Paediatric Surgery includes surgery in children from birth to 16 years in the following disciplines: neonatal surgery, general surgery of childhood, hepato-biliary, oncology and urology. At present there are 7 paediatric surgeons, performing paediatric surgery in three Children’s hospitals in Dublin. Specialty training is usually six years with emphasis on general paediatric surgery in the first 4 – 5 years and sub specialisation in the final year. There are also post CCST (Certificate of Completion of Specialty Training) specialist fellowships in paediatric urology and hepatobiliary surgery available for one year in the UK.
Training Pathway
Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | |
Training Level | Medical School | Intern Year | Core Training in Surgery | Higher Specialist Training in Paediatric Surgery |
Duration | 4-5 years | 1 year | 2 years | 6 years |
Entry Process | Graduate or direct entry | Entry through the HSE Intern Match | Entry based on competitive interview | Entry based on on-going assessment (CAPA), successful completion of the MRCS exam and Specialty Interview |
Mandatory Examinations | As per curriculum | N/A | MRCS Exam | FRCS |
Application Date | CAO process opens in November | Application process opens in October | Application process opens in November | |
Programme Operated by: | Undergraduate Universities | Intern Networks | RCSI | RCSI |
The Higher Specialist Training Programme in Paediatric surgery is administered by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |