For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to travel and explore this vast, magical world. I have always known that I would one day take that leap of faith and venture away from my beloved home. Initially, as we have some family in New Zealand, it was our first place of choice, but after being hit with the harsh reality that as a junior doctor, I would have to repeat my internship and possibly wait between 3 to 5 years for an internship post as a foreign doctor, that idea quickly lost its luster.
I remember one evening, sitting at the kitchen table, with my now husband, listing countries at random and researching the eligibility criteria for South African doctors to work in them. I had remembered a friend, who is also an allied health care worker, telling me over a cup of coffee about her worldly travels and how she fell in love with a little country called Ireland. For some unbeknown reason, the idea of Ireland interested me. Perhaps I found it so intriguing because I knew so little about the ‘Emerald Isle’. After some research I was thrilled to find that the process of moving to and working in Ireland as a South African trained doctor is incredibly straight forward. An added bonus is the fact that no medical board exams are required. I know, I was shocked by this discovery too!
During my internship I completed a number of medical courses, including BLS, ACLS etc. in an attempt to spruce up my CV. These courses are valid for 2 years, so I’d advise doing them in your 2nd year of internship or during your com-serve year if you’re planning on going over as a junior doctor. I took part in a research project during my internship which I was also able to add to my CV. Research is always encouraged and a great way to make you stand out amongst other candidates.
Now, let’s focus on the steps required to register with the Irish Medical Council (IMC). Firstly, one has to pass the Academic IELTS, an English exam which tests the candidate’s writing, listening, comprehensive and oral skills. To prepare for the exam it helps to go through a couple of past papers on the IELTS website. The results required for doctors is an overall band score of 7.0 with a minimum score of 6.5 in each module. This exam outcome is valid for 2 years, so if you’re planning on moving over to Ireland in the near future, I’d make sure you get it done as soon as you can. I sat the IELTS in September 2020.
As soon as I completed my internship on 31 December 2020, I applied for my Internship Duty Certificate (IDC) through the HPCSA. Once this was issued, I had my medical degree and IDC verified through EPIC (Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials). EPIC is an online platform that verifies your certificates. After these documents were verified I was then able to apply to the IMC in February of 2021.
As a young girl with a dream of becoming a doctor, I, as we all do, prioritised my studies. After 6 long years in medical school and post-graduate training, I was able to take 6 glorious months off, which included travelling around Indonesia with my husband for a good portion of my sabbatical. During this time, I also made it my mission to register and apply for a job in Ireland.
I used a recruiting agency called Caledonia. They were phenomenal and helped me through every step of the application process, from opening an EPIC account to securing a job. They arranged an interview for me and while in Bali, I did an online interview in May 2021 for a post as a senior house officer in the emergency department at a government hospital in Ireland. Of course, my nerves were rattled, but the interview went well and a few days later I received the exciting news that I had been offered the post starting July 2021!
Due to COVID, there were some delays in registering with the IMC, but after some persistence and numerous phone calls, I was eventually registered. Once registration with the IMC was approved in June 2021, I then applied for my work permit. With a work permit in hand, I was able to board the plane and finally take off for Ireland.
They say Ireland is ranked the friendliest nation in the world and this is evident in the working environment. The team of doctors and nursing staff I work with are incredibly friendly and helpful, which has made the transition so much easier. Senior support is always present. The departments are filled with international doctors from across the globe with many familiar South African accents floating through the hospital corridors.
One thing I’ve learned is that South African trained doctors learn skills that not many other junior doctors have the opportunity of being exposed to. Being thrown into the deep end during our training makes us resilient, hardworking, confident and competent doctors. I feel honoured to represent South Africa from 13 728km away.
We may stay here for 2 years or 10 years, or we might travel more before settling or we might return to African soil. Whatever happens, I am so grateful for the opportunity to explore a new country, a new culture and new people.
Life is an adventure, and one so worthy of living!
