The election of Family and Community Medicine places in the MIR 2024 has once again highlighted the issue of unfilled vacancies for the third consecutive year. According to Angel López Herranz, a family doctor from Seville, the system has deteriorated over the years, leading to a shortage of specialized professionals in this field.
López believes that incentives are essential to attract doctors to rural areas, including economic benefits and housing provisions. He also suggests improving working conditions and professional development opportunities to make Family Medicine a prestigious specialty.
Another concerning issue raised by Juan Simó, a family doctor from Navarra, is the hiring of doctors without specialties, which creates an unfair situation for residents who have invested years in training. Both López and Simó call for the prohibition of hiring doctors without specialties and stress the importance of offering stable contracts to residents upon completion of their training.
Furthermore, the lack of consensus between autonomous communities in offering MIR Family places has been highlighted as a barrier to addressing the shortage of professionals in Primary Care. Doctors from Catalonia have also joined the movement to improve remuneration and working conditions in Family Medicine.
Overall, healthcare professionals stress the need for measures to ensure the sustainability and attractiveness of Family and Community Medicine as a specialty. If you have any health-related queries, it is advised to consult your health specialist for guidance.