Respiratory Medicine

Respiratory Medicine is a clinical specialty dealing primarily with diseases of the lungs, but also their effects on other organs.

Overview

Many diverse pathological processes are involved in producing such disorders and in addition to the common diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and carcinoma of the lung, many other inflammatory, infective and degenerative processes lead to a wide variety of diverse diseases.

The experience gained through rotation around different departments is recognised as an essential part of HST. A specialist registrar may not remain in the same unit for longer than two years of clinical training; or with the same trainer for more than one year. The HST in Respiratory is five years, one year of which may be gained from a period of full-time research.

The training programme offered will provide opportunities to fulfil all the requirements of the curriculum of training for respiratory medicine programmes in accredited training hospitals.

Higher Specialist Training (HST)

Requirements

  • You must have completed Basic Specialist Training in the relevant specialty (or an equivalent programme) by the start date for HST. Please note that not all BST programmes offer consideration of equivalence.
  • You must have achieved a relevant postgraduate qualification such as MRCPI in General Medicine, General Paediatrics or Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Please note: we have reverted to the previous regulations regarding the examination which were in place before COVID-19. That is, all HST candidates must have successfully passed their MRCPI Clinical Examination relevant to their speciality before their HST interview date. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
  • You must be currently or previously registered on one of the divisions of the Irish Medical Council, or provide proof of eligibility for registration You must have proof of competency in the English language in line with HSE specifications.
  • You must have demonstrated an aptitude for, and an interest in, that specialty.