Ireland is one of those countries that comes up in our community again and again.
People love the idea of it. But it’s been surprisingly hard to find doctors who’ve actually moved there and are willing to share what it’s really like once you arrive.
So when I met Dr. Hayley Parsley, a U.S.-trained family medicine doctor who moved to Ireland 🇮🇪 last year to work as a GP, my reaction was simple:
Tell me everything.
Hayley was practicing primary care in the US when they decided to move to Ireland. NOt for a sabbatical. Not for a short adventure.
They were looking for somewhere they could actually build a life.
Of course, moving abroad as a physician isn’t as simple as deciding to go and hopping on a plane.
Hayley started the licensing process in November 2024 and didn’t actually land in Ireland and start practicing until August 2025. And that was considered pretty fast.
Now that they’ve been practicing there for a few months, Hayley shared some really honest reflections about the differences between practicing in the U.S. and Ireland.
A few things that stood out:
✅ The system has challenges too. Waitlists can be long and workforce shortages are real.
✅ Clinic life looks different. Doctors often take vitals, run tests, and manage much of the visit themselves.
✅ Some things are easier. Medication costs are dramatically lower than in the U.S.
✅ The culture feels different. Irish patients tend to be incredibly welcoming and trusting of their doctors.
Outside the clinic, life has its own rhythm as well.
There’s more PTO, a slower pace people jokingly call “island time,” and the surreal experience of walking past buildings that have been standing for hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years.
One thing Hayley emphasized, though, is patience.
Even when you’re organized and motivated, moving abroad takes time. Licensing, immigration, banking, paperwork. Almost every step moves slower than you expect.
If Ireland has ever crossed your mind as a place to live or work, Hayley’s story offers a really helpful look at what that path can actually look like.
👉 Want more? Sign up for our weekly email here and start planning your move abroad!
Rooting for you,
PS. Thinking about Ireland? Take a peek at the current Ireland opportunities on our job board 🇮🇪
