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Hippokrates programme	Contents
NATIONAL PRESENTATION: Norway

Organisation of general practice in Norway
Norway is a country of just over 4 million inhabitants. Our country has approximately 15000 doctors, of these some 3000 are general practioners (GPs).
In Norway most GPs are independent professionals working on a contractual basis with the local government. The current system was launched in 2001. The population register on a list of a specific GP and most full-time doctors have 1300-1800 patients on their lists.

The patients get primary medical care by paying part of the costs for the service, while the rest is subsidised by the central government. Children under seven years of age and pregnant women receive medical services for free. However, also the rest of the population, having paid a certain amount a year for medical services and medication, have all further costs paid by the government.

All patients are supposed to see their GP for any medical problem, before referral to specialist is decided upon. Until now there has been scarcity on doctors, especially in rural areas. Specialists may be sited geographically far away. Differences in the health service for the population have been the result.

All GPs have to work for the community, for example in child health centres, nursing homes etc., usually one day a week. They also have to take part in casualty clinics.

Tasks in general practice
Daily work in the practice includes prevention of any kind, sorting minor complaints from major, sorting the sick from the well, diagnosing, referrals, follow-up, curing and caring for the sick, and palliative care for the incurable. General practitioners in Norway are aware of a context including somatic, psychological, social and humanistic dimensions. They have a holistic or comprehensive approach and most try to practice patient-centered consultations.

Medical education
Medical school is 6 to 6 1/2 years. Family medicine is taught in the 5th and 6th years of the study, consisting of a clinical period of 4-8 weeks, periods of theoretical lectures, and final exams. Internship (or basic clinical training) for all candidates no matter future specialty: 1/2 year surgery + 1/2 year internal medicine + 1/2 year general practice.

Specific general practice training consists of a training period of 5 years after internship. One year has to be spent in hospital, while four years are spent in a general practice. During this training period the doctor acts as a fully responsible GP with his/her own list. Theoretical courses, altogether 200 hours are compulsory, as are 2 years with meetings in guidance groups every 2 weeks.

Country coordinator for Norway:
Guri Rortveit
Section for General Practice
University of Bergen
Ulriksdal 8c
N-5009 Bergen
Norway

E-mail: Guri.Rortveit@isf.uib.no