The International Medical Graduate Training Initiative (IMGTI) provides one possible route for overseas doctors wishing to undergo structured postgraduate medical training within the public health service in Ireland. The IMG Training Initiative enables suitably qualified overseas postgraduate medical trainees to undertake a fixed period of active training in clinical services in Ireland.
The purpose of the IMG Training Initiative is to enable overseas trainees to gain access to clinical experiences and training that they cannot get in their own country, with a view to enhancing and improving the individual’s medical training and learning and in the medium to long term, the health services in their own countries.
This initiative will facilitate participants to access a structured period of training and experience as developed by an Irish postgraduate medical training body to specifically meet the clinical needs of participants as defined by their home country’s health service. The period of clinical training that will be provided under the IMG Training Initiative is ordinarily 24 months, after which the overseas doctors will be expected to return to their country of origin.
IMGTI Scholarship Programme
The Scholarship IMG Training Initiative is aimed primarily at doctors from countries with less developed health sectors and is not intended to lead to settlement in Ireland. Generally, these trainees will work in hospitals nationally usually at Senior House Officer (SHO) level during their first year of training and at Registrar level during their second year of training provided milestones set by the relevant training body are met. Recruitment for the Scholarship programme commences through the Forum of Postgraduate Training Bodies in conjunction with the HSE-NDTP and the relevant international training body during November each year. Successful applicants will commence on the programme in July of the following year.
Participating Countries
At present Pakistan and Sudan participate in the Scholarship IMG Training Initiative. The HSE signed an MOU with The College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) in 2011 to develop a partnership agreement for recruiting doctors from Pakistan to work in the Irish health service and between the HSE and The Sudan Medical & Specialisation Board (SMSB) in 2017.
The purpose of these agreements is to permit Pakistani and Sudanese graduates to complete part of their training in Ireland. As part of this training, successful candidates will be supported in the ongoing development of their knowledge base and the enhancement of their medical skills and competencies within their chosen specialty. They will have direct exposure to the health system in Ireland and an opportunity to learn about alternative approaches to delivery of healthcare services.
Specialties
Training is available in the specialties of Anaesthesia, Emergency Medicine, General Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Paediatrics, Psychiatry and Surgery. Structured training will be provided for 2 years in these specialties and this training will be recognised for training by the CPSP and SMSB. Each trainee will have access to logbooks, exams, study days, assessments etc. as with other trainees.
Co-ordination of communication between all the stakeholders is centrally organised through the Forum of Irish Postgraduate Medical Training Bodies and HSE-NDTP. During the 2 year programme each trainee is expected to rotate to a different clinical site each 12 months subject to them completing their annual assessment by their respective training body and feedback from hospital sites, the trainees then return to their home country to complete their training.
Entry Criteria IMGTI Scholarship Programme
For information on the entry requirements and criteria, please see the supporting document below
Entry Criteria IMGTI Scholarship Programme.pdf (size 419.2 KB)
IMGTI Fellowship Programme
The Fellowship IMGTI provides training opportunities for doctors who will be fully funded by their home country for the duration of their training. These doctors are generally at a more advanced stage of training and are employed at Specialist Registrar level in hospitals nationally. This cohort of doctors are recruited directly through the relevant training body and are supernumerary to the staff compliment of the sites they are assigned. As with the Scholarship programme, it is not intended that the Fellowship will lead to settlement in Ireland.
Training under this initiative can be provided in clinical departments approved for postgraduate specialist training in Ireland provided the position is incorporated into an IMG training programme that is tailored to meet the IMG appointee’s educational and training objectives and takes into account the needs of the health service in the doctor’s home country.
Further information on participating countries and specialties is available directly from the relevant Irish training bodies or at http://postgraduatemedicaltraining.ie/
WHO Code of Practice on International Recruitment of Health Personnel
In May 2010 the World Health Assembly adopted a Code of Practice on the international recruitment of health personnel. The Code provides ethical principles for international recruitment in a manner that will strengthen health systems of developing countries. Ireland has responsibilities under the Code in relation to how it recruits from other countries and also in strengthening the health workforce in less developed countries. IMGTI is supporting the HSE fill its requirements under the code by strengthening links with less developed countries whose health professionals have contributed significantly to health care here in Ireland.
Who to contact ?
Trainees
If you are currently on a training programme in Pakistan or Sudan and would like to participate on the Scholarship IMGTI please contact your home country training body to begin the process.
Requirements at the time of acceptance of position for IMGTI Scholarship must include successful completion of IMM and IELTS Certificate. Further information is available from your training body.
If you are funded by your home country and wish to participate on the Fellowship IMGTI please contact your home country training body with any queries.
Employers
If you are a HSE or Voluntary Hospital and would like your site to participate or you require further information please contact doctors@hse.ie
Any standalone non-training posts that you identify at you site can be put forward to the programme to be filled by a successful IMG applicant.
Consultants or Training Leads
If you are interested in providing a training opportunity at your site, please discuss with your local Medical HR department who can propose non-training posts to NDTP allowing them be available to the IMGTI and filled with a trainee from the programme. Further information is also available from your Training Body.
