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(32) 16 33 74 64

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(32) 16 33 74 80

FINLAND

Basic medical education

Most striking news is the modifying education (this is not an official term), where nurses are educated to be doctors. This politically made decision gave permission to 25 nurses to start tailored medical education at the University of Turku. The nurses have to have three years experience within health care; and the education takes 6 years (as for medical students). Nurses have their own entrance examination and finally the applicants are even interviewed. The first class will start this fall. The reputation of our university may have suffered among other faculties and medical students. Most medical people think this does not solve our problems and is an expensive way of education, even the nurses will probably become good doctors after tailored education. According to the politicians this will solve our shortage of doctors!

Medical student intake has been increased. Anyhow, among general practise teachers there seems to be good spirit and even competition which one of the five faculties makes the best reforms. It is also officially decided to move medical education out of the university hospitals as much as possible.

Specialist training

General practice is doing well among all the specialties, even the causes for general practice oriented reforms are mainly manpower problems. Every specialist in all disciplines has to be trained in general practise for 9 months. This is much, but it has to be remembered there are no real internships included in the basic medical educations.

All specialist training will be partly moved out of the universities. Half of the training in most disciplines (except neurosurgery and such specialties) has to be performed out of the university hospitals.

There are also some new economical benefits for specialist training in family medicine.

Continuing medical education

Last year there was a countrywide project to help our health care. Experts within this project gave a recommendation to force the employers (municipalities) to organise continuing medical education to all workers within health care. Doctors are waiting now what will happen. There is a law in planning concerning this issue.

A Nordic Conference in Family Medicine was just held in Helsinki with 450 participants. It was successful and problems common in all Nordic countries were discussed.

What I Have Done For Euract?

I have tried to get new members among the general practise teachers, but haven't had success. Unfortunately I have lost two members. The key question seems to be the fact that there are not much member services available for members in countries where general practise is already advanced.