Bundesaerztekammer supports government plans for reform of medical education

Bundesaerztekammer supports government plans for reform of medical education

The coalition engages the change in licensing regulations with longstanding demands to the medical profession.

Berlin, 30.09.2011

“In order to obtain out of motivated medical students practical trained medical graduates who actually understand the medical profession, we must reform requirements for training doctors urgently. German “doctor-days” have been for a long time a more practical approach in the study, family-friendly conditions and new regulations are demanded for the state exam. Now also the legislator is considering appropriate changes in the medical licensing regulations” said the president of the Federal Chamber of Physicians Dr. Frank Ulrich Montgomery.

By the Federal Ministry of Health presented draft bill amending the licensing regulations for physicians provides the abolition of the highly controversial “Hammerexamination”. Instead, the written part of the second section of the medical examination before the practical year will be relocated. “The fact that future physicians acquire the necessary theoretical knowledge before the internship year in which they acquire the practical skills, is didactically very useful”, praised Montgomery.

The BAK- president stressed that the draft amendment also contains the appropriate measures to combat the shortage of physicians. “It is particularly important that the medical students should be brought closer to the work of family doctors. Anyone who has studied the insight into the interesting and diverse range of healthcare activities provided by family doctors, is more likely later to decide to consider a career in the general practice”, said Montgomery. The flanking position of the medical boards will enable students and young doctors the opportunity for partial training and education in the countryside. This contract could reduce fears and prejudices.

“The proposed changes in licensing regulations can also help ensure that more students successfully complete their training and therefore there will be more available junior doctors. The proposed new regulation that by request allows the practical year to be attended part-time, gives many students the chance to find the harmony between family and studying”, stated Montgomery. It would also be good if in the future the practical year could be obtained outside of the University Hospital or its associated teaching hospitals. This would expand the choices available to students, thereby also increasing the opportunities for hospitals in the country, to win junior doctors for patient care. Positive, said the BAK president that in the future in addition to palliative care pain medicine should be explicitly included in the licensing regulations.

Source of the article here: http://www.bundesaerztekammer.de/page.asp?his=3.71.8899.9753.9816