Contact EURACT

E-mail

Phone
(32) 16 33 74 64

FAX
(32) 16 33 74 80

ESTONIA

In medical education no major changes since last meeting. For the vocational trainees a research conference is organised as a part of their curriculum: all residents have to prepare a project and present it at the conference. We hope this will be an essential regular part in their vocational training.

The network of teaching practices in Estonia is expanding. A lot of practices have asked to be a teaching practice- so the University can make a selection (EURACT selection of practices document is used).

However, there is a shortage of trainees currently in family medicine- there are several potential reasons for that (family medicine is not any more the priority in health care reform, thus the income level is not any more higher than in secondary care as it was for a couple of years in 1990s; some doctors have left for other countries; trade-union fight for better income has made the position of the independently contracted family doctor less desirable as it has been before)

An evaluation of the primary health care reform in Estonia has been performed by WHO, the changes in the health care system and medical education considered successful.

The European new definition of general practice has been introduced in several regional meetings of family doctors by the University Department, I have been representing EURACT position in these meetings.