation

SUPPORTING YOUR MOVE TO IRELAND

Making sure everything is in place before you start

At RCPI, we know that moving to another country involves a lot of preparation and paperwork.

We are committed to making this process as easy as possible for all doctors who are accepted onto our international training programmes.

The support we offer in association with Castel Education, an agency that specialises in supporting international students coming to Ireland, includes:

English language tutoring in preparation for taking the IELTS/OET and achieving the required score
Visa and immigration assistance, including liaising with the Irish Embassy on your behalf
Helping you apply for registration with the Irish Medical Council
Helping you make travel arrangements
Collecting you at the airport in Ireland
Helping you find suitable accommodation
Helping your family members move to Ireland, e.g. finding suitable schools
Assistance with setting up banking and mobile phone accounts
Emergency telephone support

"Once accepted onto the programme, RCPI have a dedicated team to help me with the registration process step-by-step, until you’re completely settled in Ireland. They were fantastic, and were available for queries throughout the entire fellowship."

Dr Fatima Al Washahi
Clinical Fellowship Trainee in Maternal Medicine

John Magner

Head of International Affairs

Tel: +353 1 863 9700

John Magner has overall responsibility for our international medical graduate training programmes.

Taimse Tracey

Manager, International Training

Tel: +353 1 863 9764

Taimse manages all matters relating to the International Clinical Fellowship Programme and the Joint Residency Training Programme.

Louise Fogarty

Coordinator, International Affairs

Contact Louise for information about our International Clinical Fellowship Programme. She is responsible for Post Interview/Site Management. She looks after the current ICFP trainees.