TCD/HSE General Practice Training Programme
Specialist training in general practice is a mandatory requirement to practice as a GP in Ireland. The TCD/HSE General Practice Training Programme is one of 11 schemes in the Republic of Ireland providing such specialist training.
Full details of these schemes is obtainable from the Irish College of General Practitioners which is responsible for the central administration of the Specialist Registrar scheme.
Background to TCD/HSE GP Training Programme
The Eastern Regional General Practice Training Programme (ERGPTP) was set up in 1975 with an annual intake of 4 trainees, who were vocationally trained for a career in general practice following registration as medical practitioners.
Since its inception more than 30 years ago, the ERGPTP has had over 250 graduates and the annual intake has now expanded to 12 trainees who undergo training over a 4 year period. The programme has recently integrated with the Department of Public Health and Primary Care and is a joint Health Service Executive/Trinity College venture.
'Monograph - Celebrating 30 years of the GP Training Programme'
The TCD/HSE programme
The current programme consists of 4-month rotations in the following specialties for the first 2 years of training:
Year 1 and Year2
- Psychiatry (1)
- Medicine of the Elderly
- Emergency Medicine
- General Medicine
- Palliative Medicine
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Paediatrics
- Psychiatry (2)
For the final two years of the programme, the trainees spend 2 years in teaching practice posts under the supervision of two different trainers.
Hospital rotations are based in 14 locations around Dublin and 25 training practices are associated with the programme.
The hospital and general practice training posts are augmented by weekly half-day release programmes for trainees in their first two years and by weekly full-day release programmes in the final two years.
All trainees entering the scheme must accept postings to any of the Programme's hospitals or training practices.
Staff and Contact Details
| Title | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Director | Prof. Fergus O'Kelly | feokelly@tcd.ie |
| Assistant Director | Dr. Jim McShane | gp.training@tcd.ie |
| Assistant Director | Dr. Aisling Ní Shuilleabháin | nishuia@tcd.ie |
| Assistant Director | Dr. Brendan O’Shea | boshea@tcd.ie |
| Assistant Director | Ms. Anne O Cuinneagain Tel. + 353 (0) 1 896 2760 | ocuinnea@tcd.ie |
| Assistant Director | Dr Catherine Darker | darkerc@tcd.ie |
| Assistant Director | Dr Carmel Martin | martinc7@tcd.ie |
| Assistant Director | Dr Darach O'Ciardha | oiardhad@tcd.ie |
| Administrator | Ms. Audrey Murray GP Training, Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Trinity College Centre for Health Sciences, Tallaght Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland Tel: + 353 (0)1 8963460 Fax: + 353 (0)1 4031212 |
gp.training@tcd.ie |
General calendar guidelines for applicants to the training programme
| The Process | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Available places on training programmes advertised in national and medical media | 1st week in January each year |
| Online application available to candidates | 1st week in January each year |
| Closing date for receipt of completed applications in Irish College of General Practitioners | Mid to last week in January each year |
| Written notification of interview dates for candidates | Interviews take place in all schemes, late February - mid March |
| First round offers posted to candidates | Mid - Late March |
| Closing date for acceptance of first round offers | Late March |
| Second and third round offers and acceptances | End March - Mid April |
| Commence training | Beginning of July |
N.B. these are guidelines only - specific dates available from the ICGP website