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DENMARK

Basic medical education

No recent major changes since last meeting.

3 medical Faculties in DK (Copenhagen, Odense and Aarhus). Copenhagen is introducing PBL in the curriculum. Financial problems (espc. in Aarhus) has made changes in general practice training (shorter time as students in GP). In Odense GP is very much integrated in BME together with the other specialities (i. e. if you deal with GI-problems you get the input from internal medicine, surgery and GP).

The student intake at the 3 Universties have been augmented by about 80 % because of prognosis telling about lack of doctors in DK for the next 10-15 years.

Continuing Medical Education

No compulsory CME – but our national bodies (Danish Medical Association and GP's Union) propose that every GP should be able to document 200 hours CME over a 4 year period. A web-system for registration of your CME is provided by the Danish Medical Association. The registration is your personal and can't be looked by others.

A system for PLP (personal learning plans) has recently been provided to all GP's.

Vocational training

There is one big educational issue going on in Denmark for the moment: specialist training for all 42 specialities has to bee dramatically changed from 2003 – not by January 1'st as planned – but with some months delay. Changes in regard to:        

• length of training period
• all trainees having a mentor
• new blueprints and curricula for all specialities
• more focus on training instead of “just work”
• more formalised evaluation
• “course-organisers” in all specialities
• research training for all doctors

and in particular the changes in VTS for General Practice are going to be very big!

The new 12 week period of introduction to research for all specialist – including the trainees in General Practice: we think it is a very big effort for our 3 GP-Departments to give this training to 180-200 new trainees every year. A framework for this research-training has been made this summer.

From 2003 we also have to do assessment and evaluation in a much more formal way – but as things look right now stress will still be put on formative assessment – and less stress on summative assessment. Examination is not planned in DK!!!

Health Care

The major issue in Danish health care is the lack of specialized doctors in the future – also in GP. It is a very dark cloud in the horizon. As many as 25–33% of GP's may be lacking in 10 years time.

Two years ago just 104 entered VTS for GP per year –this has now been raised to 180 per year– and in 3 years we suppose it will rise to 200 –maybe 220– so we try to handle the situation.

This autumn a new deal is negociated between GP's union and national health authorities – the negociation is taking place in a good and optimistic spirit. The health authorities recognize the import role of GP – as an efficient and relatively cheap gate-keeper to the more expensive secondary care system.