Most doctors who joined medical register last year trained outside Ireland

The Irish Times · Shauna Bowers · 2026-11-04 11:32 UTC

64% studied in Pakistan and 15.8 per cent completed their medical degree in Sudan

More than two-thirds of doctors who joined the Irish medical register last year trained outside Ireland, the EU or the UK, the regulator has found.

The Medical Council on Wednesday published two reports, which looked at doctors joining and leaving the medical register in 2025.

The research shows 7,099 doctors joined and remained on the register during 2025, an increase of almost 2,000 on the 2024 number. Of these, 6,445 registered for the first time, and 654 restored their registration after a period away.

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