If you are a doctor and want to practice medicine in the Republic of Ireland you must be registered with the Irish Medical Council. It is an offence to practice within the State while unregistered, with the exception of administering first aid or visiting European Economic Area (EEA) registered doctors attending in an emergency.
There are a number of different ways to apply for registration with the Irish Medical council (IMC) depending on where you trained and gained your experience. To check if you are eligible for registration, please visit the IMC website and check it here.
The IMC recognise 4 Main Categories of Applicant, these depend on whether you graduated in Ireland, in the EEA area or in a non-EU / EEA member state.
All first time applicants must submit a fully completed application form, with all supporting documentation required and the appropriate fee. Make sure to complete the application carefully as any omissions will result in a delay in your registration.
The 4 main categories of applicant are:
Category 1: Graduates of Irish medical schools
Category 2: EU citizens who graduated in an EU medical school and/or their qualifications are recognised under EU Directives
Category 3: Non-EU citizens who graduated in an EU medical school and/or their qualifications would be recognised under EU Directives if they were EU citizens
Category 4: Doctors who do not come under any of the above categories.
Category 4 applicants must pass the Pre-Registration ExaminationSystem also known as"PRES", unless they are exempt. Information on these exemptions can be found here.
The registration process is done online through the IMC website. To do this, you must create an online account and send all the necessary documents. Please note that all documents not written in English must be translated into English and notarized.
If you graduated outside Ireland, you will need to prove your English proficiency. This can be done with the IELTS Academic, OET or equivalent certificate. If obtained your medical degree in an English-speaking country, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA, you will not need it. For more information on the language requirements click here.
The Irish Medical Council registry has several divisions:
Depending on the division you are registering, the IMC fees will be different. To learn more about registration fees and registration dates, please check the IMC website here.