Contact EURACT

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(32) 16 33 74 64

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(32) 16 33 74 80

SWITZERLAND

Basic Medical Education

The main event in the last 6 months was the foundation of the first University-Institute for Family Medicine / General Practice in Switzerland at Basel.

On the other hand all important organisations of GPs have joined in Zurich in writing an open letter to the Dean of the Medical Faculty: Our patience has come to an end… petition for an Institute for Family Medicine / General Practice in Zurich.

The public and the media are more and more taking notice that a shortage of GPs is developing and that especially (but not only) in the countryside our older colleagues often have great difficulties or cannot find a successor for their practice. The official statistical data are of very bad quality and so the insurances continue to pretend that the numbers of GPs are still rising.

A recent study from the University in Basel shows quite clearly that among the students the career choice for General Practice is significantly enforced by tutorials in practices in the 4^th year. This interest for General Practice however declines again in the next 2 years as there are no more opportunities to learn in the practice setting.

Specific training

The accreditation of the postgraduate medical training (of all disciplines) by a state organisation for accreditation and quality assurance has taken place and the results are about to be reported. I cite just two sentences from the report on Training for General Practice: “One clear disappointment is that a GP placement is optional. This does not meet international expectations and standards.”

We hope that the pressure from these results of the accreditation and the rising public awareness about the shortage of GPs will help us to find the money necessary to improve our program.

Continuing professional development

Within the Swiss Association of Medical Doctors there is an ongoing discussion on what is the best way to control and support the CPD of every member. There are officially 80 hours of compulsory CPD but ways to control if this is fulfilled are very different among the specialities. The same is true for what is accepted as part of these 80 hours/year and what is not. The GPs tend to be rather liberal, they do not believe that it is wise to prescribe specific contents and specific ways of learning these contents to every GP. Until now there are no grave consequences if someone does not fulfil and prove the 80 hours/year.

On the other hand the Swiss Society of GPs is presumably the only one who organises courses for CPD-teachers and –moderators. A controversial issue is, how these moderators are to be paid.

New ethical guidelines on the relationship of doctors with the pharmaceutical industry have been published with an important part about this relationship in the field of CPD. You can find these guidelines in the internet

in German: http://www.saez.ch/pdf/2005/2005-02/2005-02-1386.PDF

and in French: http://www.saez.ch/pdf/2005/2005-02/2005-02-1387.PDF

“What have I done for EURACT?"

I have given suggestions for the Educational agenda. After the coming meeting I will write my first report for my Swiss colleagues.