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Checking a plastic surgeon in Ireland

Every doctor practising in Ireland must be registered with the Medical Council. To practise independently as a specialist, a doctor needs specialist registration, and that's what to look for.

The register must be checked by hand; we check societies and hospitals. Last checked 18 October 2026
Check a surgeon in Ireland

What the titles mean in Ireland

Doctors in Ireland are registered by the Medical Council. The Council says doctors can only practise independently as specialists if they hold specialist registration, so a plastic surgeon practising on their own account should have it.

Plastic surgery training in Ireland is run by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Many Irish plastic surgeons also hold the FRCS (Plast), the specialty exam set jointly by the four surgical royal colleges, including the RCSI.

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What we check for Irish surgeons

Medical Council registerRegistration, specialist registration and any restrictions or suspensionsOfficial register
Irish Association of Plastic SurgeonsMembership; IAPS says every member is on the Specialist RegisterIndependent
Hospital consultant directoriesHospital privileges in plastic surgeryIndependent

Society membership is voluntary. Not being a member doesn't mean a surgeon isn't qualified.

How to check it yourself

  1. Search the doctor's name or registration number on the Medical Council register. Medical Council of Ireland
  2. Open the full record and check they hold specialist registration.
  3. Look for any restrictions or suspensions on the record.
  4. Ask your surgeon which specialty their specialist registration is in.

Common questions

How do I check a plastic surgeon in Ireland?

Search the Medical Council's online register by name or registration number and open the full record, which the Council says is where any restrictions or suspensions appear. By law every doctor practising in Ireland must be registered, and the Council says doctors can only practise independently as specialists if they hold specialist registration.

Source: Medical Council of Ireland

What does FRCS (Plast) mean?

FRCS (Plast) is the intercollegiate specialty fellowship in plastic surgery, awarded after an exam run by the four surgical royal colleges of England, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Ireland under the Joint Committee on Intercollegiate Examinations. BAPRAS describes it as testing whether a candidate is ready to practise independently as a consultant plastic surgeon.

Source: Joint Committee on Intercollegiate Examinations; BAPRAS

I'm considering surgery abroad. What should I check?

The same principle applies everywhere: find the official register in that country and look for specialist registration in plastic surgery. See every country we cover