Norwegian medical students in Denmark have been waiting for authorization for six months – NRK Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
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– I have a great desire to come home to the family. Start working and create a network. I do not get the opportunity to do that, says Andreas Larsen (29).
Rogalendingen has completed six years of medical education in Denmark, and was among those who cheered when the Norwegian Directorate of Health this summer gave in to pressure from several teams.
Norwegian students got the chance to skip shifts in Denmark, by applying for authorization in Norway after studies.
With a Norwegian health service that desperately needs people, the new graduates reckoned that it would not take long to get the authorization approved.
– But now it has been six months, and I have not received any information, says Larsen on the phone from Hjørring.
Have postponed several times
NRK has been in contact with several newly qualified doctors in Denmark who applied for the authorization when the directorate opens for it in July.
The goal was for them to avoid double shift work after completing their education – first a year in Denmark, then again in Norway.
The Directorate had a response deadline of three months. But in October, the deadline was postponed to December 31st.
On Tuesday, the Norwegian Directorate of Health extended the deadline again. Andreas and the rest of the games will not receive an answer until the end of February.
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Can get authorization without practice
- Danish-educated doctors who have not completed a rotation in Denmark can now be judged on whether they qualify for authorization in Norway.
- This assessment will be made on the basis of the rules of the Health Personnel Act, which also seek to have education outside the EU assess according to.
- This compares the applicant’s education with the Norwegian one to assess whether it is equally good, or whether the applicant has the necessary knowledge
Source: Norwegian Directorate of Health
Before the changes
- Prior to changes in authorization practice, the requirement was that you had to complete the Danish education including the internship year (KBU) and obtain full rights to practice the profession independently in Denmark before you could obtain Norwegian authorization.
- Then it was not necessary for any review of the content of the Danish education.
Source: Norwegian Directorate of Health
Must go through each application
- The Ministry of Health now reviews all the content of the education each individual applies for, and assesses whether it is on a par with the Norwegian medical education.
- Although these applicants do not graduate from Denmark, not all of them have the same education.
- Several of the applicants have e.g. a bachelor’s degree in medicine from another country and has since been admitted to a Danish university to take the last part of the education.
Source: Norwegian Directorate of Health
Will not receive an answer until February
- The Norwegian Directorate of Health has just announced that the case processing will be extended until the end of February 2022.
- It has been almost eight months since the application was sent.
Source: Norwegian Directorate of Health
VG wrote about this case earlier this autumn.
The Norwegian Directorate of Health then stated that they had around 40 cases where the case processing deadline had been extended.
Department director Anne Farseth in the Norwegian Directorate of Health says the thorough assessments of each individual application and that they receive assistance from the University of Oslo.
– These assessments take time, partly because the applicants do not have a uniform educational basis, says Farseth.
– Uncomfortable situation
Andreas Larsen started in a rotating position in Hjørring this summer. He has two children and a wife in Denmark, and says postponed deadlines make life unpredictable.
– It is an unpleasant situation, where you do not know what the future will look like, he says.
Sebastian Hytten is president of the association for Norwegian students abroad, ANSA. He says he has had contact with many students who describe how tough it is to live in uncertainty.
– It is reprehensible that it will once again be postponed. Many had hoped for an extra cozy Christmas present this year, he says.
Farseth in the Norwegian Directorate of Health justifies the long treatment time by saying that they have not assessed the content of the Danish medical education before.
She points out that according to the Danish rules, the applicants are not fully educated, as they lack a year of practice.
But does not deny that the application is approved.
– It is not a requirement that the applicant’s foreign education must completely coincide with the Norwegian, but it should essentially have theory and practice that corresponds to Norwegian education, she explains.
Larsen thinks he is ready to get authorization.
– I have high hopes and a belief that they approve of it. I have been following the games at the hospital for two consecutive years during my studies down here.
Need people
Several of the games in Denmark NRK has spoken to believe they could help relieve the pressured health care system during the corona pandemic.
Health director Bjørn Guldvog told at Tuesday’s press conference about large due to the disease both in stress and among employees.
– The supply of health personnel is difficult in 204 municipalities. It is a challenging situation, he said.
Kristiansand is among the municipalities that stand with open arms if Andreas Larsen and the rest of the new graduates get authorization in Norway.
– The municipality has a great need for doctors, so if there is talk that they can come to Norway, then they are very slow, says advisor in the personnel bank, Janne Slotte.
Larsen would like to contribute, but preferably a little closer to the family.
– It should preferably have been in Western Norway. We want to the family. It is not so attractive if it is far away from them, he concludes.
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