What is the Academic Intern Track?
Introduced in 2017, the Academic Intern Track provides a small number of interns with opportunities to undertake clinical research, gain experience in medical education, or enhance their leadership and management skills. The programme was created and developed by the Intern Network Executive, driven by TCD, in conjunction with the HSE’s National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) and in collaboration with key stakeholders. The NDTP fund the Academic Intern Track posts.
Essentially, as an intern on the Academic Intern Track you will gain the same clinical experience as other interns and receive the same Certificate of Experience, in addition you will:
- Have protected time within the working week during one three-month rotation to undertake a project relating to clinical research, medical education or healthcare leadership and management.
- Have an academic supervisor in addition to your clinical supervisors. The academic supervisor will provide you with guidance and support in carrying out your project.
- Have access to research seminars and workshops, and additional training and education.
- Have access to a research bursary for up to €2,000 to cover your research costs (e.g., bench fees).
- Be required to achieve the same competencies as all other interns, and you will need to complete the same mandatory elements of intern training as all other interns in addition to your academic goals.
- Participate in an end of programme national showcase event that highlights the various outputs from the Academic Intern Track programme.
Why apply for the Academic Intern Track?
If you have an interest in clinical research, medical education, or healthcare leadership and management then you should consider applying for the Academic Intern Track. You will be provided with unique opportunities, support and mentorship to help you develop your skills and undertake a substantial project in an area that is of interest to you.
If you would like to experience what life is like as an academic clinician, medical educator, or a leader in healthcare, then the Academic Intern Track will provide you with this opportunity and help you make informed career choices.
If you are focused on a particular specialty and wish to undertake research in that area, participation in the Academic Intern Track will support you in doing so while still achieving the same clinical competencies as other interns.
How many places are there on the Academic Intern Track?
Currently there are 48 places on the Academic Intern Track, eight in each network.
What happens next?
The application window for Academic Intern Track opens on 17th October 2025 and closes 5pm 16th January 2026
Please note, applicants must complete an overall application (closing date 5pm 28th November 2025) as well as an Academic Intern Track application. Applicants who wish to apply for the Academic Intern Track will receive an email with a link to their Academic Intern Track application following submission of their overall intern application.
The application process for the Academic Intern Track will require significant time and preparation above and beyond what is required for the standard internship programme. Therefore, you are advised to apply for the Academic Intern Track only if you fully intend on accepting a place if it is offered.
What will I need to submit?
The application process for the Academic Intern Track will require time and preparation above and beyond what is required for the standard internship programme. Therefore, you are advised to apply for the Academic Intern Track only if you fully intend accepting a place if it is offered, and use the time between now and the submission date to develop the following information:
1. Details of your experience relevant to the Academic Intern Track
- Experience and skills gained in audit, research and/or clinical projects (Max 350 words and max of 30 points)
- Publications (no word limit and max of 15 points)
- Presentations at national or international conferences (no word limit and max of 15 points)
- Teaching/peer mentoring experience (Max 150 words and max of 10 points)
- Any academic distinctions, merits or awards (Max 350 words and max of 30 points)
- Electives you have undertaken (Max of 350 words and max of 5 points)
- Exam results (Upload a copy of your transcripts to date for your current medical degree course. Max 60 points)
- Additional 3rd level qualifications, if any (Upload a copy of your PhD, Intercalated Masters/Master’s degree, Undergraduate degree. Max 15 points awarded)
2. Details of Research Project. A proposal for a research project you would like to undertake during the academic track including the following information:
- A brief background and context to your project (Max 200 words and a max 15 points)
- A brief description of the project (Max 300 words for a max of 30 points)
- Description of your suggested methodology and how you would achieve a substantial portion of the work in the designated 12-week timeframe (Max 300 words for a max of 15 points)
- Proposed outcomes and potential impact of the research project (max 200 words for a max 15 points)
- Feasibility of the study (Max 300 words for a max of 30 marks overall – 18 towards feasibility and 12 for transferability)
- Please highlight aspects of your project relating to sustainability, planetary health and/or global health. How might your project’s impact advance one or more of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals? https://sdgs.un.org/goals. (Max 200 words for a max 15 points)
3. You may nominate a potential project supervisor although it is not necessary at this stage.
Please note that your proposed supervisor should be a consultant or equivalent with an academic background and/or supervision experience.
4. Referee who can attest to your capacity to undertake the Academic Intern Track (reference letter not required).
Please ensure you seek the referee’s permission in advance of providing their name – letter of reference not necessary. Your proposed supervisor and referee do not need to be the same person.
Shortlisting Banding
(This may be subject to change)
We will band applicants for shortlisting based on the following criteria:
- The applicant is a CAO entry student or a non-CAO entry student to Medical School.
- The applicant is an EEA national, a non-EEA national who does not require an employment permit to work in Ireland, or a non-EEA national who does require an employment permit.
- A non-EEA applicant has submitted evidence of permission to work in the State. If they have not, but they hold permission to study a full-time course listed on the official Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) in Ireland (that is, possess a Stamp 2 IRP), we will rank them above those who do not have such permission.
Band A
We will place applicants in Band A if they meet any of the following criteria:
- They are a CAO entry student.
- They are an EEA national or a non-EEA national who does not require an employment permit to work in Ireland.
- They are a non-EEA national who has not submitted evidence of permission to work in the State but holds permission to study a full-time course on the ILEP (i.e. possess a Stamp 2 IRP).
We will automatically consider eligible Academic Intern Track applications from Band A for shortlisting.
Band B
We will place applicants in Band B if they are:
- Non-EEA nationals who require an employment permit to work in Ireland and do not have permission to study a full-time course on the ILEP.
We will consider eligible Academic Intern Track applications from Band B for shortlisting only if we do not receive a sufficient number of shortlisted applications from Band A.
Post Preference and Intern Network Selection
You must select from all 48 posts preferences in your on-line application and indicate a post preference (e.g., Academic 012). If you do not list all 48 posts but are successful at interview, you may not receive an offer if your preferred posts have already been allocated.
You must then select from the 6 networks. If you do not list all 6 networks but are successful at interview, you may not receive an offer if posts in your preferred networks have already been allocated.
How are Academic Intern Track Posts allocated?
If you are shortlisted, you will be contacted by NRS and invited to attend for an on-line interview. If you are successful at interview, you will be ranked in order of merit based on a number of factors, including:
- Whether you are a CAO entry student / non-CAO entry student to Medical School, as this will affect the order in which your application is considered in this allocation process.
- Whether you are an EEA national / non-EEA national who does not require an employment permit to work in Ireland / non-EEA national requiring an employment permit to work in Ireland, as this will affect the order in which your application is considered in this allocation process.
- Non-EEA nationals who have not submitted evidence of permission to work in the State with their application but have permission to study a full-time course on the official Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) for a specified period in Ireland (i.e. are in possession of a Stamp 2 IRP) will be ranked above those who do not have permission to study a full-time course on the official Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) for a specified period in Ireland.
- The number of Academic Intern Track posts available.
In practice, this means that applicants for Academic Intern Track posts who accepted a place in an Irish medical school through a CAO offer will be allocated to Academic Intern Track posts ahead of applicants who accepted an Irish medical school place directly from the medical school, and, applicants who will not require a permit to work in Ireland will be allocated to posts ahead of applicants who will require a permit to work in Ireland. Applicants from Non Irish Medical Schools may express an interest in Academic Intern Track Posts.
If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of an Academic Intern Track post. This offer is dependent on your eligibility after Post Preference Selection Stage of the HSE NRS intern application process and passing your final year exams. If allocated to an Academic Intern Track post, successful completion of all necessary pre-employment checks by the individual employer.
Once you have accepted an Academic Intern Track post, you will not be offered another intern post. If you are unsuccessful or decline the offer of an Academic Intern Track post, you will remain in the overall Intern match process conducted by NRS and the post preferences you have indicated at Post Preference Selection Stage will be applied to you.
What about centiles?
Recruitment for the Academic Intern Track posts will take place before final year exams and therefore your centile will not be considered as part of the allocation process. Your exam results from your previous years of medical school will be taken into consideration. It is possible for someone to achieve the highest centile and not achieve an Academic Intern Track post.
Why is there a separate allocation / match process?
Successful applicants will be notified by the Academic Intern Track Recruitment Team of their allocation to the Academic Intern Track before final year exams commence. This will provide time to contact and meet with your academic supervisor, agree upon a project and undertake any relevant preparatory work. We strongly advise that Academic Intern Track candidates make the best use of this extra notice before commencing internship to prepare for what will undoubtedly be an exciting and challenging experience.
Timelines
Description
|
Time Date
|
|
Launch of Academic Intern Track
|
Friday 17th October 2025
|
|
Closing date for receipt of online AIT application
|
5pm Friday 16th January 2026
|
|
Shortlisting of applicants commences
|
Week commencing 19th January 2026
|
|
Online Interviews
|
March 2026
|
|
Interview Results and notification of Round 1 offers
|
March 2026
|
|
Accept or decline offer
|
March 2026
|
|
Notification of Round 2 offers, if applicable
|
March 2026
|
Please Note: Applicants who apply for Academic Intern Track posts must also submit the Post Preference Selection online form when invited to do so.
Academic Intern Track Video (Youtube)
A Guide to Academic Intern Track
Examples of past research projects
Information for supervisors
Information for Supervisors
Read more about Medical Internships in Ireland
