23% increase in number of young doctors leaving Ireland
There has been a 23% increase in the number of young doctors leaving Ireland.
New figures from the Medical Council show that just under 8% of all graduates under 30 "left the system" last year, compared to just over 6% in 2012.
That percentage equates to roughtly two doctors out of every 25 graduating from Irish medical schools.
The Irish Medical Council said that, in total, 1,200 doctors exited the medical register in 2013 of which young doctors accounted for fewer than 120.
The figures also show that nearly a tenth of all doctors under 30 left Ireland last year, while Ireland is more reliant on doctors trained overseas than almost every other of the 34 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The report does not assess the reasons behind young doctors' decisions to leave Ireland but the Irish Medical Organisation claimed it was for financial reasons.
Chief executive of the Medical Council Caroline Spillane said: "we can see there is an increase of doctors exiting the register. This poses a challenge and points to something we need to take into account when we're designing our health system."
