The specialty of emergency and emergency physician is recognised

• We are in luck because as of today, the specialty of emergency and emergency physician is official, a long-standing claim by health professionals, scientific societies and medical societies, etc.
• This measure will contribute to the homogenization of the training of emergency and emergency doctors, with the first MIR places planned for next year.

Official recognition approved

Yesterday, July 2, 2024, the Government of Spain approved the Royal Decree establishing the title of doctor specializing in Urgent and Emergencies and updating several aspects of the training of the title of doctor specialist in Family and Community Medicine, which culminates a long process of work from all public administrations. Specifically, this reality has been made possible thanks to the transversal political consensus achieved in all the autonomous communities, in addition to the explicit support of scientific societies.

A historical landmark

After a long claim and a lot of effort and work by all those involved, this is a historic milestone for Spanish healthcare since, with the specialty of Emergency Medicine and Emergencies, Spanish patients will be able to attended by specialists with regulated, homogeneous and recognized training, as they deserve, regardless of where they reside.

The measure, in addition, means the fulfillment of the need to respect the vocation of young people who wish to become specialist doctors in Urgent Care and Emergencies, avoiding the terrible flight of talents that, for some time, has been weakening the National Health System.

With the approval of the Specialty of Emergency and Emergency Medicine, Spain achieves equality with most of the countries of the European Union which, for years, have had this medical specialty contributing to facilitate the transit of professionals from related professions , guaranteeing, in the case of healthcare, their adequate training.

And, finally, with the approval of the new specialty, it is possible to contribute to improving the planning of human resources, since it is a main issue for the sustainability of the National Health System.

OAFI with the specialty

Finally, from OAFI, we want to congratulate SEMES, Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine and Emergencies, in addition to the rest of those involved, for making this great news possible thanks to the work of many years. From SEMES, its president, Dr. Tato Vázquez Lima, declared that “today is a day of great relevance for Spanish healthcare, and a day of satisfaction and joy for all the emergency physicians who, finally, we see recognized our effort, vocation and dedication, and to whom I deeply thank for their work and perseverance from the bottom of my heart“.

Our Foundation supported the measure from the outset, as we have always considered this to be a vital need for patients. We are extremely pleased with the recent approval as, ultimately, it means an improvement in the quality of patient care.

Finally, demand that the Medicine of Physical Education and Sport be recognized also as a full-fledged specialty.

Congratulations!

Imatge de freepik