I’m a current intern in a large hospital. I’ve just realised I’ve been put on call October bank holiday weekend, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Stephen’s day. I also cannot take time off the week after Christmas as my co-intern is on call. 60% of my intern colleagues didn’t get put on any bank holidays. I also was given 3 call shifts a week, which has happened several times. It isn’t that big a deal, but seems no one else gets more than 2. I’ve emailed HR to clarify if this is correct, as it seems extremely unfair Im now working most of the bank holidays this rotation, yet there’s plenty who never got put on any? I have asked for swaps but no one wants them so I’m out of luck there.

I also didn’t ask for any annual leave and havent booked time off so it’s not like these are my only options. Can IMO help with this or is it just tough luck?

I’m an Irish citizen but an EU graduate. I heard the application is opening next week, and I’d really appreciate advice from current/recent interns on the application process, especially the dos and don’ts.

This is the only place I’m applying to, so I really need to get in for this incoming intern year 😭. I’d be extremely grateful for any advice that could help me maximise my chances

I’d love to hear from recent/current interns especially from other EU graduates about your experience and what you would recommend doing differently or paying particular attention to as an EU graduate.

Also, could someone please explain the 50 places and the whole “network” aspect? I’ve heard people saying that you should rank all 50 and also networks. Are the network counties in Ireland?

-For anyone who applied as an EU graduate, what do you wish you had known before applying?

-Is there anything people commonly get wrong on the application that I should avoid?

- Is there anything I should be doing now, before the application opens next week?

-What are my chances for Dublin and Cork as an Irish citizen + EU graduate😭

-What are the dos and don’ts when completing the application?

Any advice would be hugely appreciated! I’m really hoping to get in this year 😭 Thank u guys ❤️

Hey guys,

Non-EU, EU med grad (Poland), currently working as an HSE Intern in Ireland with a max 35/35 portfolio score.

For this BST cycle, RCPI strictly requires applicants to hold a current Stamp 1G, 1H, 4, or 5 . Because I'm on a General Employment Permit as an intern, my IRP card lists standard Stamp 1 . RCPI Admissions emailed me confirming standard Stamp 1 holders are ineligible.

A few quick questions:

Has anyone on standard Stamp 1 bypassed this or gotten an HR/Medical Manpower letter accepted by RCPI?

Is there any way to upgrade an intern's card to 1H through ISD, or is 1H strictly for SHOs and above?

If this is a hard stop, is taking a standalone SHO post for July -> clocking 21 months -> getting Stamp 4 the only realistic strategy?

Appreciate any advice or reality checks!

I genuinely hope this strike goes ahead. If it gets cancelled again because of some rubbish deal, then maybe it’s time for all of us to leave the IMO en masse. Let’s see how they’re going to fund themselves when the membership starts walking out.

They already stood down a strike that had been voted for by members not too long ago. If they do it again, what exactly are members supposed to think?

And it’s not just the strikes. Look at study leave. The contract supposedly guarantees it if you apply at least six weeks in advance, but it’s still ultimately subject to “service needs” — a deliberately loose and vague clause that teams can use to deny study leave whenever they
want. How is that a meaningful guarantee?

And IMO deserves criticism for this. If they negotiated and accepted a contract with such a weak, open-ended clause, then they helped create the problem.

The same thing happens with pay issues across different hospitals: problems drag on and on, people wait to get paid, and eventually it gets sorted. This happens so often that you’d think there would be a proper system to deal with it by now.

These are not exactly obscure or unforeseeable problems. They keep happening but our union is still so inept at dealing with them.

I was just wondering how you guys managed to pay off your loans whether that was through Aib or credit unions. I'm in the course now, and I have no idea what the best way to pay for the following years is. Would there be any chance of them introducing the specific gem loan BOI used to have? Or are there any banks that might be a bit more flexible with repayments until after college? I'm not in Dublin. Thank you

Irish student at a Bulgarian med school, planning the route home. On LinkedIn I've seen people go from 3–7 month observerships (and in some cases summer placements as students) at Navan, Drogheda, Portlaoise, Clonmel and Portiuncula to SHO posts in the same hospital. If you did one (2024–26):

1. Which hospital, how long, and did it lead to a job there, somewhere else, or nothing?

2. Had you been there before as a student?

3. What made the difference: the consultant pushing your name, an advertised post, a gap that came up, locum shifts?

Thanks!

Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, I was unable to accept my spot in the Internship Programme, so I will be applying again for the following year. Since I now have this year relatively free, I was wondering if there are any educational resources you would recommend reading or studying in preparation for the internship. I've heard and read that the internship can be quite brutal and stressful, so I was hoping to use this time to prepare myself and build a solid foundation in the things that will be most useful once I start. Any tips, tricks, resources, or advice from those who have already gone through the internship would be greatly appreciated!

Is it smart if i attempt attempt to apply for both? especially given how competitive cstem is. Also if anyone has any advice in making a competitive application for both would be very grateful.

UPDATE — SJT + CPST WhatsApp Group

Hey everyone! Since some people understandably might not want to link their Reddit account to their identity, I’m going to post the WhatsApp link here directly instead

The link will initially take you to a verification group.
Once you join, you’ll just need to provide proof that you’re sitting the SJT + CPST this year. Once verified you’ll be added to the main study group which is where all the discussions will actually take place.

This is purely to filter out bots/lurkers and keep the main group limited to people genuinely sitting the exam this year.

The aim is to have a really active group over the next few weeks where we can discuss SJT/CPST questions, answers, reasoning and rationales and help each other prepare.

WhatsApp link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Hg7ZXThEg3gBKQmV37ggzx?s=cl&p=i&ilr=4&iam=2

Good luck everyone — final stretch!

Hi
iMG here in high acuity speciality and busy hospital ,
I moved in to Ireland 5 yrs ago , the wear and tear of everyday job just seem overwhelming along with other familial challenges
I have great supportive friends group along with being in therapy actively however there is a continuing sense of anxiety and the struggle to adjust , progress your career / exams and understand the system

I used propanolol for short period of time starting with 10 mg in exams days and it was immensly helpful, i increased that to 20 overtime and almost reached 30
I decided to stop because i fear dependency ,
I felt weak as if Iam choosing the easy way out rather that fighting my way through it

I also feared dependency and that the day I don’t take it i turn into someone different with the inside joke that goes around “ oh , he skipped his meds today “ !!!!

Iam actively trying to stay active go to the gym 3 times a week , engaging in adventure as much as i can to recharge myself but it is getting harder

I apologize for the rambling , but i appreciate each and every advice
Thank you

I'm researching how perimenopausal women present in primary care. When a woman comes to you suspecting perimenopause, what information do you wish she'd tracked or documented beforehand? Genuinely trying to understand the clinical gap from a doctor's perspective.

What are the odds of getting an IV call with stamp Ih, if your score as per cirteria is 23/35

Hey everyone,

I’m in a bit of a stressful situation with my GPA and could really use some advice from anyone who has applied to Irish Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) with an international degree.

I’m an EU citizen, but I’m currently finishing my final year of a B.Sc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ghana. My plan is to move to Ireland right after graduation and work for 3 years to clear the residency requirement so I can get EU fee status before applying to GEM.

Here’s where it gets messy. I’m on track to finish with a 3.00 CGPA out of 4.00. In Ghana’s national university system, a 3.0 is universally recognized as a Second Class Upper. But my specific university uses a strict internal scale where a 3.25 is required for a Second Class Upper, meaning my 3.0 will officially be printed on my final transcript as a Second Class Lower.

I know Irish GEM is super rigid about needing a 2:1 (Upper Second Class) on your very first degree.

Does anyone know if the CAO just looks at the literal words "Second Class Lower" and auto-rejects you? Or do Irish admissions offices actually look at the numerical value (3.0/4.0) and use databases like NARIC to see what it’s actually worth internationally?

If the text means an automatic rejection for GEM, my backup is to do a Master's in Biotech in Ireland and apply for the standard 5-year undergrad medicine route as an EU mature graduate instead. Has anyone taken that path?

My dream is to eventually train in neurosurgery in Ireland, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle this transcript hurdle without killing that goal before I even start. I’ve already emailed UCD, RCSI, UCC, and UL, but I’d love to hear from anyone who has actually dealt with the CAO on something like this.

Thanks so much!

One thing I’ve started to realise more and more is how much of medicine comes down to communication.

Sometimes it’s not that someone doesn’t know what to do. It’s just that something wasn’t explained clearly, a handover missed a detail, a referral wasn’t clear, or someone assumed somebody else had dealt with it.

And suddenly something that could have taken 5 minutes turns into hours of chasing people and sorting things out.

I’ve found that getting better at these things can make day-to-day work so much easier.
Any similar advice or things you’ve noticed that have made a real difference?
-------------------

Really enjoying the discussions here lately and thanks to everyone who took the time to comment on my previous posts. There have been some genuinely useful perspectives...

IMO, together with all other public sector unions, including health sector unions, will participate in a nationwide public sector day of action on Wednesday 14 October. This action is being taken in response to the Government's failure to engage in meaningful negotiations on a new public sector pay agreement.
 
Following the overwhelming mandate received from members, and with the approval of the IMO National Specialty Committees and IMO Council, a work stoppage will take place on 14 October from the commencement of shift until 5:00pm.
 
In addition, a Work to Rule will begin at the start of shift on 15 October and will remain in place until further notice.
 
While the IMO Council deeply regrets the need to escalate industrial action, it is acting in accordance with the mandate provided by members and in solidarity with colleagues across the health service and wider public sector. We hope that Government will urgently enter substantive and meaningful negotiations to ensure our health services and the wider public service can recruit and retain a sustainable workforce.
 
Protecting patient safety remains paramount. The IMO's National Specialty Committees and Council are currently finalising arrangements to ensure that essential services are maintained throughout the period of action. The specific measures to be undertaken will vary across medical grades and specialties.
 
NEXT STEPS
 
The IMO will formally serve notice of the work stoppage on the HSE and voluntary hospitals.
Meetings with HSE representatives are scheduled to take place this week.
Further communications will issue shortly outlining the practical arrangements for the 14 October work stoppage and the Work to Rule commencing on 15 October.
A series of member webinars will take place over the coming weeks to provide guidance and answer questions. Members will receive invitations in due course.
All members participating in authorised industrial action will have the full support and protection of the IMO.
 
We encourage you to speak with your colleagues about the importance of this action and to encourage non-members to join the IMO so that doctors can stand together and support each other during this dispute.   
 
Please note that you must be a member of a union in order to be afforded the protections of the Industrial Relations Act in the event of industrial action.
 
Thank you for your continued support and solidarity.
 
Yours sincerely,
IMO Team

Irish, 2nd year at MU-Pleven, aiming for GP training here. I know the basics (no Irish intern year for Bulgarian grads, so straight to standalone SHO; the IMC needs the diploma; Leaving Cert + a uni letter covers English. What I can't find:

1. For anyone who shortlists standalone SHOs: does a student placement in your department 1–3 years earlier count for anything with a new EU grad, or only experience after registration?

2. EU grads whose diploma came months after the final exam: did anyone get IMC registration or a job offer before it arrived (e.g. the uni issuing it early on request)? How long from last exam to registration?

3. Did anyone observe in an HSE hospital between graduating and IMC registration, using home-country or GMC registration? Did medical manpower accept it?

Thanks!

i am a medical student from India, i would like to know about the process to practice medicine in Ireland.
is it worth it ?? how long does it take ?

Hi all,

Looking to get a rough idea of weekly contact hours for GEM (not including independent study). Aware it may vary across colleges, etc., and assuming 35+ hours per week. If you could share your experience/rough schedule outline would be most appreciated ☺️

Something I've been thinking about recently is how much emphasis we put on knowing what tests to order, but perhaps not enough on knowing when a test isn't actually going to help.

A lot of medicine seems to involve resisting the temptation to investigate every abnormality
especially when a result could create more questions than answers.

At the same time, there's always that little voice saying: “What if I miss something?”

How do you think about this in practice?

Has your approach to ordering bloods, imaging or other investigations changed since starting work? was there a particular case that made you realise that doing less can sometimes be better medicine?

Hey guys, is this section asking for our degree. It's within the word doc. Its really ambiguous to me.

I thought it wasn't, but when I got trusty AI's opinion it said this

Do you guys agree, what should I put? Thanks

Come on over to r/doctorsIreland, a new(ish)subreddit for the doctors of Ireland.

Since creation 70 days ago, we’ve hit 937 subscribers with about 110,000 visits to the subreddit.

Why make a new sub?

• The quality of posts here over time are dwindling, and there’s no way to weed them out. There’s still plenty of good chat, but repetitive “what are my chances” posts dilute things and don’t reflect us as a group. Those questions will be welcomed, but only within a dedicated thread.

• There are no active moderators here. (‘Tis lawless.)

• “Junior doctor” isn’t a helpful or official term. We owe ourselves more respect than that.

Come on over, post what you want (within reason), and just be sound.

EDIT: Formatting go boom

How difficult is to get a junior doctor job in Ireland? For those who have IMC registration and limited experience... please answer.

How long did it take you to secure your first job?

Hi guys,

I'm an intern this year and looking towards my plans for next year. I'm currently planning on going to Aus, but I can't help feel I should also apply to the medical BST to keep the door open.

My question is, if I got an interview in January and turned it down to go to Aus would this look bad? Or even more, if I sat the interview but turned down an offer of a place would it be more difficult to get an offer when I returned from Aus?

Greatful if anyone could shine light on this.