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Higher Specialist Training
 

Public Health Medicine

 

Overview

 

About HST in Public Health Medicine

Completing your Higher Specialist Training in Public Health Medicine is the final step towards becoming a specialist in this area of medicine.

Higher Specialist Training (HST) in Public Health Medicine is a four-year programme completed in Specialist Registrar (SpR) posts.

On satisfactory completion of HST, you will receive a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training (CSCST) which allows you to enter the Specialist Division of the Register with the Medical Council. This means you can apply for posts with the Health Service Executive as a Specialist in Public Health Medicine and later in your career as a Director of Public Health.

There are also career opportunities in other organisations, including the Department of Health and in academic departments.

 

 

What to Expect

Your earlier years in training will be directed towards acquiring a broad general experience of Public Health Medicine under appropriate supervision. As your confidence grows and new skills are acquired, you will be encouraged to assume a greater degree of responsibility and independence.

Training in Public Health Medicine is mostly based in departments of public health. Other training sites include the HSE Health Intelligence Unit, the Department of Health and Children, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), the National Immunisation Office, Safefood, the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) and university academic departments.

Your earlier years in training will be directed towards acquiring a broad general experience of Public Health Medicine under appropriate supervision. As your confidence grows and new skills are acquired, you will be encouraged to assume a greater degree of responsibility and independence.

The core objectives and milestones in your first and second years are:

  • to complete Master of Public Health (MPH) programme if you haven’t already
  • to undergo health protection induction
  • to acquire core competencies in public health medicine
  • to pass MFPHMI Part 1
  • to prepare for MFPHMI Part 2 by starting to write your short reports

The core objectives and milestones in your third and final years are:

  • to pass MFPHMI Part 2
  • to gain experience in health policy
  • to gain experience in advocacy 
  • to gain experience in senior public health at regional level
  • to gain experience in senior health protection 
  • to gain experience in experience on specialist sites involving health intelligence, cancer control, health protection, Safefood, academic public health or Department of Health

Your first two years of HST are spent in full-time SpR posts in Ireland. After that, you can continue to train in full-time posts in Ireland, or you can start a period of full-time research or develop a subspecialty interest.

You can apply for up to 12 months’ credit towards your Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training (CSCST) for research undertaken during HST.

Length of training may be 4.5 years for those who have not completed an MPH or equivalent at the start of training.

In addition to supervised onsite training, you will attend a number of mandatory courses and study days designed to help you develop professionally and acquire the non-clinical skills and knowledge needed to provide excellent patient care.

You will need to pass the Membership of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (MFPHMI) examination. This is an essential requirement for a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training (CSCST) in Public Health Medicine.

A Master of Public Health (MPH) programme provides broad-based education and training in the basic disciplines that underlie the practice of Public Health. If you do not hold an MPH when you start the HST programme, you will need to complete it during your first year of training.

 

Competency log

Use this log if you commenced HST in July 2021 or later and upload completed form to ePortfolio/Kaizen with Quarterly Assessment Form

 

HST Public Health Medicine OBE Curriculum 2022/2023

Use this curriculum if you started Year 1 of HST in 2022/2023

 

HST Public Health Medicine OBE Curriculum 2023/2024

Use this curriculum if you started Year 1 of HST in 2023/2024

 

HST Public Health Medicine OBE Curriculum 2024/2025

Use this curriculum if you started Year 1 of HST in 2024/2025

 

Access Guidance on Using the OBE Curriculum

Learn more about the OBE Curriculum

 

HST Taught Programme

Trainees in HST Year 1 in 2024/2025 can access the HST Taught Programme anytime by logging into the RCPI Website and clicking the link to Brightspace in your Digital Hub. More information on the Taught Programme is available in the HST Curriculum.

 

Mandatory Courses

Trainees in HST Year 2 and above in 2024/2025 will attend mandatory courses. These courses are outline in the HST Curriculum.

 

Contact Us

We have a dedicated team to help you through your Higher Specialist Training, who are available to deal with any questions you may have. Contact us on helpdesk@rcpi.ie

 

Faculty of Public Health Medicine

The Faculty of Public Health Medicine at RCPI is accredited by the Medical Council of Ireland and proud to meet the strict standards required to deliver postgraduate specialist training in public health medicine.

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