European Regulation of Medical Profession in the Republic of Croatia

Abstract

SUMMARY – Medical profession is regulated in all European Member States. By stipulating the conditions for performance of the profession, the said activity can only be practiced by members of the profession. The European Member States have coordinated the conditions of education and specialist training, thus simplifying all administrative procedures for the recognition of professional qualifications. During the pre-accession negotiations, the Republic of Croatia made the necessary changes to the study curriculum and in the specialist training programs, and listed all the professional titles acquired under the regulations that were in force at the time of the end of the program. Physicians can freely join/become members the Croatian Medical Association, which is an association, while professional chamber membership is mandatory for physicians who work directly with patients and should therefore have approval for independent work. Medical schools, professional societies of the Croatian Medical Association and the Croatian Chamber of Physicians, as well as the Ministry responsible for regulating the profession, all have a role to play in the regulation of the medical profession.