Continuum in the acquisition of competencies for work in family medicine in Croatia

Abstract

Integration of new scientific knowledge into the medical schools, family medicine specialty training programmes, and achievement of the competencies acquired with the real health needs of the population are the challenges of the medical doctors’ education in the 21st century. It is necessary to ensure well-structured family physicians’ education because this kind of medical professionals is the basis of a well-organized health care system. The aim of this study is to describe the education of family physicians in Croatia and compare it with EU member states. The European Academy of Teachers in General Practice/Family Medicine prepared a minimal core curriculum for family medicine in undergraduate medical education and educational training requirements for family medicine specialty training. In Croatia curricula of all medical schools have the subject Family Medicine. Subject Family Medicine at the School of Medicine in Zagreb entirely includes a minimal core curriculum for family medicine in undergraduate medical education, direct observation of procedural skills, e-portfolio and experience based learning. Subject Family Medicine at the School of Medicine in Split entirely includes a minimal core curriculum for family medicine in undergraduate medical education, and organization of clinical teaching in urban and island teaching family medicine practices. Teaching of family medicine at the School of Medicine in Rijeka includes theoretical and practical teaching and written answers to a selected clinical question based on clinical experiences. Teaching of family medicine at the School of Medicine in Osijek includes a combination of clinical teaching in family medicine and exercises in the skills lab. The four-year competency based family medicine specialty training programme in Croatia implies that the residents spend half time of the specialty training in the mentors’ family medicine office accredited for specialty training.Therefore,education of family physicians in Croatia is in line with European and global recommendations.