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with patients early in their studies. Depending of the specialization, students have the
choice between five and six-year specialist training. Training is regulated by the National
Board of Medico-legal Affairs (NBMA) and the five medical faculties. To be a general
practitioner, doctors must complete two years of training in basic healthcare and hospital
practice, with a minimum of six months in each 18 .
France has more than 30 medical universities and basic medical education lasts for 6
years followed by general practitioner training or specialization (6 + 2.5 years or 6 + 4 or
5 years). Admission to medical schools is controlled by competitive exams. Medical
education is based on three steps: (1) the first two years, (2) four years and (3) then two
years and a half to train for general practitioner or four to five years to train as a
specialist 19 . Germany has 37 medical universities and studies last for a minimum of six
years. Admission is based on the final GPA score of the applicant on the secondary
school diploma. The first two years of medical studies involve pre-clinical courses
completed by a federal medical exam that students should pass. This is followed by the
three-year clinical stage and then the last year of medical school that is also called the
‘practical year’ 20 . This is followed by four months of clerkships (two in a hospital, one at
a doctor’s office and one elective). Then, a final federal exam takes place before
graduates receive their degrees of physician with a license allowing them to practice
medicine or of Doctor of Medicine when, in addition, the graduate successfully
completed a scientific dissertation 21 . The German government subsidizes medical
education, leaving a minimal tuition amount for students to pay 22 .
Greece has seven medical universities and medical training lasts for six years that can be
followed by postgraduate training for 5 to seven years. There is a final examination at the
completion of the training that precedes the award of the specialist status. Greece has a
high ration of physicians per 1000 people but the majority of doctors are located in
Salonika and Greater Athens. Thus, the medical programs require periods in rural
practice as a way to address the problem of physicians’ distribution 23 . Iceland has only
18 http://www.bma.org.uk/international/working_abroad/EEA.jsp?page=10
19 http://www.bma.org.uk/international/working_abroad/EEA.jsp?page=11
20 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_school#Germany
21 http://www.bma.org.uk/international/working_abroad/EEA.jsp?page=12
22 http://www.amsa.org/AMSA/Homepage/Publications/TheNewPhysician/2009/1209IntlTraining.aspx
23 http://www.bma.org.uk/international/working_abroad/EEA.jsp?page=13
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