Doctors from outside the EU - mainly from India and Pakistan - work for many years as locums for consultants with little hope of becoming permanent consultants themselves, the IMO conference heard.
Dr Martin Daly said doctors from India and Pakistan had given great service over the years but very few had attained consultant status. "There is a big question as to why that doesn't happen," he said.
He said he knew a doctor who had given 16 years' service "and knows he has no chance of making consultant grade".
Dr Cormac Macnamara said the situation "has been an ongoing scandal".
Doctors working for many years but not recognised as permanent specialists had the threat hanging over them that their jobs might not survive the twice-yearly change of contracts, Dr Masud Awan told the conference.
Dr Asim Ishtiaq said it was a national scandal a doctor could be in training for 10 years without being recognised as a specialist.
Delegates expressed concern that a proposed change in rules by the Medical Council could make it impossible for the doctors concerned to register as specialists after 2003.
Dr Saud Bajw said people who had proved themselves by their work year after year were concerned they would not be able to register by the deadline.
The conference heard that relatively few hospital training posts provide accredited specialist training. A number of motions, adopted by the conference, proposed the work done by doctors in their areas of expertise should qualify them to be registered as specialists.
Dr Hugh Bredin, who is a member of the Medical Council, said the council was sympathetic to the plight of the doctors concerned. He urged the IMO to continue its talks with the council.
The conference also heard concerns about the lack of statutory regulation of the distribution of paracetamol and products containing paracetamol. The incidence of paracetamol-related poisoning has increased by 27 per cent since 1993.
Statutory regulations governing the sale of paracetamol are to be introduced later this year.