S.I. No. 480 of 2010

MEDICAL COUNCIL RULES SPECIFYING PRE-REGISTRATION EXAMINATIONS AND EXEMPTIONS VF3

RULES SPECIFYING PRE-REGISTRATION EXAMINATIONS AND EXEMPTIONS FOR THE PURPOSES OF ESTABLISHING ELIGIBILITY FOR TRAINEE SPECIALIST REGISTRATION AND/OR GENERAL REGISTRATION PURSUANT TO THE MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS ACT 2007

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 8th October, 2010.

These rules are made pursuant to the provisions of section 11 and sections 46(b), 48(3)(a) and 48(4)(a) of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 ("the Act") for the purpose of specifying pre-registration examinations and exemptions for the purposes of establishing eligibility for trainee specialist registration and/or general registration for medical practitioners applying to be registered in the Register of Medical Practitioners ("the Register"). These rules should be read in conjunction with the current Registration Rules made by the Medical Council. The terms "trainee specialist registration", "general registration", "internship registration" and "specialist registration" are defined in the Registration Rules. The rules of interpretation shall be as stated in section 2 of the Act unless otherwise stated.

1. Application Process and Pre-Registration Examinations

1.1 The registration application process will comprise five levels. All applicants for registration will be required to undergo a Level 1 assessment and verification of their documentation, following which only those medical practitioners who are deemed eligible will be admitted to the Pre-Registration Examination System ("PRES"), unless exempt. Levels 2 and 3 of the registration application process will collectively be known as the PRES. Medical practitioners attempting the PRES or any part thereof will be known as "candidates". Applicants for general registration will be required to undergo a Level 4 assessment. Applicants for specialist registration will be required to undergo a Level 5 assessment. Levels 1, 4 and 5 of the registration application process are not part of the PRES.

1.2 Level 2 will comprise a written examination. Candidates must pass Level 2 within two years from the date of being declared eligible. Candidates are required to pass Level 2 before being admitted to Level 3. A pass in Level 2 is valid for a period of two years from the date of passing.

1.3 Level 3 will comprise a practical assessment of clinical skills. Candidates are required to pass Level 3 before being admitted for a Level 4 assessment.

1.4 Level 4 will comprise an evaluation of the applicant's postgraduate training, education, qualifications and experience appropriate to registration in the General Division of the Register. The evaluation will be undertaken by a body approved under section 89(3)(a)(ii) of the Act or other person or persons authorised by the Medical Council.

1.5 Level 5 will comprise an evaluation of the applicant's postgraduate training, education, qualifications and experience appropriate to registration in the Specialist Division of the Register. The evaluation will be undertaken by a body approved under section 89(3)(a)(ii) of the Act or other person or persons authorised by the Medical Council.

1.6 In order to be admitted to Level 2 or Level 3 of the PRES, candidates must apply to register for an examination on a particular date in the manner specified by the Medical Council and pay the appropriate fee.

2. Attempts

Candidates will normally be allowed a maximum of three attempts to pass each Level of the PRES.

3. Trainee Specialist Registration

For the purposes of section 48(3)(a)(i) or 48(4)(a)(i) of the Act, applicants for trainee specialist registration are required to pass Levels 2 and 3 of the PRES unless they are exempt.

4. General Registration

For the purposes of section 46(b)(i) of the Act, applicants for general registration are required to pass Levels 2 and 3 of the PRES unless they are exempt and, on passing or being exempted from the PRES, they are required to undergo a Level 4 assessment.

5. Exemptions

5.1 Trainee Specialist Registration

For the purposes of section 48(3)(a)(ii) or 48(4)(a)(ii) of the Act, the following exemptions from the PRES will apply:

(i) Applicants for trainee specialist registration who satisfy the Medical Council that they meet the eligibility requirements for Categories 1, 2 or 3 outlined in paragraph C.2. (i) of the Medical Council Registration Rules;

(ii) Medical practitioners previously registered on the Register established under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 may be exempt from the PRES when applying to restore their name to the Register;

(iii) Medical practitioners who were registered on the General Register of Medical Practitioners under section 27 (full registration) or 29 (temporary registration) of the Medical Practitioners Act 1978 within the past five years may be exempt from the PRES when applying for registration;

(iv) Pursuant to section 4 of the Act, medical practitioners who have passed Part I of the Temporary Registration Assessment Scheme ("TRAS") within the past two years may be deemed to have passed Level 2 of the PRES;

(v) Pursuant to section 4 of the Act, medical practitioners who have passed Part II of the TRAS within the past three years will be deemed to have passed Level 3 of the PRES;

(vi) Without prejudice to section 89(3)(a)(i) of the Act, participants in training programmes recognised by the Medical Council by virtue of meeting criteria specified by the Medical Council are exempt from the PRES;

(vii) Medical practitioners who have been awarded a Higher Qualification recognised by the Medical Council by virtue of meeting criteria specified by the Medical Council are exempt from the PRES.

5.2 General Registration

For the purposes of section 46(b)(ii) of the Act, the following exemptions from the PRES will apply:

(i) Applicants for general registration who satisfy the Medical Council that they meet the eligibility requirements for Categories 1, 2 or 3 outlined in paragraph E.2. (i) of the Medical Council Registration Rules;

(ii) Medical practitioners previously registered on the Register established under the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 may be exempt from the PRES when applying to restore their name to the Register;

(iii) Medical practitioners who were registered on the General Register of Medical Practitioners under section 27 (full registration) or 29 (temporary registration) of the Medical Practitioners Act 1978 within the past five years;

(iv) Medical practitioners who have passed Part I of the TRAS within the past two years will be deemed to have passed Level 2 of the PRES;

(v) Medical practitioners who have passed Part II of the TRAS within the past three years will be deemed to have passed Level 3 of the PRES.

5.3 Applicants for internship registration or specialist registration or visiting EEA registration are exempt from the PRES.

6. Registration on Passing the PRES

6.1 Once an applicant for trainee specialist registration has passed Level 2 and Level 3 of the PRES, they must be registered on the Trainee Specialist Division of the Register in an individually numbered, identifiable post, in the manner specified by the Medical Council, within a period of three years from that date.

6.2 Once an applicant for general registration has passed Level 4, having previously passed Levels 2 and 3 of the PRES, they must be registered on the General Division of the Register, in the manner specified by the Medical Council, within a period of three years from that date.

THESE RULES COMMENCED ON THE 16th DAY OF MARCH 2009 AND WERE AMENDED ON THE 3rd DAY OF DECEMBER 2009 AND ON THE 21st DAY OF JULY 2010.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Council,

21 July 2010.

Professor Kieran Murphy,

President.

Mr Marcus Balfe,

Acting Chief Executive Officer.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Rules, made by the Medical Council on 21 July 2010, pursuant to the provisions of sections 11, 46(b), 48(3)(a) and 48(4)(a) of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 , specify pre-registration examinations and exemptions for the purposes of establishing eligibility for trainee specialist registration and/or general registration for medical practitioners applying to be registered in the Register of Medical Practitioners.