HST Intensive Care Medicine: Irish Training Pathway

HST Intensive Care Medicine

A 24-month supra-specialty programme run by the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine of Ireland, entered from anaesthesiology, internal medicine, surgery or emergency medicine base training, requiring the FJFICMI examination and leading to a CSCST in Intensive Care Medicine alongside the base-specialty qualification.

How the length works

Supra-specialty: 24 months on top of the base specialty, up to 12 of which can be recognised from base training.

Duration: 24 months of higher specialist ICM training as a supra-specialty programme: Year 1 as Clinical Fellow in Intensive Care Medicine and Year 2 as Advanced Clinical Fellow, in JFICMI-accredited hospitals. Up to 12 months of ICM modules completed during base-specialty training (anaesthesiology SAT, RCPI internal medicine HST, RCSI surgery or emergency medicine schemes) can be recognised towards Year 1, provided at least 4 of those 12 months fall in the last 2 years of base training. For internal medicine trainees, overall duration is the RCPI HST duration plus the added year(s) of supra-specialty ICM training. (JFICMI, Higher Specialist Training in Intensive Care Medicine, October 2024, updated July 2025)

Applications: July 2025 intake: applications announced open 27 January 2025 and closed 16 February 2025 (CV and cover letter to jficmi@coa.ie). The JFICMI training page states there is usually a once-yearly application and interview period from August to October, with late intake possible at the discretion of the Chair of the Training Committee. (JFICMI news, January 2025; JFICMI Training page, accessed July 2026)

Entry: There is no mono-specialty ICM programme in Ireland; ICM is entered from a base training scheme in anaesthesiology (CAI SAT), internal medicine (RCPI HST), or surgery/emergency medicine (RCSI/EM schemes). Trainees register with the JFICMI and enter dedicated ICM posts competitively. A CSCST or Specialist Division registration is not required to take up the Year 1 Clinical Fellow post, but progression to the Year 2 Advanced Clinical Fellow post requires: (a) CSCST (held or eligible) or Specialist Division registration in the base specialty; (b) 12 months of ICM in accredited Irish ICUs with satisfactory in-training assessments; and (c) the FJFICMI examination sat and/or passed. The CSCST in ICM itself is only awarded to doctors on the Specialist Division (or holding a CSCST) in their base specialty. (JFICMI, Higher Specialist Training in Intensive Care Medicine, October 2024, updated July 2025)

Exams: Fellowship of the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine of Ireland (FJFICMI): a written examination and an oral/clinical examination. The exam must be attempted within the first 12 months of recognised accredited JFICMI training; a minimum of 8 months of ICM is required to apply to sit it, and candidates must provide evidence of having passed the fellowship examination in their base specialty (FCAI/FRCPI/FRCSI/FRCEM). 2026 sittings: written 23 April 2026, clinical 28 May 2026; fee EUR 500 per section. (JFICMI HST in ICM document, October 2024; JFICMI Examinations page, accessed July 2026)

Exams you will need

MCAI / FCAI

Intensive Care Medicine in Ireland is a supra-specialty training programme administered by the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine of Ireland (JFICMI) in collaboration with the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland, RCPI and RCSI; a mono-specialty ICM programme does not exist. Training comprises 24 months in JFICMI-accredited hospitals: Year 1 as Clinical Fellow and Year 2 as Advanced Clinical Fellow. Up to 12 months of ICM modules completed during base-specialty training can be recognised towards Year 1. The FJFICMI examination (written and oral/clinical) must be attempted within the first 12 months of recognised training, after a minimum of 8 months of ICM.

Entry routes run from three base pathways: the CAI anaesthesiology SAT scheme (which itself includes a minimum of 6 months of ICM modules and 18 months of ICM on-call), RCPI internal medicine HST, and RCSI surgery or emergency medicine schemes. Progression to Year 2 requires CSCST (held or eligible) or Specialist Division registration in the base specialty, 12 months of accredited ICM, and the FJFICMI sat or passed. Completion leads to a CSCST in Intensive Care Medicine and eligibility for consultant in intensive care medicine posts; the CSCST in ICM is only awarded to doctors who hold a CSCST or specialist registration in their base specialty.

How selection is scored

JFICMI does not publish a selection marking scheme for ICM entry.

Where you train

JFICMI-recognised hospitals (October 2024 list): Beaumont Hospital Dublin*, Cork University Hospital*, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda (2-month module), Galway University Hospital*, Limerick University Hospital, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Dublin*, Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin*, St James's Hospital Dublin*, St Vincent's University Hospital Dublin*, Tallaght University Hospital Dublin, Children's Health Ireland at Temple Street, University Hospital Waterford. Asterisked hospitals are recognised for both Year 1 and Year 2 ICM training. (JFICMI, Higher Specialist Training in Intensive Care Medicine, October 2024, updated July 2025)

Where this leads

Completion of 24 months of accredited ICM training with success in the FJFICMI examination leads to the award of a CSCST in Intensive Care Medicine and, once on the Specialist Division in ICM and the base specialty, eligibility for 'Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine' posts. Doctors who complete Year 1 and the FJFICMI without proceeding to Year 2 may instead apply for consultant posts in their base specialty 'with a Special Interest in ICM'. (JFICMI, Higher Specialist Training in Intensive Care Medicine, October 2024, updated July 2025)

Facts last verified 2026-07-27. Scheme details change year to year; always confirm against JFICMI (Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine of Ireland)'s current documentation.