Foundation doctor

As Turnus doctor is called in Austria, in the broadest sense of the doctor in training in general medical practice ( general practitioner ) or the doctor in training to become specialist. The term is almost exclusively applied to doctors in training for general practitioners.

The Cycle Doctor is comparable to the existing in the Federal Republic of Germany until 30 September 2004 medical resident whose internship, however, lasted only 18 months. Since then, health care in Germany immediately after studying their approval and thus (after a successful bid ) the status of a medical assistant in a clinic.

Legal basis

Ärztegesetz

The Cycle

The cycle is the training for general practitioner and takes in Austria for at least 36 months. It consists of a rotation by the subjects general medicine (6 months, ambulance months), surgery (4 months), Obstetrics and Gynecology (4 months), ENT (2 months), dermatology (2 months), internal medicine (12 months), Pediatrics (4 months), and neurology / psychiatry ( 2 months). It ends after passing the examination for General Practitioner with the awarding of jus practicandi, which represents the right to independent practice.

Criticism of the cycle system

The training cycle applies in many cases to be deficient. The main tasks of the daily Cycle doctor be to draw blood to attach infusions to inject heparin and place intravenous lines - often it is referred to as a system maintainer. Trainee doctors are mostly used for non- medical activities, the real target of the cycle - training - is often neglected. The young doctors, patients must often clear up on procedures in which they may be not even present itself. Furthermore, they are stopped on night duty to make decisions, decide on the day senior physicians, but they are trained not usually it. Work ( Administrative, organizational ) that want to do neither assistance nor senior physicians, the doctor Cycle stay over. In the operating room, his function is limited often hold onto the hook, often without any view into the area of ​​operations. The students must be using handwritten, illegible medical records physician letters about patients they often do not even know write. the conditions are in some hospitals now so bad that in Bludenz more than half of trainee doctors had collectively filed the notice.

Reform plans

In many reform plans were discussed, a major reform was not implemented until now. A recent discussion document discusses the possible abolition of the rotation, the introduction of a separate, longer specialist training for general practitioners ( similar to Germany ) and the awarding of the license to practice directly after graduation or after a year of "common trunk".

Trainee doctors lack

Due to the exodus of young physicians in the surrounding countries it comes in the last few years a strong lack of Turnus physicians, especially in rural areas. This has to outsource the consequence that many hospitals forcibly change the activity profile of the trainee doctors, and especially non-medical and administrative activities to other professional groups such as nurses. At some hospitals, such as the LKH Steyr thus have been the so-called iv Given activities ( blood collection, intravenous infusions and drugs ) to the nursing staff. Other measures that have been set by some hospital -makers are more attractive salary schemes, increased advertising or help with finding accommodation. Furthermore, it was discussed in the last year in particular of the policy, the creation of a new medicine University of Linz. How far is the creation of a new medical university can resolve the shortage of doctors, however, remains controversial even among experts.

European and United States Comparison

Compared to other European post-graduate training in Austria takes to the doctor with authority to independent professional privilege longest. However, in other EU countries alone training for general practitioner who takes more than 3 years.

In the UK it is called since 2005 by the " Foundation House Officer", FHO, duration 2 years ( in hospitals is " Foundation Doctor" usual), after which the training as "Specialty Registrar" follows the 3 years for the GP (General Practitioner, GP ) and 6 years for the specialist (Consultant ) lasts. Before the reform of 2005, the terms " Pre- Registration House Officer" were ( PRHO, 1 year), "Senior House Officer" (2 years) and " Registrar" (1 for the GP, and 4-6 years respectively for the Specialist) usual.

The " cycle " is about the i.a. only one-year " internship " in the United States comparable to the " Residency " follows.

In Scandinavia the term of Turnus physician exists ( in Norwegian called " regular place "). Here in Norway be the training periods after graduation one year in a hospital and ½ years in general practice before the full approval ( in Norwegian called " autorisasjon " ) is granted.

In Sweden, ie, the corresponding part of medical training Allmäntjänstgöring, the performing doctors are called AT- läkare.

13 other EU countries do not know a cycle again and this directly after studying the approbation ( = jus practicandi ).

In Switzerland, you can apply the FMH- title " Practitioner " after 3 years. Requirement 3 years of clinical activity (any clinical discipline ), with half a year must be completed on an outpatient basis. This right to independent practice, cash contracts, however, you can not shoot. For six years specialist training would be needed, with the subject " General Medicine" was abolished and merged with the subject " Internal Medicine ". All GPs are thus under the new training regulations internist. The "practical doctor " was introduced for legal reasons (EU- conformity). However, the " Practical physician ( FMH )" can in Austria as " General Practitioner ( OAK ) " shall be counted and thus entitled to guide a general medical practice cash.