The federal government wants to introduce a new specialist in general medicine and family medicine. The training for this will be increased from the current 3.5 years to five years. Some states now fear that the shortage of doctors could worsen.
These include the state governments in Vorarlberg, Burgenland, Tyrol, Styria and Vienna. For example, they point to the existing shortage of statutory health insurers in general medicine. It cannot be ruled out that trainees will choose another specialty due to the longer duration. According to reports from Vienna, this could further worsen the shortage of general practitioners. The umbrella organization of social insurance also has similar concerns.
Meanwhile, the state of Styria recommends evaluating existing health insurance contracts, as doctors would often opt for a special specialty due to poor wages. The timing of the introduction of the new specialist should be reconsidered.
Here you can see a tweet from the Austrian Medical Association about the new specialist.
Is your career really more attractive?
The states of Vorarlberg and Tyrol fundamentally doubt that the new training will make the profession more attractive – an argument from the federal government. In the future, interns will have to do internships for between two and 2.5 years, among other things. The financing is still unclear. Due to the longer training period, training places in educational practice may also become scarce.
The basis for the innovations is an amendment to the Medical Act, the revision period of which recently ended. The intention is to gradually extend the training period from the current 3.5 years to five years, from June 1, 2026 to June 1, 2030. The new specialist’s duties include “the holistic, continuous and coordinated medical care for the entire area of human life.”
Previous education not fair?
Approval comes from the Austrian Association for General and Family Medicine (ÖGAM), which points out, among other things, that a training period of five years is common. The current training does not meet the requirements of general medicine and family medicine and deters young doctors from taking over practices. The operating company of the Carinthian State Hospital (KABEG), the Young General Medicine Austria (JAMÖ) and the Senior Citizens Council also generally welcomed the new specialist.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
