Applying to Higher Specialist Training

Higher Specialist Training

Higher Specialist Training (HST) is the final stage of postgraduate medical training.

It is a four- to six-year training programme completed in Specialist Registrar (SpR) posts. We offer Higher Specialist Training programmes in 29 specialties.

Our Higher Specialist Training programmes are designed to produce doctors who are leaders in their fields. We will help you develop the advanced skills and knowledge required for practising independently as a specialist, leading a clinical team and managing the everyday challenges of our health service.

On successful completion of HST, you will receive a CSCST (Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training). You will be eligible to register with the Medical Council of Ireland as a specialist.

Entry to HST is competitive. Completion of Basic Specialist Training, or an equivalent programme, is an essential entry requirement for HST.

Applications for Higher Specialist Training programmes for July 2023 will open on Monday 3 October 2022 and will close at 12pm (midday) on Friday 28 October 2022.

Entry Requirements for HST

Entry requirements for Higher Specialist Training are programme-specific. To see the entry requirements for your preferred programme, please check the relevant HST curriculum here.

General entry requirements for HST:

You must have completed Basic Specialist Training in the relevant specialty (or an equivalent programme) by the start date for HST. Please note that not all BST programmes offer consideration of equivalence. Please click here for further information.
You must have achieved a relevant postgraduate qualification such as MRCPI in General Medicine, General Paediatrics or Obstetrics and Gynaecology
You must be currently or previously registered on one of the divisions of the Irish Medical Council, or provide proof of eligibility for registration
You must have proof of competency in the English language in line with HSE Specifications
You must have demonstrated an aptitude for, and an interest in, that specialty.

Places in HST are allocated in the first instance to applicants who, at the time of application, are citizens of Ireland or nationals of another Member State of the European Union, Stamp 4 Visa Holders and UK nationals.

For more details on how training places are allocated, please click here.

Q What are the application dates for July 2023 intake?

A Applications for July 2023 will open Monday 3 October 2022 and will close at 12pm (midday) on Friday 28 October 2022.

Q How does the application process work?

You can apply to Higher Specialist Training in 28 programmes. You can apply to more than one programme, although we advise against applying to more than two programmes.

You must submit a separate application for each programme.

The application process is fully online –you don’t need to submit a paper application.

Make sure you read the entry requirements for your chosen programme carefully. The entry requirements are listed in the HST curriculum for each programme.

Shortlisting for interviews (where necessary) will take place in December/January.

Interviews for shortlisted candidates take place in February.

As there are a limited number of places in HST, entry to each programme is competitive.

Q What documents am I required to submit?

A ***PLEASE NOTE ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION. PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE ALL DOCUMENTS BEFORE BEGINNING YOUR APPLICATION. LATE DOCUMENT SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED***

Certificate of completion of Basic Specialist Training (BST)
Evidence of postgraduate qualification such as MRCPI
Proof of Irish Medical Council registration / eligibility for registration
Proof of English language competency
Two Appraisal Forms
Passport identity page
Stamp 4 Residency Permit (if applicable to you – other types of Residency Permits do not need to be submitted)

Click here for further details on these documents and a checklist to assist with your application preparation.

Q What are the requirements for registration with the Irish Medical Council?

There are three ways to confirm your eligibility for Irish Medical Council (IMC) registration:

Submit your certificate of current or previous registration on one of the divisions of the IMC.
If you are not currently and have never been registered on one of the divisions of the IMC, you may be considered automatically eligible for registration if you completed your medical degree in one of a list of EU countries. Please refer to this document to see if your country is on the list. If your country is listed, please submit a copy of your medical degree from that country.
If you do not fall into either category 1 or 2 above, please contact the IMC and ask them to provide a letter confirming your eligibility for registration and submit this with your application.

Q What if I completed BST but don’t have my BST Certificate?

If you completed BST in July 2022 or earlier but do not yet have your BST Certificate, please apply now by contacting Helpdesk@rcpi.ie.

Please note, if you completed BST in July 2022 or earlier you must submit your BST Certificate with your application to be considered for HST.

Q What Other Information is Collected in the Application Form?

The online application form will ask you for the following information:

employment and training history
clinical practice - experience to date
academic achievements
teaching experience
audit experience
research experience
presentations to date
publications to date
management and leadership experience
career objectives
contact details of two references, one of whom must be your most recent supervising consultant (must be same two references who have completed your Appraisal Forms)

Please note you are not required to submit additional documents related to the above. Please be brief in describing only relevant experience under each of the headings on the application form.

Please note that formatting (paragraphs, special characters, bullet points, spacing etc.) will not copy over to your final application. All free text boxes are limited to 500 characters (letters/spaces etc).

Q When will interviews take place?

Interviews for HST will take place in February 2023. All interviews will take place virtually via Zoom unless otherwise notified. Interviews generally take place between 7:00am – 5:00pm GMT on the interview date.

Q Where can I find more information?

Click here to access the RCPI Help Centre for more Frequently Asked Questions on applying to HST