University Hospital Galway

West/Northwest · Newcastle Road, Galway City, Galway

public hospitalModel 4

On-call: what to expect

Rota: Mixed
Nights per rotation: 5
Busy-ness: 7/10

The rota

Overall call frequency ranges from less than once weekly to approximately once per week, with evening or weekend duties occurring roughly every 7 to 9 days.

Medical on-call follows a rota of 5 to 9pm evening shifts and 9am to 9pm weekend/day shifts and is the busier side.

This includes one extended shift approximately every 10 days (or 1 to 2 every two weeks) and 2 to 3 weekend sets per rotation.

Workload & stress

On-call is divided between medical and surgical cover, with interns assigned according to their rotation, although ward cover may still include a mix of medical and surgical patients depending on bed allocation.

Workload is well supported, typically with around three SHOs and one registrar overnight in ED, and approximately 3 to 5 admissions per night.

Surgical on-call is less frequent and more manageable, with fewer bleeps.

Support on call

Workload is well supported, typically with around three SHOs and one registrar overnight in ED, and approximately 3 to 5 admissions per night.

Medical registrars are approachable and helpful, and co-intern support is strong.

Senior support is less consistent than medical and may be off-site at times.

Worked here? Add your experience or suggest an update

87

Interns at any time

159

Posts including this site

8

Full-year posts

151

Posts that rotate in

Busy, hands-on, and generally well supported. Medical posts are consistently described as busier but better supported, especially overnight. Surgical posts have fewer bleeps in some rotations and a different call pattern, but support is less consistent and can depend more on the team and who is on call. Across the hospital, interns get a good amount of call, regular exposure to acute work, and early responsibility, with workload described as busy but manageable rather than excessive.

Pros

Less competitive for ranking

Consultants tend to be nice

Possibly less call than other Model 4 hospitals

Loads of support on call

Good rotations

Galway Clinic rotations (only 8 spots), no call/nights

Good research opportunities

Cons

Not all specialties are available (e.g. neurosurgery)

Possible peripheral placement

Staying in the one spot all year

Call rota

Poor porter system

Scans often delayed

Understaffed at night

LeaveYou can select 2 weeks in each rotation free from call.

On-Call

7.3

Overall

8.7

Overall

8.5

Nightlife & Social

8.2

Transport Links

6.9

Accommodation

6.7

Affordability

24 reviews

Living in Galway as an NCHD→

Breast Surgery

5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

40h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

Very quiet rotation. Very good for studying for exams/research.

Adapted from 2 intern responses; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Very quiet rotation. Very good for studying for exams/resesrch .

Intern 2

Advice: Very quiet rotation. Very good for studying for exams/resesrch .

ID / GIM

4/5

Would do again

Would choose again

45h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

Busy but enjoyable rotation.

Adapted from 2 intern responses; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Busy but enjoyable rotation

Intern 2

Advice: Busy but enjoyable rotation

Geriatric Medicine

4.3/5

Would do again

Would choose again

43–45h per week (reported hours)

Overall

9.3

Staffing Levels

Teaching

9.3

Workload

Enjoyment

7.3

Supervision

9.3

Career Value

8.3

Advice

Different services: Acute geriatrics, stroke, orthogeris and Merlin Park rehab. Will get to do two of these during the rotation. Well staffed (5/6 rotations), so good for leave. Registrars and consultants are lovely!

Adapted from 3 intern responses; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Different services: acute Geris, stroke, orthogeris and Merlin Park rehab. Will get to do two of these during the rotation. Well staffed (5/6 rotations), so good for leave. Regs and consultants are lovely!

Intern 2

Psychiatry

5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

39h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

Excellent job for people considering a career in psychiatry / wanting to do some research.

Day to Day

Generally low workload job. Typically split 3 days inpatients/outpatients and 2 days liaison psychiatry. Well supported job. Good mix of inpatient management and outpatient clinics.

Adapted from 2 intern responses; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Excellent job for people considering a career in psychiatry / wanting to do some research.

Day to day: Generally low workload job. Typically split 3 days inpatients/outpatients and 2 days liaison psychiatry. Well supported job. Good mix of inpatient management and outpatient clinics.

Intern 2

Advice: Excellent job for people considering a career in psychiatry / wanting to do some research.

Day to day: Generally low workload job. Typically split 3 days inpatients/outpatients and 2 days liaison psychiatry. Well supported job. Good mix of inpatient management and outpatient clinics.

Respiratory

4.5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

55–65h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

6.5

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

7.5

Supervision

7.5

Career Value

8.5

Advice

Good rotation nothing to fear here. It’s just ya very busy and patient list is very long we always have so many patients. Patients are also very sick and can decline rapidly. High mortality in respiratory.

Day to Day

Super busy and SHOs in clinic so can be understaffed. Ward rounds and 1 week a month in Merlin park respiratory unit. Admissions, ABGs, ward rounds, consults, IR requests, reviewing patients, discharges.

Adapted from 2 intern responses; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Good rotation nothing to fear here. It’s just ya very busy and patient list is very long we always have so many patients. Patients are also very sick and can decline rapidly. High mortality in resp.

Day to day: Ward rounds, ABGs, consults, IR requests, reviewing patients, discharges,

Intern 2

Advice: /

Day to day: Super busy and SHO’s in clinic so can be understaffed. Ward rounds and 1 week a month in Merlin park resp unit aka admissions, reviews and abg’s

Endo / GIM

5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

45–60h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Day to Day

Ward rounds, all ward based jobs. Two teams (green and white) - you swap between them.

Adapted from 2 intern responses; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Day to day: Ward rounds, all ward based jobs. Two teams green and white you swap between them

Neurology

5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

40h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

Very little. There’s not much expected of you. They do a neuroradiology meeting every Friday and that is your biggest job. They will email you cases to put on it during the week. Don’t forget that and don’t miss cases. They will look to you if someone is left off the list and that is very embarrassing.

Day to Day

Ward rounds are the bulk of the work and variable in length. GUH neurology don’t take patients from the general take or admit from ED (only consults and elective admissions) so your list is usually fairly stable. Patients are very rarely sick. Interesting cases and very well supported by the rest of the team.

Adapted from 1 intern response; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Very little. There’s not much expected of you. They do a neuroradiology meeting every Friday and that is your biggest job. They will email you cases to put on it during the week. Don’t forget that and don’t miss cases. They will look to you if someone is left off the list and that is very embarrassing.

Day to day: Ward rounds are the bulk of the work and variable in length. GUH neurology don’t take patients from the general take or admit from ED (only consults and elective admissions) so your list is usually fairly stable. Patients are very rarely sick. Interesting cases and very well supported by the rest of the team.

Plastic Surgery

5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

50h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

Stay on top of discharge letters. Take the list seriously and keep it up to date (update twice a day). No need for three people to be there at all times, one can definitely leave early on quiet days.

Day to Day

The list is your biggest job as an intern. Keep it up to date and comprehensive. Generally takes a half an hour in the morning so you’re in from 7. 7.30 handover and a very quick ward round. Then split the jobs between the three interns. Other jobs will come in during the day and the regs will text you about things. The only con about the job is the number of discharge letters that need to be done. Every patient in minor opd needs a discharge letter and they get through over 10 a day so stay on to of them. Three interns is more than enough on the team though. Great rotation of you’re interested in surgery cause you get good opportunities to suture in minor ops.

Adapted from 1 intern response; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Stay on top of discharge letters. Take the list seriously and keep it up to date (update twice a day). No need for three people to be there at all times, one can definitely leave early on quiet days.

Day to day: The list is your biggest job as an intern. Keep it up to date and comprehensive. Generally takes a half an hour in the morning so you’re in from 7. 7.30 handover and a very quick ward round. Then split the jobs between the three interns. Other jobs will come in during the day and the regs will text you about things. The only con about the job is the number of discharge letters that need to be done. Every patient in minor opd needs a discharge letter and they get through over 10 a day so stay on to of them. Three interns is more than enough on the team though. Great rotation of you’re interested in surgery cause you get good opportunities to suture in minor ops

Radiation Oncology

2/5

Would do again

Would not choose again

50h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Lower GI Surgery

2/5

Would do again

Would not choose again

60–65h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

4.5

Teaching

3.5

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

3.5

Career Value

8.5

Advice

Be prepared to work HARD Demanding and often left on your own in the wards. Great learning early on in experience, truly christened by fire.

Adapted from 2 intern responses; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Day to day: Ward rounds, ward jobs

Intern 2

Advice: Be prepared to work HARD Demanding and often left on your own in the wards Great learning early on in experience , truly christened by fire

Day to day: All ward jobs

Gastro / GIM

5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

60h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

Consultants are lovely. Read up on hepatology, but no big deal if you don't!

Day to Day

Ward rounds, carry bleep, put out for phlebotomy, update list etc. It was my first job, so was very new.

Adapted from 1 intern response; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Consultants are lovely. Read up on hepatology but no big deal if you dont

Day to day: Ward rounds, carry bleep, put out for phlebotomy, update list etc. it was my first job so very new

Nephrology

5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

65h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

ONLY 1 BLEEP FOR TEAM. Crazy that everything for the whole team goes through 1 bleep. There were days that I spent the whole day answering the bleep instead of doing jobs. It's a very manageable job depending on how well you work with co-intern and SHOs

Day to Day

Ward rounds, carry bleep, put out for phlebotomy, update list etc.

Adapted from 1 intern response; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: ONLY 1 BLEEP FOR TEAM. Crazy that everything for the whole team goes through 1 bleep. There are days that i spent the whole day answering the bleep instead of doing jobs. Its a very manageable job depending on how well you work with co-intern and SHOs

Day to day: Ward rounds, carry bleep, put out for phlebotomy, update list etc.

Cardiology

4.5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

50h per week (reported hours)

Overall

7.5

Staffing Levels

8.5

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

9.5

Supervision

Career Value

7.5

Advice

Be organised. Ask the team early what they expect, clarify any questions about day ward early.

Day to Day

Ward rounds 7am, SHOs mostly in clinic so all ward jobs / ward rounds with interns only.

Adapted from 2 intern responses; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Ask the team early what they expect, clarify any questions about day ward early

Day to day: Ward rounds 7am, SHOs mostly in clinic so all ward jobs/ ward rounds with interns only

Intern 2

Advice: Be ornfsised l

Day to day: Ward rounds, day ward

Emergency Medicine

5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

50h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

Incredible rotation, some of the most amazing doctors I've ever had the pleasure of working with were in the A&E in Galway.

Ophthalmology

4.5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

45–56h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

9.5

Teaching

7.5

Workload

Enjoyment

9.5

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

Make use of the free time well! Lovely rotation with plenty of opportunity for activities outside of work, be them academic or social

Day to Day

Admissions to the day ward, eye injections, paperwork, FFA in eye clinic, lots of time to go to theatre or shadow in clinic

Adapted from 2 intern responses; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Interested in the specialty at all , preference it Good exposure Good teaching and supervision

Day to day: Anti VEGF injections Outpatient clinics Paeds admissions Day case procedure admissions Consents and inpatient on call requests

Intern 2

Advice: Make use of the free time well

Day to day: Admissions to the day ward , eye injections , paperwork, FFA in eye clinic, lots of time to go to theatre- shadow in clinic

Paediatrics

5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

45h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

Get stuck in! Chat to everyone and ask questions if you’re unsure!! The CNS’s are also a great support

Day to Day

Mostly clinic but also paediatric day unit, paeds ED, paeds ward and post-natal ward. All very supported though. You’re never without a senior to sign off on anything you do

Adapted from 1 intern response; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: Get stuck in! Chat to everyone and ask questions if you’re unsure!! The CNS’s are also a great support

Day to day: Mostly clinic but also paediatric day unit, paeds ED, paeds ward and post-natal ward. All very supported though. You’re never without a senior to sign off on anything you do

Rheumatology

4/5

Would do again

Would choose again

60h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Day to Day

Ward rounds, clinic opportunities, clinical skills on ward

Adapted from 1 intern response; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Day to day: Ward rounds, clinic opportunities, clinical skills on ward

Vascular Surgery

4/5

Would do again

Would choose again

60h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

It’s a busy job, with a patient cohort that is complex and can deteriorate easily. As with all surgical jobs the team are generally not present on the ward during the day, but in my experience were always easily contactable. Long hours to get through the work load. That said, great camaraderie amongst all vascular and plastics interns in UHG (share an office).

Adapted from 1 intern response; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Advice: It’s a busy job, with a patient cohort that is complex and can deteriorate easily. As with all surgical jobs the team are generally not present on the ward during the day, but in my experience were always easily contactable. Long hours to get through the work load. That said, great camaraderie amongst all vascular and plastics interns in UHG (share an office).

General Internal Medicine

5/5

Would do again

Would choose again

50h per week (reported hours)

Overall

Staffing Levels

Teaching

Workload

Enjoyment

Supervision

Career Value

Advice

Ward rounds, Ward jobs, discharges. Exceptional nursing and MDT colleagues in UHG AMAU.

Adapted from 1 intern response; read individual reviews below

Intern 1

Day to day: Ward rounds, Ward jobs, discharges. exceptional nursing and MDT colleagues in UHG AMAU

Sites you may rotate to

Posts based here share rotations with these hospitals; check the commute before you rank.

Letterkenny40 shared posts · 216 min · 250.5 km Portiuncula38 shared posts · 48 min · 61.4 km Sligo34 shared posts · 124 min · 140.3 km Castlebar30 shared posts · 76 min · 78 km Roscommon16 shared posts · 80 min · 89.2 km Galway Clinic8 shared posts · 11 min · 9 km Claddagh Medical Centre4 shared posts · 4 min · 1.3 km Our Lady's Manorhamilton4 shared posts · 144 min · 158.6 km Bon Secours Galway4 shared posts · 8 min · 4.1 km Arlington House Medical Centre3 shared posts · 14 min · 12.5 km Scally McDaid Roarty Medical Practice2 shared posts · 216 min · 250.1 km Sligo GP - GP Health Centre2 shared posts · 130 min · 144 km

Intern posts at this hospital

159 2026/27 posts include at least one rotation at UHG, most often lower gi/general surgery, orthopaedics, geriatric medicine/general internal medicine. Blocks at this hospital are highlighted; the rest show you where else the post takes you.

Rotation blocks for posts including UHG, 2026/27
Post	Block 1	Block 2	Block 3	Block 4
Academic Track 041Academic	Academic / Radiation OncologyUHG	Endo / GIMUHG	Lower GI SurgeryUHG	Vascular SurgeryUHG
Academic Track 042Academic	Lower GI SurgeryUHG	Academic / PsychiatryUHG	NephrologyUHG	RespiratoryUHG
Academic Track 043Academic	Gastro / GIMUHG	Lower GI SurgeryUHG	Academic / Obstetrics & GynaecologyUHG	Endo / GIMUHG
Academic Track 044Academic	NephrologyUHG	Upper GI SurgeryUHG	RheumatologyUHG	Academic / PsychiatryUHG
Academic Track 045Academic	RespiratoryUHG	Academic / DermatologyUHG	Breast SurgeryUHG	Vascular SurgeryUHG
Academic Track 046Academic	Endo / GIMUHG	NephrologyUHG	Academic / DermatologyUHG	Breast SurgeryUHG
Academic Track 047Academic	Vascular SurgeryUHG	Breast SurgeryUHG	Endo / GIMUHG	Academic / RadiologyUHG
Academic Track 048Academic	Academic / RadiologyUHG	Breast SurgeryUHG	RespiratoryUHG	NephrologyUHG
WNW/004	ID / GIMUHG	PaediatricsUHG	Medical OncologyGalway Clinic	OrthopaedicsUHG
WNW/005	RespiratoryUHG	CardiologyUHG	OrthopaedicsBon Secours Galway	Lower GI SurgeryUHG
WNW/015	RheumatologyUHG	Medical OncologyUHG	Emergency MedicineUHG	General SurgeryPortiuncula
WNW/017	ID / GIMUHG	Lower GI SurgeryPortiuncula	RadiologyUHG	Gastro / GIMUHG
WNW/018	Endo / GIMUHG	Lower GI SurgeryPortiuncula	OphthalmologyUHG	CardiologyUHG
WNW/019	Lower GI SurgeryPortiuncula	OrthopaedicsUHG	Geriatric MedicineUHG	General PracticeUHG
WNW/044	Medical OncologyUHG	Geriatric MedicineUHG	Lower GI SurgeryPortiuncula	Vascular SurgeryUHG
WNW/050	General PracticeUHG	ENTUHG	RespiratoryUHG	Lower GI SurgeryPortiuncula
WNW/101	Breast SurgeryUHG	Endo / GIMUHG	General SurgeryGalway Clinic	Medical OncologyUHG
WNW/116	OrthopaedicsBon Secours Galway	Breast SurgeryUHG	Medical OncologyUHG	Geriatric MedicineUHG
WNW/117	Geriatric MedicineUHG	ID / GIMUHG	Breast SurgeryUHG	Geriatrics / GIMRoscommon
WNW/120	Medical OncologyGalway Clinic	Lower GI SurgeryUHG	General Internal MedicineUHG	ID / GIMUHG
WNW/121	Upper GI SurgeryUHG	OrthopaedicsBon Secours Galway	Gastro / GIMUHG	Medical OncologyUHG
WNW/127	Vascular SurgeryUHG	ID / GIMUHG	Upper GI SurgeryUHG	Medical OncologyGalway Clinic
WNW/140	Gastro / GIMUHG	General SurgeryGalway Clinic	Geriatric MedicineUHG	UrologyUHG
WNW/001	Vascular SurgeryUHG	Breast SurgeryUHG	Endo / GIMPortiuncula	General Internal MedicinePortiuncula

Every specialty rotated here (37)

Specialty	Blocks
Lower GI Surgery	33
Orthopaedics	24
Geriatric Medicine	22
Respiratory	20
Urology	20
Vascular Surgery	20
Cardiology	19
Breast Surgery	18
Medical Oncology	16
Upper GI Surgery	16
Gastro / GIM	13
Endo / GIM	12
ID / GIM	12
Plastic Surgery	12
Rheumatology	12
Nephrology	9
Emergency Medicine	8
ENT	8
Anaesthesia	4
CT Surgery	4
General Internal Medicine	4
General Practice	4
Haematology	4
Neurology	4
Ophthalmology	4
Maxillofacial Surgery	4
Paediatrics	4
Radiation Oncology	4
Academic / Dermatology	2
Academic / Psychiatry	2
Academic / Radiology	2
Academic / Obstetrics & Gynaecology	1
Academic / Radiation Oncology	1
Dermatology	1
Obstetrics & Gynaecology	1
Psychiatry	1
Radiology	1

Showing 24 of 159.

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