What We Do

Establishment of the Board

Section 39 of the Medical Practitioners Act, 1978 provided for the establishment of a body known as the Postgraduate Medical and Dental Board. The Board was established with effect from 7 March, 1980 and replaced a former non-statuatory Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.

Functions

The Board's statuatory functions are defined in section 40 of the Medical Practitioners Act, 1978 as follows:-

1. to promote the development of postgraduate medical and dental edcuation and training to co-ordinate such developments;

2. to advise the Minister, after consultation with the bodies specified in sections 9(1) (a), 9(1) (b), 9(1) (c), 9(1) (d) and 9(1) (e) of this Act, and with such other bodies as the Board may consider appropriate, on all matters, including financial matters, relating to the development and co-ordination of postgraduate medical and dental education and training;

3. to provide career guidance for registered medical practitioners and registered dentists.

   
   

Membership

The Act also provides that the Minister for Health shall, before making appointments to the Board, consult with the Medical Council, the Dental Council, University College, Cork, University College, Dublin, University College, Galway, University of Dublin, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, a body or bodies, as in his opinion represent psychiatry, a body or bodies, as in his opinion represent general medical practice, any body recognised by the Medical Council pursuant to section 38(3) of the Act (i.e. any body recognised by the Medical Council for the purpose of granting evidence of satisfactory completion of specialist training), and with any organisation which in the Minister's opinion represents, in the State, registered medical practitioners or registered dentists.