Visit our Clinical Hub ยป
You are here: Home > GP Training > The Training Path

The Training Path

Contact GP Training

#BEAGP

 

 

 


There is one programme for the speciality of general practice recognised by the Medical Council. This programme is delivered in 14 training schemes around the country.

Specialist training for general practice aims to produce doctors who, on completion of training, will be able to provide personal and continuing care to individuals and families in the community. They will also have the management skills relative to primary care and be able to audit their work with a view to improving performance. General practice training is four years in duration, the first two years spent primarily in hospital settings, with third and fourth year in supervised general practice.

GP trainees are required to attend day release sessions run by the schemes (75% attendance is required).

Click here for information on all GP training schemes in Ireland.

Certification of Satisfactory Completion of Training

A Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of GP Training which allows entry onto the General Practitioner Specialist Register is issued by the ICGP on two conditions: success in the MICGP examination and notification by the training scheme of Satisfactory Completion of Training.

Click here for the criteria for satisfactory completion of training in general practice.

MICGP Examination

Parallel with training, three modules of the MICGP Examination must be undertaken. These modules are usually spread over the training period.

Membership of the ICGP

Doctors who have been certified as having satisfactorily completed training and who have passed all four examination modules automatically become members of the ICGP (see ICGP membership). The subscription rate for the first 18 months is currently free of charge. Doctors who hold the registerable professional qualification of Membership of the ICGP may then apply for the Certificate of Specific Training/Acquired Rights in General Medical Practice, EU Directive 2005/36/EC (formally 93/16 EEC) (CSTAR) and also apply for entry onto the Specialist Division of the Register - General Practice.

Certification

In Ireland, as well as throughout the EU (and EEA), the recognised form of certification of completion of training in general practice is a Certificate of Specific Training/Acquired Rights in General Medical Practice, EU Directive 2005/36/EC (formally 93/16 EEC) (CSTAR) . This allows a GP to work within all State Schemes both in Ireland and in each EEA country. The competent authority in each EEA country issues the CSTAR. In Ireland the recognised competent authority under the Directive is the Medical Council. The minimum recognised training period in the EU for GP training is three years.

Associate Trainee Membership of the ICGP

All those who obtain a place on an Irish GP training scheme are granted associate trainee membership of the ICGP for the full duration of training, at a zero subscription rate.

The ICGP recognises that general practice trainees represent the future of general practice in Ireland. General practice trainees constitute a valuable sector of our membership and have their own representative on the ICGP Council. GP trainees have access to all member educational services and benefits.