Coordination of the preparation for residency, officially taken over by the universities of medicine and pharmacy. Rafila had announced this step as “natural”

The coordination of the preparation for residency was officially taken over by the universities of medicine and pharmacy, according to a common order of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, published in the Official Gazette. Alexandru Rafila had announced since last month that this order was to be issued soon, saying that it is a step that he considers naturally. “They (UMF-n.red.) Prepare doctors and have to have the instruments, the responsibility of coordinating the activity,” declared the Minister of Health in April.

The new regulation for the preparation by residency, provided in the new order, stipulates, among others, that:

• (1) Within the institutions of higher education of medicine and pharmacy accredited that organize training programs in residency, there is a structure, at the level of direction, of preparation in residency, led by a rector, according to art. 75 para. (11) of the Law on Higher Education no. 199/2023, with subsequent modifications and completions.
• (2) Within the institutions of higher education that have in the structure the faculties of medicine, dental medicine/dentistry and pharmacy, which have programs of medical studies, dentistry/dentistry and pharmacy accredited, a residency training department is organized which is subordinated to the faculty management, according to art. 75 para. (12) of the Law on Higher Education no. 199/2023, with subsequent modifications and completions.
• (3) The directions and departments of training in residency coordinate the residency training for the residents within the respective university center, according to the own regulation for organizing the residency training, approved by the Senate of the accredited higher education institution that ensures the residency training, following the consultation with the representatives of the doctors.
• (4) The directions of preparation in residency, provided in par. (1), organizes the activity of approving/performing the units in which residency programs are carried out in the geographical area, according to the criteria and procedures of approval/reinforcement approved by common order of the Minister of Health and of the Minister of Education and Research.
• (5) The directions and departments of training in residency may have their own personnel formed by teaching staff, auxiliary and administrative teaching. The duties, the regulation of organization and functioning, as well as the state of functions are approved by the Senate of the accredited higher education institution that ensures the residency training.

Rafila: “It is natural, they prepare doctors and have to have the instruments”

The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, announced, in the first part of April, that the order that provides for the coordination of the residency by the Universities of Medicine and Pharmacy, which he said, will be issued. “They prepare doctors and have to have the tools, the responsibility of coordinating the activity,” said the Minister of Health.

“Soon the common order of the Ministry of Health and the Minister of Education regarding the effective coordination of residency through the universities of medicine and pharmacy in Romania will appear.

Rafila also stated that the Ministry of Health will maintain “an administrative component” in organizing the residency.

“We can elaborate the health policies in the field of resources, but they return to universities, the involvement of universities, both in the health policies related to the human resources, but also in the sectoral ones related to the development of medical intervention capabilities in various pathologies, I think it is essential and I would like to thank the Association of Medicine.”

In September 2024, the Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, announced that the residency will be taken over by the universities of medicine, and the recognition of professional qualification, including the one from abroad, will be simplified by taking over the College of Physicians.

Subsequently, the officials of the Ministry of Health stated that the form of organization of the residency contest will remain unchanged, the decision being taken following the consultations with the students, who opted for this variant.