General Registration - Certificate of Experience (COE)

If you have qualified outside of the EU/EEA and are applying for General Registration through the COE route, you must meet the criteria set out below and outlined in the COE Document Checklist.

Doctors who have been awarded a document which is considered by the Medical Council to be the equivalent of an Irish Internship can apply via the COE route. The Medical Council recognises internships undertaken in the following countries as equivalent to the Irish internship.

Please note that internships must comprise of twelve months minimum which should normally be consecutive. Each internship must comprise of three months in Medicine and three months in Surgery. Other rotations outside of this must meet the Council’s standards for internship training to be accepted as equivalent.

Please note from 01^st December 2025,  the Medical Council will only accept Certificates of Experience issued by the relevant competent authority.

Internship certificates issued directly by hospital sites will not be accepted.

Please ensure your certificate of experience is issued by the relevant competent authority for EPIC verification.

Commencement of Internship

In line with Irish standards, internships should commence within two years of obtaining a Basic Medical Qualification (medical degree). Where there is a gap exceeding two years, we may consider documented evidence of maternity, sick, or compassionate leave.

Internship Duration and Leave

Please read the following information before you apply via this route:

Intern training must comprise of twelve consecutive months to include at least three months in Medicine and three months in Surgery. During the internship year, interns are entitled to 32 calendar days of annual leave. Additional approved absences, such as certified leave, may also be accommodated in line with programme requirements.

In all cases, the internship must be completed within 24 months of commencement, including any approved periods of absence.

What you need to apply

Before submitting your application online, you will need to prepare the required documents. Please read the information outlined below and in the COE Document Checklist before submitting your application. If you apply without the required documents, or if you do not meet the requirements for the COE route, your application will be closed, and the application fee will not be refunded.

The following documents must be uploaded to EPIC and verified before submitting your application.

1. Basic Medical Degree - Please ensure you have graduated from a recognised medical school by checking the Word Directory of Medical Schools.
2. Internship Certificate – You internship must have been completed in one of the countries listed in the above table.

The following documents must be uploaded to your Doctor’s Portal immediately after you have submitted your application. Please refer to the COE checklist for information on document requirements and how to upload to your Doctor’s Portal.

1. Notarised/attested copy of your current passport.
2. Documentary evidence of effective communication skills.

An original Certificate of Good Standing/Current Professional Status, dated within the last 3 months, must be sent directly to the Medical Council from every registration body with whom you have held registration in the past five years.

Please do not submit any documents via postal services.

Please see below instructions on how to submit your application online.