IELTS for Irish Medical Council
Which IELTS do I need (Academic or General)?
If you are doing the IELTS for the Irish Medical Council you will need to do the Academic IELTS. The Academic IELTS is needed for most courses in colleges and university. The General Training exam is used for visa purposes in some countries but will not be accepted by the Irish Medical Council.
Where can you take the IELTS in Dublin?
There are a number of places in Dublin where you can take the IELTS. You can see all the available IELTS exam dates here. If you are studying with us in Everest we can help you with booking your exam.
How often is the IELTS exam held in Dublin?
We have written a guide to applying for the exam here. As the IELTS exam is now very popular for those needing accreditation by the Irish Medical Council, it is now being held very frequently in Dublin. In most weeks throughout the year the exam is held multiple times in multiple locations around the city.
What is “effective communication skills”?
According to the Medical Council they will accept one of these as evidence of your level of English:
- Academic IELTS Certificate with an overall band score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 6.5 in each module (Valid for 2 years). We will explain more about this in a minute.
- An equivalent English language test (7 in IELTS is equivalent to an advanced level) approved by the Medical Council.
- Proof that you got you Higher Qualification from a postgraduate training body in a country where English is the language spoken by the majority of the population
- Proof that your basic medical degree and internship training were completed through English in a country where English is the language spoken by a large majority. These countries include: Australia, New Zealand or USA where over 90% of the population speak English.
- Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) – With a level of C1 (Advanced)
- USMLE will also be accepted (if all of part 1 and part 2 have been completed). This is a medical exam from the United States.
What IELTS Score do you need for the Irish Medical Council?
The most important thing is that your IELTS certificate is in date. An IELTS certificate is only valid for 2 years, so if it is too old you will need to take the IELTS exam again. If your exam is in date the next thing is the mark. The IELTS is marked by band scores. The Irish Medical Council asks that you have 6.5 in all parts of the exam. 6.5 is equivalent to a B2 level which is a high upper-intermediate level. You must get 7 (advanced in at least 2 papers to get a 7 overall).
How is the IELTS marked?
In the IELTS there is no pass or fail. You will be marked on a scale from 1 to 9.
| Band Score | Skill Level | Description |
| Band 9 | Expert user | has fully operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding. |
| Band 8 | Very good user | has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles complex detailed argumentation well. |
| Band 7 | Good user | has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning. |
| Band 6 | Competent user | has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. |
| Band 5 | Modest user | has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in own field. |
| Band 4 | Limited user | basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language. |
| Band 3 | Extremely limited user | conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur. |
| Band 2 | Intermittent user | no real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English. |
| Band 1 | Non-user | essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words. |
| Band 0 | Did not attempt the test | No assessable information provided. |
What are the four parts of the IELTS (needed for Irish Medical Council)?
Reading: 3 Long academic texts. These usually deal with themes of science, the environment and technology. There are a variety of question types and gapfill exercise which test your comprehension and ability to recognise the same data presented in various types of language.
Writing: 2 Writing tasks. In this section you are give 2 questions and you need to write 2 essays. In the first task you are given a table, chart, graph, map or flow chart and your job is simply to describe what you see. The second writing is a discursive essay (similar to a university essay). In this section, you are required to look at 2 sides of a argument and are usually asked to give your opinion.
Listening: 4 Listening sections. In these 4 parts you will hear the audio once and need to complete the answers as you listen. These parts get progressively more difficult as the exam goes on.
Speaking: 3 parts. In the first part you will need to introduce yourself and talk about basic topics. In the second section you will be given a question card and will need to answer in a mini-presentation style. The final section is where the examiner will test your level by asking more challenging questions.
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Where can I prepare for the IELTS for Irish Medical Council in Dublin?
There are a number of IELTS preparation centres in Dublin and it is up to you to find a school with a good reputation, good reviews and a timetable that suits you. In Everest, we have IELTS intensive and part-time IELTS courses.
Learn more about the IELTS for Irish Medical Council requirements on their website: Irish Medical Council
If you want to prepare for the IELTS exam in your free time check out our podcast where we did a whole series on preparing for the IELTS exam.
