As of September 15 the practical implementation of the law on medical studies and continuous professional development of physicians will begin. The law was adopted last year. It is a large reform which will provide improvement of health care quality in Macedonia as a result of awareness raising of quality of knowledge, skills and attitude of students i.e. physicians who will complete studies according to these new programmes.

This has been said Saturday at a press conference by Health Minister Nikola Todorov who underlined that students enrolled in medical studies as of this year will have new system of studies which is implemented in western European countries especially in Germany.

Among the main novelties is division of medical studies into pre-clinical (first two years) and clinical section (the following four years) and period in which students will have to pass written, oral and practical external exam organised by the Doctors’ Chamber of Macedonia, Todorov said.

The law also foresees practical three-month training of hospital care providing through volunteer work in health institutions during the studies. In this way, Todorov said the focus is put on practical work i.e. upgrading the acquired theoretical knowledge and skills advancement of future doctors of medicine.