Criteria

The International Surgical Fellowship Programme (ISFP) is a two-year surgical or emergency medicine fellowship that takes place in Ireland and is scheduled to start in July of each year. It is open to international medical graduates (from outside EU/EEA/Switzerland) who are suitably qualified and who have been nominated by their employer or other sponsoring agency.

Please note there is a competitive application process for a limited number of high-quality training posts in Ireland and applications will only be progressed where RCSI can identify suitable training posts. Progression of applications at each stage in the process is not guaranteed.

1. Undergraduate medical degree through English from a recognised institution*

2. Completed a structured internship

3. Completed a recognised national residency programme and exit examination

4. Qualification for registration with the Irish Medical Council (Supervised division):

  • PRES Level 2 exam or
  • a qualification providing exemption from examination at PRES Level 2, for entry to the Supervised division, including:
    • Arab Boards for Health Specialties Intermediate Module/Part One Examination in Surgery
    • Complete Arab Boards for Health Specialties in Surgery
    • Saudi Boards for Health Specialties Intermediate Module/Part One Examination in Surgery
    • Complete Saudi Boards for Health Specialties in Surgery
    • OMSB Specialty Certificate in Surgery
    • Complete Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization Board Examinations in Surgery
    • Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization Board Examinations Intermediate Module / Part 1 Examination in Surgery
    • Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) Part A

5. English language proficiency:

  • Applicants must provide a valid English language certificate – either OET (Medicine) or Academic IELTS – with required minimum scores achieved in a single sitting and within the past two years. All certificates will be verified at source and must still be within the two-year validity period at the time of registration.
  • Academic IELTS with an overall band score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 6.5 in each of the four domains or
  • OET (Medicine) Certificate with a minimum of B in each of the four domains – reading, writing, listening and speaking or
  • Completion of medical degree in English in any of the following countries: Ireland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA or the UK.

6. Sponsored by national training body (we do not accept self-sponsored candidates)

Please note

*Recognised medical school as per the World Directory of Medical Schools.

Preference will be given to applicants who have at least two years’ experience post-residency training in their chosen speciality.

Applicants will need to have met required English language qualification before an offer letter will be issued. Therefore we strongly encourage interested applicants to prioritise meeting the required English language standard as soon as possible.

The Medical Council of Ireland will not currently accept:

  • OET or IELTS certificates in which the candidate has not met the minimum requirement in all four skills in one exam sitting. Therefore, it is not possible to combine certificates or to re-sit only the skills in which the minimum requirement has not been met.
  • 'OET at home', 'IELTS Indicator' or 'IELTS online' exams.
  • Expired certificates (not dated within the last two years).

Certification must be valid within two years of the date of application to the Medical Council of Ireland.

If you have any queries in relation to the criteria outlined above, please contact us.