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Faculty of Medicine analyzes the situation of doctors who have not completed their specialization and advances a plan fo
🇺🇾 Uruguay /Health & Science

Faculty of Medicine analyzes the situation of doctors who have not completed their specialization and advances a plan for them

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Uruguay's Faculty of Medicine is developing a plan to address doctors who have not completed their specialized training.
  • This initiative follows a case where a doctor was charged with title usurpation for practicing cardiology without finishing her postgraduate studies.
  • The medical community estimates that around 30% of specialists may be in a similar situation, highlighting a potential system-wide issue.

Uruguay's Faculty of Medicine is exploring a plan to accommodate doctors who have not completed their specialized training, a move prompted by a recent legal case. A doctor in Treinta y Tres faced charges of title usurpation for practicing cardiology despite not finishing her postgraduate studies, raising concerns within the healthcare system.

The imputation that occurred weeks ago is an act of "enormous gravity," and it is not an "isolated case."

— Federation of Medical Interns (FEMI)Describing the seriousness and prevalence of doctors practicing without completed specialization.

The incident led to meetings involving the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) and other sector stakeholders. The Uruguayan Federation of Medical Interns (FEMI) has voiced support for the doctor, emphasizing that her situation is not isolated. FEMI estimates that approximately 30% of doctors currently practicing in specialized fields in Uruguay have not completed their formal postgraduate education.

FEMI argues that these professionals are essential for providing healthcare coverage across the nation, particularly in rural areas. The federation is advocating for a "transitional solution" to protect these doctors from legal repercussions while allowing them to continue practicing. They stress that without these doctors, the healthcare system would struggle to function.

It is estimated that around 30% of doctors currently performing functions of medical specialties in Uruguay are in a similar situation.

— Federation of Medical Interns (FEMI)Quantifying the extent of the issue within the medical community.

Gustavo Alonso, president of FEMI, stated that the case "lit alarms everywhere." Both the MSP and the Faculty of Medicine are working to determine the exact number of specialists practicing without full qualifications. Alonso also highlighted the importance of transparency, suggesting patients should be aware if their doctor is still pursuing specialization.

The labor of these doctors is also "essential to guarantee healthcare coverage throughout the national territory, particularly in the interior of the country."

— Federation of Medical Interns (FEMI)Highlighting the critical role these doctors play in national healthcare access.

Uruguay has about 20,000 doctors, with roughly 12,000 being specialists. FEMI estimates that around 4,000 doctors are practicing as specialists without holding the final title. The Ministry of Public Health has initiated discussions with mutual insurance companies, insurance providers, unions, and academic institutions to address the issue. The Faculty of Medicine plans to submit a report to the MSP detailing the situation of these doctors.

The alarms went off everywhere.

— Gustavo AlonsoPresident of FEMI, describing the reaction to the doctor's imputation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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