The Social Security budget for 2023 will include a measure to extend the studies of future general practitioners by one year, encouraged to complete their course in medical deserts, according to a document from the ministries of health and research consulted on Saturday, September 24 by Agence France-Press (AFP).
“Given the medical demography and the distribution of professionals in the territory, this year of consolidation will aim to take place mainly in sub-dense areas”write the Ministers of Health, François Braun, and of Higher Education, Sylvie Retailleau, in a mission letter addressed to four professionals responsible for leading the consultation on the project.
The duration of the general medicine internship will increase from three to four years, the minimum duration already applied for all other disciplines. With this additional year, the training time for general practitioners would thus increase to ten years.
Promise of the candidate Macron
“Incorporating this phase of consolidation to the diploma of specialized studies in general medicine, which would be exercised exclusively in outpatient practice, would have the objective of completing the training, thus aligning itself with the rest of the diplomas of specialized studies”the ministers explain, recalling a promise made by the candidate Macron.
The President of the Republic, in effect, had promised during his campaign “deploy the fourth year of internship for general practitioners in rural areas”one way among others to send “a massive reinforcement in the medical deserts”.
Included in the Social Security financing bill presented this Monday to the Council of Ministers, this reform should “will enter into force at the beginning of the academic year 2023”, specify the two ministers. For them, the stated goal is also“arming young general practitioners in anticipation of rapid installation”when now many favor the condition of substitute.