Pathology residency in Ireland

BST then HST · 2-year BST plus 4–5 year HST · Medical Council of Ireland; RCPI

3Programmes listed

RCPIApplication route

Registration dependentInternational graduate access

EnglishLanguage requirement

How pathology training works in Ireland

Ireland runs Basic Specialist Training followed by Higher Specialist Training. BST in histopathology is two years and hospital-based; HST is four or five years depending on the specialty. RCPI also runs an international BST programme in histopathology.

What you need

Medical Council of Ireland registration
RCPI application within the recruitment cycle
English language evidence where applicable
Employment permit for non-EEA applicants

Specialties offered

Chemical pathologyClinical microbiologyHaematologyHistopathologyImmunologyNeuropathology

Listed programmes in Ireland

Basic Specialist Training in Histopathology

Royal College of Physicians of IrelandNationwide, hospital-based2 years

Histopathology · RCPI · applications via RCPI

Verified 2 Aug 2026 · GPP Regulatory Desk

Official page ↗

Higher Specialist Training in Pathology

Royal College of Physicians of IrelandNationwide4–5 years

Six pathology specialties · RCPI · applications via RCPI

Verified 2 Aug 2026 · GPP Regulatory Desk

Official page ↗

International Basic Specialist Training in Histopathology

Royal College of Physicians of IrelandNationwide2 years

Histopathology · RCPI · applications via RCPI international programmes

Verified 2 Aug 2026 · GPP Regulatory Desk

Official page ↗

Official sources

Go to these directly. No platform, adviser or agent — including this one — decides your training place or registration.

Basic Specialist Training in Histopathology	rcpi.ie ↗
Pathology Higher Specialist Training	rcpi.ie ↗
The six pathology specialties	rcpi.ie ↗
International BST in Histopathology	rcpi.ie ↗
Irish Medical Council registration	medicalcouncil.ie ↗
RCPI training programmes	rcpi.ie ↗
HSE career hub	careerhub.hse.ie ↗

Build My Irish Pathology Training Pathway All countries

At a glance

Model	BST then HST
Application	RCPI
Duration	2-year BST plus 4–5 year HST
IMG access	Registration dependent
Authority	Medical Council of Ireland; RCPI
Language	English
Visa	Critical Skills Employment Permit

Ireland elsewhere

Full career pathway
Official authorities
Indicative fees
Jobs in Ireland

Verified 2 Aug 2026 · GPP Regulatory Desk. Requirements change every recruitment cycle — confirm on the official site.

Compare with other countries

United StatesResidency United KingdomNational specialty training CanadaResidency AustraliaRegistrar training New ZealandRegistrar training GermanyEmployment-based Weiterbildung SingaporeResidency within healthcare clusters Saudi ArabiaSaudi Board residency

All 19 countries →