There is a shortage of specialists in the fields of haematology, geriatrics, emergency medicine, neonatology, paediatrics, child and adolescent psychiatry and child dentistry. This means that resident physicians who choose those specialisations can hope for higher wages.
According to the Regulation of the Minister of Health on the amount of the basic monthly remuneration of physicians and dentists during their residency specialisation, the monthly salary of a resident physician who has chosen a priority specialisation, i.e. one marked by a shortage of specialists, is PLN 3602 for the first two years and PLN 3890 after two years of residency.
For other specialisations these amounts are PLN 3170 and 3458, respectively. The difference in salary is aimed at encouraging young physicians to choose the specialisations which are in short supply.
Priority means which?
Pursuant to a binding Regulation of the Minister of Health, the priority specialisations are specifically:
- anaesthesiology and intensive care,
- surgical oncology,
- haematology, geriatrics,
- gynaecologic oncology,
- emergency medicine,
- family medicine,
- neonatology,
- child neurology,
- paediatric oncology and haematology,
- clinical oncology,
- anatomical pathology,
- paediatrics,
- oncological radiotherapy,
- child and adolescent psychiatry,
- child dentistry.
Why does the shortage go on?
According to the Polish Chamber of Physicians and Dentists, some specialisations are unpopular because there is no policy in place that would encourage physicians to choose them.
One of the least popular specialisations is clinical pathology; such fields as emergency and family medicine, neonatology, clinical oncology, paediatrics, oncological radiotherapy and, in some regions, anaesthesiology and intensive care are not exactly medicine students’ favourites.
According to the Central Register of Physicians run by the Polish Chamber of Physicians and Dentists, physicians up to 35 years of age are virtually absent from such specialisations as oncology or laboratory diagnostics.
In most regions 2013 saw a failure in filling all the vacancies in priority fields.
Priorities in the case of nurses
Priority specialisations are also present in the professions of nurse and midwife.
In 2013 the priority specialisations in these professions included:
- for nurses – anaesthesiology and critical care nursing, preventive nursing, surgical nursing, psychiatric nursing, oncology nursing, operational nursing, long-term care nursing, cardiac nursing, paediatric nursing, emergency nursing;
- for midwives – obstetrics nursing for midwives, family nursing, gynaecology nursing;
- both for nurses and midwives – neonatology nursing.
The Ministry of Health will co-finance training on those specialisations. In 2013 they were co-financed from the Labour Fund.
Until 15 December of each year the Ministry of Health – after consulting the National Council of Nurses and Midwives – should make an announcement stating the limit of training places and the amount of funds for one place in the following year.
The limits of training places are determined to answer the demand for specialisations in specific regions. In 2013 the amount of co-financing for one training place was PLN 4337, and the limit of training places was 1850.
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