Frequently Asked Questions

Eligible applicants submit up to 50 intern posts in preference order through the HSE portal. Allocation follows the HSE recruitment rules and uses the academic centile supplied by your medical school. If your listed posts are unavailable, your ranked Intern Training Network preferences are used to find an available post. MedPath helps you prepare your list; you submit it to the HSE yourself.

The HSE recommends using all 50 choices. If your listed posts are unavailable, allocation moves to your network preferences. A longer list lets you express a preference between more individual posts before that happens. Put them in the order you want them.

The Academic Intern Track is a separate, smaller pool of 48 posts (8 per network). These posts include a dedicated academic/research rotation alongside clinical rotations. Academic posts are ranked and allocated separately from standard intern posts. You can review and rank all 48 academic posts. On the Posts page you can switch between the standard and academic tracks using the track selector at the top.

Important: If you apply for the Academic Track, you must also submit Post Preference Selections for the main (standard) match when invited to do so. Both submissions are required.

After you rank your individual posts (up to 50), you also rank the six Intern Training Regions in order of preference: Dublin / Northeast (RCSI), Dublin / Mid-Leinster (UCD), Dublin / Southeast (TCD), Mid-West (UL), South (UCC), and West / Northwest (NUIG). If you don't match to any of your 50 ranked posts, the system uses your region ordering to assign you to a post within your most-preferred available region. This is your safety net, so rank the regions carefully too. Note: the region fallback step only applies to the standard track; the academic track has a different allocation process.

The HSE system caps your preference list at 50 posts. With 866 standard intern posts available, you can only rank about 6% of all options. Use location, specialty mix and hospital preferences to narrow the list to posts that suit you. This tool helps you narrow down and order those 50 choices. When you reach the 50-post soft cap during the ranking process, the tool will auto-complete your ranking so you can review and adjust your final list.

Ireland has steadily increased medical school intake and intern post numbers over the past decade. The 2026/27 cycle has 866 standard and 48 academic posts, up from around 700 just a few years ago. The HSE puts the number of approved intern posts for 2026 at 915, about 4 per cent up on 2025, with all six health regions increasing their numbers. Intern posts and subsequent training places are planned separately. For where that number comes from, see how intern posts are decided.

A new body being planned to take on the governance, quality management and ongoing development of the intern year. At the moment the Medical Council quality assures intern training while the HSE facilitates it and recruits and employs interns, with the six networks running under service level agreements between the HSE and the medical schools. Both bodies have described that arrangement as fragmented and said it affected their ability to carry out their statutory roles efficiently. A Medical Council-commissioned implementation group is working through the agency’s governance, legal structure and operational model, and the HSE says that subject to that process and to funding, it is anticipated the agency will be established during 2027. Its exact responsibilities has not been published. More on what is settled and what is not.

Competition varies by programme. National totals for intern and training posts do not tell you how many people will apply to a particular specialty. After internship, doctors may enter training, take a standalone SHO post or work abroad. Check the application dates and published selection criteria for the schemes you are considering.

Indirectly, yes. Your intern rotations give you clinical exposure and references in specific specialties and hospitals. Training scheme applications (BST, HST) value relevant clinical experience, audits, and consultant references, all of which are shaped by where you do your intern year. A post with rotations in your target specialty at a teaching hospital with active research can give you a meaningful advantage. That said, training scheme selection is competitive and multifactorial, and no single intern post guarantees entry.

The tool uses pairwise comparisons: you're shown two posts at a time and pick which you prefer. Each choice updates a probabilistic model that estimates the relative strength of every post. Comparing two options at a time is generally easier than trying to sort a long list in your head. You don't need to compare every possible pair; the model uses your preferences and the feature structure of each post (specialty, location, etc.) to infer how all the posts relate, not just the ones you've directly compared.

Before the pairwise comparisons begin, you set your specialty preferences by placing specialties into tiers: Love it, Really like, Fine, Rather not, or Hate it. These tiers feed into the ranking algorithm: posts with rotations in your preferred specialties are scored higher. Related specialties are grouped together (e.g., Cardiology, Cardiology / GIM, and GIM / Cardiology all count as Cardiology), so you only need to rank the core specialty once.

Yes. Your ranking is saved as you go, and you can return at any time to adjust it. On the ranking results page you can drag and drop posts to reorder them, or lock specific posts into position. Nothing is final until you submit your actual preference list on the HSE portal; this tool is for preparation only. We recommend revisiting your list a few times before the deadline, as your priorities may shift after thinking it over.

No. This tool is entirely separate from the official HSE intern matching system. It does not submit, upload, or transmit your ranking to the HSE or any third party. Use MedPath to prepare your list, then submit it yourself through the HSE portal.

When you lock a post in your ranking results, it is pinned to that exact position. Locked posts won't move when you drag other posts around or when the algorithm re-sorts after new comparisons. This is useful when you're certain about a few key positions (e.g., your absolute top choice, or a post you want at the bottom of your list) and want to fine-tune the rest without disturbing them.

Posts that changed between 2025 and 2026 are flagged with an amber "Changed" badge. New posts that didn't exist last year have a green "New" badge. You can filter to show only new or changed posts using the filter chips on the Posts page. For changed posts, you can expand the detail view to see exactly what changed, meaning which rotation slots had a specialty or hospital swap. Of the 866 standard posts in 2026, 37 are new and 344 had at least one rotation change.

Your rankings are saved to your account when you sign in. Other users cannot see your list unless you share a link. MedPath does not publish aggregate rankings or post popularity. Read the privacy policy for details.

You can still use the tool without signing in. Your ranking will be saved locally in your browser. However, local storage can be lost if you clear your browser data or switch devices. Signing in backs up your ranking to our servers so you can access it on another device.

Each post shows a rotation timeline: the sequence of clinical specialties you'll rotate through during the intern year. Each specialty is colour-coded by category (e.g., blue for medicine, gold for surgery, red for emergency medicine). You can switch between colour modes (Specialty, Category, or My Prefs) using the toggles above the post list. "My Prefs" colours rotations based on your tier preferences from the ranking flow.

On the Posts page, use the filter chips at the top to narrow down the list. You can filter by specialty, region / hospital, single-site only, or change status (new / changed). Filters combine together; for example, selecting "Paediatrics" specialty and the South region will show only posts in the South that include a paediatrics rotation. The post count updates live as you filter.

All applications are made through the HSE's recruitment website at hse.ie. The HSE's National Recruitment Service (NRS) manages the entire process from application through to offer. You cannot apply by post, email, or through your medical school; everything goes through the HSE portal.

The intern application runs in three stages:

Stage 1: Online Application (17 October - 28 November 2025). You register on the HSE recruitment portal and submit your application during this window. This is where you confirm your eligibility and provide your details.

Stage 2: Post Preference Selection (mid-to-late February 2026 onwards). You are invited to submit your ranked list of post choices and your Intern Training Network (region) preferences. The formal submission window for post preferences opens on 30 March and closes at 12 noon on 13 April 2026. See the "HSE Submission Process" section below for full details.

Stage 3: Offer Stage (week of 25 May 2026). NRS emails you with your match result: either a post allocation or reserve list placement. You then have 48 hours to accept or decline.

Intern training is the first level of postgraduate medical training in Ireland. It gives you the opportunity to experience the reality of day-to-day patient care under supervision: writing notes, managing ward patients, handling on-calls, and working as part of a clinical team.

Each post requires a minimum of 12 months of training, including at least 3 months in medicine and 3 months in surgery, plus 2-4 months in other specialties (such as emergency medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry, or GP). Successful completion leads to a Certificate of Experience from the Medical Council, which is required for full registration as a doctor in Ireland.

Because the post list itself was still being settled. The letter of determination gives each health region a whole-time equivalent limit and a budget without naming a number of intern posts, so each intern training network has to negotiate its share with its Regional Executive Officer before the list is final. Medical Intern Board minutes from February 2026, released under Freedom of Information, record that the National Recruitment Service delayed the post preference stage to accommodate those negotiations and, with students’ final exam dates in view, could only hold off until mid-March. The board described the 2026 process as unsatisfactory. The HSE’s own position is that recruitment proceeded in line with the established annual timeline and the intern year began as scheduled in July. These accounts describe the timing differently; check the published dates for your own application cycle. The full sequence.

The HSE Post Preference Selection form opens on Monday 30 March 2026 and closes at 12 noon Monday 13 April 2026 (Irish time). No late submissions are accepted under any circumstances, and no postal, email, or written alternatives are allowed. We recommend building your preference list here on MedPath well before the window opens, so you can submit confidently when the time comes.

You'll need a PC, laptop, or mobile device with internet access, a valid email address, and access to a mobile phone for text messages. The HSE recommends using a recent version of Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge. For the best experience, use a PC or laptop rather than a phone. Download the HSE guide documents before you start; they're available on the NRS website.

Yes, but you'll need to restart the entire Post Preference Selection process from scratch (as outlined in the NRS invitation email). The HSE accepts a single submission per applicant; if you submit more than once, they'll use the last submission received before the closing date and time. Make sure you review your list carefully before hitting Submit.

After submissions close on 13 April, here's the timeline: 13 May: centile date (your academic ranking is provided to NRS by your medical school). Week of 25 May: NRS emails matched candidates with their post allocation, and unmatched candidates with reserve list details. 11 June: deadline for conferral of your basic medical degree. You'll have 48 hours from the date of your offer to accept or decline (this deadline may be brought forward, so check your offer email).

When you click Submit on the HSE form, you'll receive a receipt by email. Keep this carefully, as it's your proof of submission. If you don't receive it within 24 hours, check your spam/junk folder first. If it's still not there, contact the NRS Helpdesk (available 9am–5pm Mon–Fri). For non-technical queries about the intern process, email applyintern@hse.ie.

An intern post is a 12-month paid training position in an Irish hospital (or group of hospitals). Each post consists of a series of clinical rotations, typically four blocks across different specialties like medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, and others. Posts are grouped into six Intern Training Networks, each anchored to a medical school region: Dublin / Northeast (RCSI), Dublin / Mid-Leinster (UCD), Dublin / Southeast (TCD), Mid-West (UL), South (UCC), and West / Northwest (NUIG). Some posts are "single-site" (all rotations at one hospital), while others rotate you between two or more hospitals in the network.

The HSE, under a statutory function to determine the number of training posts required each year. It is not decided nationally by grade. The letter of determination hands each of the six health regions a whole-time equivalent limit and a budget, leaving the split to local decision, and each intern training network then makes its case to its Regional Executive Officer for a share. The HSE’s standing line is that additional training posts depend on the availability of funding and on training capacity within the health regions. Note that the six health regions holding the budget are not the same six as the intern training networks holding the training. How the number is set, and checked.

Posts are spread across hospitals nationwide, from large teaching hospitals in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Limerick to smaller regional and general hospitals. Each of the six Intern Training Networks covers a geographic area. You can browse all posts and filter by region or hospital on the Posts page. Some networks are heavily Dublin-based (RCSI, UCD, TCD), while others are centred on cities outside Dublin (UL, UCC, NUIG).

Your centile ranking is an academic score provided by your medical school to the NRS. It reflects your relative academic performance among your graduating class. Students with higher centiles get priority in the matching algorithm; they are matched to their preferred posts first, before students with lower centiles. The centile date for the 2026/27 cycle is 13 May 2026, which is when your medical school submits your ranking to NRS. Contact your medical school if you have a question about how it calculated your centile.

The HSE uses a serial dictatorship algorithm (similar to the CAO). Students are processed one at a time in centile order, from highest to lowest. When it is your turn, the system gives you the highest-ranked post on your preference list that has not already been taken by someone above you. This means your centile determines when you get to pick, and your preference list determines what you pick. Listing a post lower on your list does not reduce your chance of getting a higher-listed post; the algorithm always tries your top choice first.

If all 50 of your ranked posts have already been allocated to students with higher centiles, the system falls back to your Intern Training Region ordering. You will be assigned an available post in your most-preferred region that still has vacancies. This is why ranking all 50 posts and ordering your fallback regions carefully both matter; they are your two layers of protection against being assigned somewhere you did not choose at all.

If the initial matching round does not place you (which is rare), or if allocated candidates decline their offers, a reserve list process kicks in. Reserve list candidates are offered posts that become available due to declines or withdrawals. The NRS will email you with reserve list details during the week of 25 May 2026. If you are on the reserve list, you will typically have a short window (often 24-48 hours) to accept an offered post.

The basic annual salary for interns is approximately EUR 46,160 for a standard 39-hour working week. On top of this, you will typically earn additional pay for on-call shifts and overtime, which can add meaningfully to your take-home pay depending on the post and hospital. Salary is paid fortnightly. Deductions include tax (PAYE), USC, PRSI, and pension contributions.

Interns receive 16 days of annual leave per six-month period (pro rata for the 12-month contract) and 18 days of educational leave per six-month period. Educational leave is for mandatory intern teaching, exams, and courses; it is not additional holiday. Leave must be approved by your supervising consultant and hospital management. Planning leave around busy rotations and on-call commitments takes coordination, so book early.

On-call patterns vary by hospital and specialty. Most interns do a mix of 24-hour on-calls and shorter evening/night shifts. The frequency depends on your rotation and the hospital; some rotations are 1-in-4 (one on-call every four days), others are less frequent. On-call work is where you will learn the most (and sleep the least). You are paid extra for on-call hours, including enhanced rates for nights and weekends.

The internship runs for 12 months, starting on 13 July 2026 for the 2026/27 cycle. You must complete the full 12 months to be eligible for your Certificate of Experience. There is no option to do part-time internship; it is a full-time commitment for the entire year.

No. The intern year is a full-time, 12-month position. There is currently no provision for part-time or flexible internship in the Irish system. If you need to take a break for medical or personal reasons, you would need to discuss this with your hospital and the Medical Council, but it would likely mean extending your internship to make up the time.

Yes. All interns must complete Garda vetting before starting their post. The HSE will initiate this process after you accept your offer. It involves an online application through the National Vetting Bureau. Start this as soon as you are prompted, as delays in Garda vetting can hold up your start date. You may also need to provide an international police clearance if you have lived outside Ireland for a significant period.

If you do not pass your final medical exams, you cannot take up an intern post. Your basic medical degree must be conferred by 11 June 2026 for the 2026/27 cycle. There is no option to defer an intern post to the following year; if you miss this cycle, you must reapply through the NRS process the next year and go through the preference selection and matching again from scratch.

The Certificate of Experience is issued by the Medical Council of Ireland after you successfully complete your 12-month internship. It confirms that you have completed the required supervised training and are eligible for full registration on the Medical Council's General Register. Without it, you cannot practise independently as a doctor in Ireland. Your supervising consultants will assess your competence throughout the year, and your hospital intern tutor coordinates the sign-off process.

After your intern year, you apply to specialist training schemes run by the relevant postgraduate training bodies. The main ones are: RCPI (Royal College of Physicians of Ireland: medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry, public health, and more), RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland: all surgical specialties), ICGP (Irish College of General Practitioners: general practice), CAI (College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland), FFR RCSI (Faculty of Radiologists: radiology), and CPsychI (College of Psychiatrists of Ireland). Most schemes start with Basic Specialist Training (BST) before progressing to Higher Specialist Training (HST). Competition for training places is intense; see the "Bigger Picture" section above for context on the bottleneck.

No. The intern year is designed to give you broad clinical exposure across multiple specialties before you commit to a training path. Many students change their minds about specialty during the intern year based on their rotation experiences. That said, if you already have a strong leaning, choosing an intern post with rotations in that specialty can give you relevant experience and references for your training scheme application.

MedPath starts with the locations, specialties and other preferences you enter. When you choose between two posts, it uses that choice to adjust your suggested order. The statistical model is called Bradley–Terry. It estimates which posts you prefer, not your chances of being allocated them by the HSE.

Comparisons focus on posts whose order is uncertain, especially around the edge of your shortlist. Some pairs help distinguish between your priorities: for example, a preferred location with less appealing rotations versus a longer commute with specialties you want. Posts you have compared less often are also given a turn.

MedPath suggests finishing when your shortlist is sufficiently settled or you have completed enough comparisons for your post pool. You can also stop earlier and review the suggested list. Check the final order yourself before copying it to the HSE form; the model may still place similar posts differently from how you would.

The starting order uses your choices about training networks, hospitals, specialties, the number of sites in a post and rotation timing. For academic posts, it also considers the academic block. Your later comparisons refine that initial estimate.