Dear colleagues and students,
At The Faculty of Medicine we want to rapidly increase the number of doctors that we train, and are currently working on an escalation plan to achieve this. As part of this work, in August this year we will start a decentralized campus for medical students in Southern Norway; UiO Campus South, where medical students will complete their fourth and fifth academic year. We are planning to launch a similar Campus in Innlandet county in 2025.
We are now calling for clear political commitments that the number of admissions to medical student programmes will be increased. At the same time we are working to ensure that new doctors and other health professionals work closely together to solve the health challenges of the future.
Complex causes
The causes for the shortage of doctors and other health professionals in Norway are complex, as described by the Healthcare Personnel Commission (link in Norwegian). Of course, we at the University of Oslo will help educate more doctors, but this is only a small part of the solution. More importantly, those who work in health care should thrive and want to continue working in the sector. In order to achieve this, the work must be meaningful, and opportunities for development must be available throughout the course of one’s career. We also need to consider which tasks in society the healthcare system should address, and prioritize those that make a difference in people’s lives.
NRK has an interesting and comprehensive online feature article (in Norwegian) about the shortage of doctors in Norway and the historical background for the current situation. The article addresses both the Norwegian Medical Association’s (former) opposition to increasing the number of student admissions and the shortage of doctors in the rural areas. Magne Nylenna from the Institute of Health and Society (Helsam) has been interviewed, along with the head of the general practitioners’ association (Allmennlegeforeningen) as well as health and education ministers. We strongly recommend it.
Sincerely, Magnus and Hanne
