in the college's archives. In October 2017, Professor Mary Horgan was elected President of the College, the first woman to hold this post in the history of the College, and she was re-elected in September 2020 as the 142nd President (the first President to serve a second consecutive term since 1894). Membership and qualifications The College offers the postgraduate Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (MRCPI) qualification. There is a separate and distinct Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom, the MRCP(UK) qualification, which is run by the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and Royal College of Physicians [of London]). For several years, the College has been successfully conducting its MRCPI examinations in its overseas centres (Malaysia, Oman, India, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain) in addition to many centres in the Republic of Ireland. Membership is governed by the by-laws of the college. Every candidate wishing to obtain Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland must pass both parts of the Membership Examination (unless an exemption has been granted) and attend a Membership Conferring Ceremony where he/she is conferred as a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Membership confers the right to use the post-nominal MRCPI. On 30 March 2021, the College announced that the General Medical Council (GMC) of the United Kingdom has recognized five qualifications issued by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland on their list of acceptable postgraduate qualifications for the purposes of full GMC registration. Fellowship is awarded by the College upon nomination by 2 existing Fellows (who should be in good standing with the College) to doctors of consultant or equivalent status. In 1915 the College updated the regulations to allow women to become Fellows. The first woman to become a fellow was Mary Hearn in 1924. The benefits of this award include recognition of professional standing, access to Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Professional Development support, international collegiality, and the opportunity to influence the future of the profession. Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (FRCPI) is an international benchmark of professional excellence, reserved for doctors who have made substantial contributions to their speciality and whose published works and attainments meet the high expectations of the College. As of January