Registration
Why Should a Medical Practitioner Be Registered?
If a medical practitioner wishes to practise medicine in Ireland, they are required by law to be registered with the Medical Council. It is an offence to practise medicine within the State while unregistered, with the exception of visiting EEA practitioners attending in an emergency. Each medical practitioner is responsible for ensuring that their registration is current and appropriate for their individual circumstances. On 16th March 2009, the Register of Medical Practitioners was established under Section 43 of the Medical Practitioner Act 2007 which replaced the General Register of Medical Practitioners and the Register of Medical Specialists, which were established under the Medical Practitioners Act 1978. The Register comprises four Divisions. A medical practitioner can only be registered in one Division at a time, except for a specialist training in another specialty. For futher information on what division you may be eligible to be registered in, please click here.
Trainee Specialist Division
Internship registration is specifically for medical practitioners intending to practise in individually numbered, identifiable intern training posts, so that they may complete their internship training in Ireland and be awarded a Certificate of Experience. For further information please click here.
Trainee specialist registration is specifically for medical practitioners who practise in individually numbered, identifiable postgraduate training posts, so that they may complete all or part of their medical specialist training in Ireland and be awarded a Higher/Specialist qualification. For further information please click here.
Medical practitioners holding internship or trainee specialist registration are monitored by their supervising consultants and the relevant approved postgraduate training body and/or medical school.
Specialist Division
Specialist registration is specifically for medical practitioners who have completed specialist training recognised by the Medical Council and can practise independently as a specialist. For further information please click here.
General Division
General registration is specifically for medical practitioners who have not completed their specialist training and do not occupy an individually numbered, identifiable postgraduate training post. Medical practitioners holding general registration must not falsely represent themselves as being a specialist. For further information please click here.
Please note: Medical practitioners registered in the General or Specialist Division of the Register will be required to engage in ongoing professional competence schemes relevant to their practice, in order to assure the Medical Council of their continued professional competence, when Part 11 of the Act is commenced.
Visiting EEA Practitioners Division
Visiting EEA registration is only available to eligible EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who are established (hold "full registration" or "general registration" or equivalent) in another EU/EEA member state or in Switzerland and wish to practise medicine in Ireland on a temporary and occasional basis. For further information please click here.
The Medical Practitioners Act 2007 does not make provision for the temporary registration of any other medical practitioner(s).
Additional Information
Moving to Ireland
Although the Medical Council does not provide information about living and working in Ireland, there are many informative websites about Ireland's culture, tax system, housing, citizenship, health service, banking, etc. To access the European job mobility portal please click here.
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Employing authorities require registered medical practitioners to hold professional indemnity insurance. Medical practitioners should ensure that they have adequate professional indemnity cover prior to engaging in the practise of medicine within the State. The Medical Council cannot advise medical practitioners on how/where to obtain professional indemnity insurance cover. For further information please refer to section E, paragraph 50.1 of the document below;
Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners.pdf