Latvia

Health systems in transition
Latvia
Training of health care personnel
According to legislation on “Regulated Professions and Recognition of
Professional Qualifications” (2003, with amendments in 2004), the diploma at
the highest level of education, which is received within an accredited full-time
programme of studies of medicine, as well as the certificate of professional
qualification and approval in the Register of Medical Persons, is a basic
requirement for proof of one’s medical qualifications, for the right to work
within the doctor’s profession and for the right to practise within a particular
specialty.
The minimum duration of studies to receive the diploma at the highest level
of medical education is six years for medical doctors. Dentistry requires a fulltime
accredited study programme, the duration of which is five years. Entrants
must have completed 12 years of school education.
The education and training of health care personnel is provided by two of
the highest educational institutions in Latvia: Riga Stradins University, which
is under the supervision of the Ministry of Health; and the Latvia University
Faculty of Medicine, under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and
Science. Both educational institutions are located in Riga.
After receiving the diploma, the doctor must continue studies within one of
the doctor specialties in residency. The duration differs according to specialty,
but on average it is three years. If a doctor wants to gain the right to practise
medicine, s/he must obtain the certificate of professional qualification.
There are no estimates in Latvia concerning either the number of doctors who
are educated in other countries or in which other countries. This information may
be included in the Register of Medical Persons if it is submitted by the doctors
themselves. It is estimated that generally only a few doctors study abroad.
Certification of doctors is delegated to doctors’ professional organizations.
Every specialty has its own statutes, which define what types of skills are
required and the minimum duration for postgraduate studies. These statutes have
until now been approved by the Ministry of Health, but this is to change as they
will begin to be approved by Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers (“Concept
Paper on Human Resources in Health Care”) as of 2006. These Regulations will
determine the certified person’s responsibilities within the respective specialty.
In accordance with these Regulations, the responsibility for improvement of
professional qualifications lies with the individual medical doctor.
The statutes regarding certification and re-certification are defined by
“Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on Certification of Treatment
Persons” (in force since 1997). The Regulations specify that certification and
re-certification are the responsibility of the Latvian Physicians Association and
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