Moving from South Africa to Ireland as a Doctor: Life as a Paediatric Emergency Medicine SHO

What is it really like to move from South Africa to Ireland and begin working in the Irish healthcare system? In the first episode of the new season of Doctor Diaries: Adventures to Ireland, we speak with Dr Kirsten Lee Roberts, a South African doctor working as an SHO in Paediatric Emergency Medicine at Children’s Health Ireland in Dublin. Having started working in Ireland in January 2026, Kirsten offers a fresh and honest perspective on relocating to Ireland as a doctor. She shares how she has been navigating a new job, adjusting to a different healthcare system, settling into life in Dublin and finding a sense of community. We also talk about life as a doctor more broadly, including the highs, the challenges and the everyday experiences that make a career in medicine so unique. In this episode, we discuss: • Moving from South Africa to Ireland as a doctor • Starting work in the Irish healthcare system • Life as a Paediatric Emergency Medicine SHO • The realities of the doctor relocation process • Settling into life in Dublin • Finding friendships and a new community • The rewarding and challenging sides of working in medicine • Advice and reflections from the beginning of Kirsten’s journey in Ireland Whether you are actively looking for doctor jobs in Ireland, beginning to research the relocation process or simply curious about life and work in Ireland as an international doctor, Kirsten’s story provides a relatable look at the early stages of making the move. Doctor Diaries: Adventures to Ireland is a podcast from MatchMedics, sharing honest stories and practical insights from doctors living and working in Ireland. 🎧 Subscribe to follow the new season and hear more real-life relocation stories from international doctors in Ireland. Considering a medical career in Ireland? Discover opportunities and relocation support with MatchMedics: https://www.matchmedics.com