So here's my situation:

I am currently a US citizen. I am strongly considering attending a medical school in Ireland (TCD or RCSI), mainly because a lot of my family is moving out there. If I attend one of these schools, can I STAY in Ireland for my internship and residency, especially if I am willing to become an Irish citizen? How do I go about becoming an Irish citizen? Does being in med school there for 5 years allow me to do this?

Do these schools allow this? Can I apply for residencies in the UK as well? If I graduate from one of these medical schools, how likely am I to get a residency spot in Ireland? Are they guaranteed? How competitive are they, and how much do they pay?

I found the post below somewhat helpfull. Thanks in advance!




Regarding our graduates being able to practice in Ireland...it is our understanding that they can apply for temporary registration and may be required to pass the Temporary Registration Assessment Scheme. One of our recent Irish graduates who is doing a US residency was planning to sit the TRAS, but I don't think he has done so yet. The following is from the Medical Council of Ireland web site.
Doctors who qualify outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland or countries covered by reciprocity - South Africa, Australia (except Tasmania), New Zealand or Saskatchewan(Canada) - may apply for temporary registration once they meet the following requirements:
Hold a primary qualification in medicine awarded by a medical school listed in the World Health Organisation Directory of Medical Schools
Hold full registration with an overseas registration authority and be in good standing
Have completed internship training acceptable to the Medical Council of at least one year’s duration in hospital based specialties

Doctors who satisfy the above requirements may be admitted to sit the Temporary Registration Assessment Scheme (TRAS). The TRAS is designed to assess a doctor’s English language and clinical skills.The Medical Council recognises that not all doctors should be required to pass the TRAS and certain exemptions are available.
Scope of temporary registration

This allows non-EU doctors to be employed and to receive further training in the practice of medicine in a hospital, institution, clinic or general medical practice or in a perscribed health service setting approved of by the Council. Doctors applying for temporary registration are required to pass the Temporary Registration Assesment Scheme (TRAS) unless otherwise exempted. Temporary registration may be granted for a maximum aggregate period of seven years.

Rules exist for the granting of full registration to doctors who have held temporary registration for an aggregate period of two years and who statisfy the requirements of rules made by the Medical Council and approved by the Minister for Health and Children.

With regard to N Ireland, it is true they would follow the UK - where an SGUSOM grad qualifying through the PLAB examination can seek Limited Registration with the General Medical Council (once a doctor has Limited Regitsration, they can seek Full Registration within 18 months of training as a Senior House Officer). If a graduate has Full Registration in the UK there should be reciprocity for full registration in Ireland with the opening up of the EU, etc, but that may not be the case if the degree qualification was obtained outside of the EU. If there is not complete reciprocity, being licensed in the UK or US would certainly provide a pathway.

With regard to loans... as a green-card holder he would be eligible for US government (Stafford) loans. He is also eligible to participate in the private loan programs, but since these are credit based they would be difficult to obtain on his own if he does not have any credit. He could try to obtain these loans with a US co-signor and also should try to build up his credit. If he is already an applicant to the school, he should be talking to the Financial Aid office.

Regards,
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Steph

From my conversations with North Americans who went to Ireland, it is not that simple to get post-graduate training in Ireland. Apparently, a fair number of Irish grads head to the UK, as there are far more opportunities there (but currently there are too many grads for too few junior spots).

Without EU citizenship, I can assure you that the process will be challenging.

However, I think that you will get a much better response if you post your question on the UK and Ireland forum at SDN.