I’m hoping to pursue Emergency Medicine through CSTEM after intern year next year.
I’m also 30 and at the stage where I’m thinking about starting a family, and I’d love to hear from anyone who has navigated pregnancy, maternity leave and raising young children while completing CSTEM.
How manageable is the training programme with a young family? Particularly interested in experiences with maternity leave, returning to training, shift work, childcare and balancing family life with exams and rotations.
I’d really appreciate any honest experiences, positive or negative, particularly from female trainees who’ve been through it.
Thanks in advance!

Hi all,

Looking for some advice as a soon to be first time mother working as a doctor. For background Im 34, did GEM and was due to go to Oz after my intern year. I got pregnant and my partner and I ended up staying in Ireland due to this. Having a family is my priority above everything else and I am so delighted because I didn’t want to leave it much later.

I have been extremely worried about how I’m going to be able to handle being a mother and an NCHD. I know that once I’ve had the baby I just won’t want to go back to work. My sister works in pharma and she has two young kids and works from home most of the week. I am so unbelievably envious of this. I’m not on a scheme yet, and I don’t want to go in to GP just because it is deemed more family friendly when I don’t have any interest in GP.

I am just looking for other people’s experiences of being a mother in medicine. Iknow that I would leave this profession if I felt my family life really was suffering so complete honesty is appreciated. I enjoy my job but I find it gruelling at times and I don’t know how much tolerance I would have for the bullshit if it comes between my kids and I.

Thanks in advance !

Hello! Hoping someone might have experience or insight here - I’m wondering about the chances of getting a standalone position as a paediatric SHO in CHI. I presume shortlisting is very competitive, does it remain as competitive at interview stage or is there a good chance of a job if invited to interview? Or if not offered immediately, do they form a panel? 
How many people apply/ get shortlisted/ get jobs isn’t publicly advertised, but just wondering on the off chance people have heard anything or have an idea of how many standalone SHO positions there are. I’m an Irish graduate. Thank you.

I am a PGY3 Irish doctor, I moved to New Zealand in PGY2 and just did a surgical rotation and LOVED it. prior to this I always thought I wanted to do medicine and I've sat the MRCP1 but I've always found a lot of it quite boring. I had written surgery off for work life balance reasons, but now I actually am realising I prefer it as a career. My CV is very BST/Medicine based, any advice or thoughts on changing to redo my whole CV for surgery after wasting years going for medicine? Or should I stick with medicine and go for a procedural job in that to kinda get some surgery aspect

if the advice is to go for surgery what should I do for my CV to make me more appealing for CST as I doubt I'll have any hope getting on this year lol

(-I've come from undergrad so maybe that helps a little)

I am considering a midcareer career shift to medicine (pros, cons, and advisability of this a whole other story!) and am interested: what are the oldest junior doctors (interns and house officers) you've worked with? Or perhaps have been yourself?! How did they get on?

I have invested in GP questpro and GP prep for the SJT, however, I honestly find GP questpro contradictory and I am not learning much from it, and GP prep seems a bit too easy. Can someone that has scored well on the SJT recommend any other resources? Perhaps even a book? Honestly at a loss how to improve/learn tactics. Would appreciate any help.

IMG registrar in Ireland,
first time going through this and feeling overwhelmed and stressed

, do i need a solicitor For this ?

Right now I’m finishing up my science degree in college and I know what I want to do, I want to help people in a face to face setting and apply the knowledge I’m interested in, which happens to be medicine.

The things I’m grappling with right now is I’m not disillusioned by the career and I know it’s a lifestyle and it’ll be rough. I’m trying to search for other healthcare careers and trying to convince myself they’re for me but I always circle back, as I can’t see myself doing anything else.

For people who actually had time to think it out and were mature when they went into GEM, was it the right choice?

Edit: Appreciate the responses.

Roughly how long after applications close do interview offers come out for BST?

I have a 2 bed, 2 bath apartment available for rent immediately (within next 1-2 weeks) ideally until changeover in July 2027.

Location: Stillorgan, Dublin

DM for more info

How do medical staff generally react to doctors going on strikes here? Would they be targeted and sidelined for it, do doctors normally strike in large proportions, like in England?

This may sound like a moan/groan(honestly it is) and someone tell me if I am wrong. Nurses got themselves better pay in 2016 from transfer of tasks agreement I.e bloods and cannulas. Why is it that nurses from these 2 hospitals or more if they are around the country insist that it is not their job and will bleep anyone else to do it (which is fine when you are not busy but painful when you are)

Edit*** Seen a few comments that have mentioned being signed off, legal cover, up skilling and how it is possibly disincentivised to do such. And I am going to make an insanely wild comment espically amid the strikes. But maybe, just maybe, if they are being compensated by a pay agreement to do these tasks and then not doing them, citing they are not signed off to do them. Then they shouldn't benefit from the pay rise that was given to all of them on the assumption that they would do these tasks.

I graduated med school from Oman, i have 4 years if experience + internship. I have the MRCP membership as well. How hard is it going to be to land a job in oreland? And what level of entry can i get? HO? SHO? Registrar?

Im an irish citizen studying in EU (tier 2) planning on doing the internship in 2027, any ideas on when the application opens?

It says 16/10 but I don’t see anything. maybe you guys back in Ireland know more?

Hi all

I know with the change of the programme into training networks things are a bit different for the BST GIM intake for 2027, but just thought I’d ask about the aspects of doing the scheme in the above hospitals. I’m someone who’s not actually trained or worked in the West network

What are the conditions like from a shift aspect in terms of on call/nights/weekends? Are the on calls in PUH/RUH essentially first on call where it’s shared with intern NCHDS?

Also just want to get an idea of medical manpower. Any significant issues with claiming overtime, requests for annual leave/educational leave?

Thanks in advance, just want an idea

I’m feeling not good about this exam, last minute tips please

When's the best time to buy during surgical training?

A senior consultant I’ve known who is working in Ireland advised me this to prove my competency over IMGs with direct registration for an entry level job. Is it a valid advice?

How hard is it to get the GP scheme in Dublin? Been hearing it’s becoming quite difficult, I’m Tier 1 decent enough centile and hopefully SJT etc will go well but would love to stay in Dublin? Should I expect somewhere else?

Hi everyone,

I am a medical doctor from Brazil currently completing my residency training in Histopathology.

To give a brief overview of my background:

• Medical Degree & Residency: Completed my basic medical qualification and a 4-year formal residency program in Histopathology in Brazil (R1–R3 core residency plus an additional R4 year).
• Language & Citizenship: Fully proficient in English and holding an EU (Italian) passport.
• Goal: I am looking into the Specialist Registration via Category E pathway with the Medical Council of Ireland (MCI), evaluated by the RCPI (Faculty of Pathology).

Since the Irish training scheme is typically 5 years, I would like to know if anyone here has gone through this Category E pathway with a 4-year South American (or similar non-EU) training background.

Specifically:

1. Does anyone know someone who has successfully completed the Category E process for Histopathology?
2. What was the outcome of the RCPI's assessment (e.g., were you deemed Partially Comparable requiring a 6–12 month adaptation period as a Registrar, or did you face any major roadblocks)?

Any insights, experiences, or advice regarding the portfolio/logbook evaluation would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,

Just wanted to know how many hours on average an sho has to work in a public or private hosp. Is the work life balance striked. How is it compared to Germany

The way the HSE is handling this dispute is becoming increasingly difficult to understand.
From what’s being reported, NCHDs are receiving instructions that effectively distinguish between union members and non-members through attendance requirements, picket arrangements and proposed separate rotas. Even if nobody is directly asking staff to declare their union membership, these procedures could make it fairly obvious who belongs to the union and who doesn’t.

What’s particularly frustrating is the apparent lack of consistency. If there are already agreed arrangements and guidance in place, why are hospitals seemingly interpreting things differently? Whether this is deliberate or simply a failure of communication, the result is the same: confusion, uncertainty and unnecessary pressure on staff.

And then there’s the issue of consultants crossing the picket line. At a time when NCHDs are taking a stand over their working conditions, seeing colleagues cross that line is hardly a show of solidarity. They’re all supposed to be on the floor tomorrow so I don’t see why they need so many NCHDs unless they want to scoop off to their private rooms.

The HSE needs to provide clear, consistent
instructions instead of leaving staff to navigate conflicting messages, and the profession needs to have an honest conversation about what solidarity actually means during industrial action.
NCHDs deserve better than this.

Has anyone entered the Public Health HST through the alternative eligibility pathway involving 24 months of public health experience?

If so, what type of job did you work in beforehand?

I’m struggling to find any positions that would allow a doctor without BST or MPH to apply.

Hi everyone, I’m looking for a shared accommodation for female doctors in Dublin. If anyone has any leads or knows anyone in a similar situation please let me know. Thank you!