Department of general practice and primary health care

Training in all specialist fields includes a health centre service period of at least nine months at a training health centre. Persons who have been granted a licence to practice the profession of a medical doctor in Finland (full licence) can be admitted to complete a training period in a health centre. Supervisors of postgraduate students completing the nine-month health centre service period must be directly employed by the municipality. The requirements and a more detailed description of the nine-month health centre service period are available in the course catalogue for specialist training in medicine.

After completing the health centre service period, you will

• Understand the duties associated with primary healthcare and specialised care as well as collaboration from the perspective of your specialist field and its patients
• Recognise diagnostic strategies characteristic of primary healthcare and its key possibilities for examination and care
• Be familiar with collaboration between different professional groups

Explore the aims in more detail in the course catalogue for specialist training in medicine.

Completing the health centre service period

• Your health centre service period includes completing the duties of a doctor at a health centre in a versatile manner.
• You will be provided group and personal supervision.
• You will participate in in-service training.

Further information in support of training

• Course catalogue for specialist training in medicine
• Website of the team for professional continuing education in general practice (in Finnish)
• Other training organised by the University of Helsinki’s Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, information available below the continuing education offerings

Specific training in general medical practice is required to practise medicine within the social insurance system in member states of the European Union other than Finland. The nine-month health centre service period included in the training must be completed at a training health centre in a direct employment relationship concluded with the relevant municipality. The requirements and a more detailed description of the specific training in general medical practice are available in the course catalogue.

The aim of the training is to familiarise you with

• The duties of doctors working in primary healthcare
• Collaboration between professionals in the healthcare and social services sector
• Healthcare administration and the social security system

Explore the aims in more detail in the course catalogue.

Completing the programme

• For doctors who have completed their medical education in Finland, the duration of the training is two years. It includes the completion of doctors’ duties in primary healthcare and in clinical specialist fields in a versatile manner, group and personal supervision, in-service training, as well as training in healthcare administration and social security.
• A 16-hour training module in administration and social security will familiarise you with the social security system and administration in the healthcare sector. Information on the next available module is available on the website of the team for professional continuing education in general practice (in Finnish only).
• Please register for specific training in general medical practice at the university where you completed your Licentiate of Medicine degree.

Further information in support of training

• Course catalogue for specific training in general medical practice
• Website of the team for professional continuing education in general practice (in Finnish only)
• Other training organised by the University of Helsinki’s Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, information available below the continuing education offerings

General medical practice is the largest among the 50 specialist fields in medicine. Of Finnish working-age specialists, 16% have a licence to practise medicine as specialists in general medical practice.

More about the work and skills of specialists in general medical practice:

• Typical of the field are clinical expertise, a patient- and population-oriented approach to work, as well as an operating environment associated with primary healthcare.
• Specialists in general medical practice are doctors who serve individuals, families and communities.
• They are the personal doctors of their patients, working together with other healthcare professionals.
• Specialists in general medical practice coordinate their patients’ paths in service networks.
• Long-term treatment relationships established by general practitioners are typically broad-based, and they are familiar with the entire spectrum of human life. They take into consideration the physical, psychological, social and cultural aspects of their patients, as well as fundamental existential questions related to them.
• Specialists in general medical practice are proficient in broad thematic topics.
• The expertise of general practitioners includes knowledge of public health as well as the promotion of health and preventive measures.
• They also contribute to the development of their work and the functioning of their work community.

Completing the training

• The duration of the training is six years. It includes serving as a doctor in both primary healthcare and clinical specialist fields, personal guidance and related skills assessment, theoretical training, in-service training and training in immediate supervision.
• The right to complete specialist training can be applied for twice per year, in February and September.
• The application procedure includes an opening seminar and a roughly four-week online course to be completed after the seminar, where applicants consider their choice of profession and draw up a personal study plan for the next few years.

Opening seminars

Thematic training for specialising doctors

The primary healthcare unit of the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa organises thematic training (link in Finnish only) for specialising doctors.

In support of completing the training

• Course catalogues and general instructions for specialist training in medicine
• Further information and useful links are available on the team for professional continuing education in general practice (in Finnish only)
• Portfolio of the specialist training in general medical practice (University credentials required)