The Certificate in Contraception is a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Training in Contraception. The Certificate is awarded by the ICGP, Reproductive and Sexual Health Committee.
The aim of the education programme for the Certificate in Contraception is to enable family doctors to acquire the knowledge and skills which are necessary to provide a contraception service.
The learning outcome is to acquire counselling skills and basic training in contraception, having acquired the following abilities:
A candidate applying for the Certificate in Contraception must be registered with the Medical Council in one of the following divisions; the Specialist division, the General division or the Trainee Specialist division.
The basic requirements for the Certificate in Contraception consist of:
Part I & II MUST be completed before commencing Part III (practical training).
Part III (practical training) must be completed within two years of completing parts I & II.
Your application must be made within the 2.5 year time frame from your theory training to practical training in order to be considered. Applications made with theory and/or practical training that was completed more than 2.5 years ago will not be accepted.
Click here for information for training programmes on applying for approval of a theory course.
Doctors must be competent in gynaecological examination which is essential to providing a contraception and reproductive health service. They must be competent in the following:
There are three ways of certifying competence in this area:
A) Three-month period in gynaecological/obstetric post
B) Attendance and training at four or more sessions at a gynaecological clinic, under the supervision of a consultant gynaecologist, or Certification by a general practitioner trainer (applicable to GP trainees only)
C) Evidence of experience in general practice/ family planning clinic. If you completed your O&G training many years ago and cannot complete any of the three options (A-C) above within the 2.5 year timeframe and you are an experienced GP/Family Planning Doctors, then you can complete an additional form D (PDF, 826KB) outlining evidence of your experience of womens health in general practice.
Applicants must undergo practical training under the supervision of a Contraception Tutor.
Practical training may be undertaken in a family planning clinic or general practice surgery under the supervision of a contraception tutor. A logbook must be completed by the candidate. Click here for log book. Before embarking on training, candidates should ensure their trainer is on the register of contraception tutors. You can check this by emailing womenshealth@icgp.ie.
Please note, LARC Tutors are not Contraception Tutors. Please ensure that a Contraception Tutor supervises your practical training and not a LARC Tutor.
Please read the section on training requirements above before submitting your application.
Visit our Clinical Hub ยป
