Higher Specialist Training in Intensive Care Medicine
Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) training in Ireland is a supra-speciality training programme. Doctors can only complete ICM training and apply for consultant posts in intensive care medicine if they are on the Specialist Division of the Medical Register (or in possession of a CSCST) in their base speciality. A mono-speciality ICM training programme does not currently exist in Ireland.
A CSCST in Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) is awarded by the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine of Ireland (JFICMI) to those trainees who complete training as per the Higher specialist training in Intensive Care Medicine document.
All ICM training posts for the National ICM Programme are filled through an annual recruitment strategy. All posts are advertised, interviewed and allocated by the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine of Ireland, in collaboration with the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland (CAI), the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland (RCPI) and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI).
The following hospitals are recognised for training in intensive care medicine:
- Beaumont Hospital, Dublin*
- Cork University Hospital*
- University Hospital Galway*
- University Hospital Limerick
- Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin*
- CHI Crumlin* (maximum of 6 months during 24 months training)
- St James’s Hospital, Dublin*
- St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin*
- Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin
- Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street (2 month modular training)
(*Hospitals recognised for both year 1 and year 2 ICM training)
Training is structured to maximise opportunities for learning and to provide a broad range of experience in different types of hospitals. Details of the core curriculum and expected competencies are presented in the Joint Faculty’s Higher specialist training in Intensive Care Medicine document.
Applying for a Training Position
For entry into clinical fellow or advanced clinical fellow training, doctors must be registered with the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine of Ireland.
Year 1 and year 2 ICM training posts are filled each year following a central applications process under the auspices of the JFICMI. This involves a national advertisement programme, competitive interviews and post allocation process. The number of available positions varies on a yearly basis. While there is usually only a once-yearly application and interview period (from September to November), during some years additional training posts are advertised in the January-February period.
For further details about training pathways and applications, please contact the Joint Faculty at jficmi@coa.ie or the Chair of the Training Committee. Please note that most training schemes will require up to one year of notice to accommodate a year out of programme for a trainee.