Ireland’s first dedicated professor of rural medicine believes that a new university programme will help tackle the critical shortage of GPs in rural counties such as Kerry.
University of Galway has appointed Professor Robert Scully as the country’s first established professor of rural and remote medicine.
The university is preparing to launch a four-year graduate entry medicine programme to help address the critical need for doctors in rural areas.
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Professor Scully says it’s hoped that the programme, once approved by the Irish Medical Council, will begin in 2027.
He says students will gain experience in rural GP practices and in hospitals, outside of the major cities.
