Contact EURACT

E-mail

Phone
(32) 16 33 74 64

FAX
(32) 16 33 74 80

AUSTRIA

Basic Medical Education

The Private Medical University Salzburg has announced the intention to establish a new "Institute of General Practice, Family Medicine and Prevention". The new curriculum at the three government run medical schools in Austria (Medical University of Vienna, Medical Faculty of the Universities Graz and Innsbruck), which was implemented in the last two years, has stipulated basic education in general practice. The new curricula incorporate various classes and subjects which are thought by academic general practitioners. The latter are usually not fully employed which is not regarded as appropriate by lecturers.

With very few exceptions the Austrian medical schools currently do not employ full time GP teachers and researchers. Academic teaching is covered by lecturers. Research in primary care is not supported and based on enthusiasm and efforts of individuals.

Vocational Training in General Practice

In November the Viennese Society of Physicians held a devoted its scientific session to the issue "Post Allocation for Postgraduate Medical Education – Policies" initiated by W. Spiegel and M. Maier. We have ourselves examined the effects of allocation of training posts to applicants for postdoctoral medical education in Austria (Spiegel W, Haoula D, Schneider B, Maier M. Allocation of training posts to applicants for postgraduate medical education in Austria: survey and analysis. Academic Medicine 2004; 79: 703-710.). Allocation of training posts is ineffective, uneconomical and unfair for the applicants. Although a minimum training period of six months in primary care/general practice has been stipulated by the European Union (The Council of the European Communities. Council Directive 93/16/EEC. To facilitate the free movement of doctors and mutual recognition of their diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications. Official Journal 1993; 165:1-23) postgraduate training for GPs in most cases only takes place in hospitals. The Austrian Medical Chamber has decided to initiate a change of the graduate education scheme in general practice, prolonging the training period from 3 to 5(6) years and to acknowledge it as medical specialty. In addition this plans incorporate a 12 months common trunk period, after which the resident would receive limited licensing as "approbierter Arzt". In Austria training posts are allocated by department heads.

Continuing Medical Education

The Austrian Society of General Practice and Family Medicine has introduced a curriculum on pain. The Viennese Society of General Practice has introduced a program of teaching minor mental disorders to GPs in 2001. This teaching procedure by Katschnig called TRIPS was evaluated (publication in preparation). CME is compulsory for all Austrian physicians by law but currently it is not enforced (e.g. by punishments for doctors who do not refresh their CME diploma). CME for general practitioners are widely offered in all of the nine Austrian provinces.

EURACT Austria

The EURACT Council Meeting of Autumn ´05 will take place in Vienna from November 2 to 6. There will be a EURACT-Symposium "Medical Education in Mental Health Care" on November 5.