The Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine (SEMES) has issued a warning about the growing shortage of emergency physicians in the country. According to SEMES, by the year 2035, over half of emergency physicians will be over 50 years old, with nearly 16% of them between the ages of 60 and 65. This aging demographic within the specialty presents significant challenges, as there is a lack of generational replacement in the field.
During the recent IV SEMES MIR Conference in Malaga, which brought together more than 250 MIR doctors, concerns were raised about the impact of this shortage on the future of the specialty. The Resident Internal Physicians (MIR) were highlighted as the backbone of medical training in Spain, with a crucial role in shaping the future of emergency medicine.
One of the consequences of the shortage of emergency physicians is the inability of professionals who have specialized in emergencies in other European countries to practice in Spain. This has led to a situation where many doctors in training from other medical specialties pass through the Emergency Services without formal specialty training, resulting in a lack of homogeneity in the field.
Dr. Tato Vázquez Lima, president of SEMES, emphasized that many emergency physicians have had to pursue other specialties and then resort to self-taught training in order to effectively respond to emergencies. This situation has led to a pressing need for comprehensive and specialized training in emergency medicine.
To address these challenges, SEMES organized a training course for journalists, where they were taught recognition of cardiac arrest, performing quality CPR, and responding to airway obstruction due to a foreign body (OVACE).
The SEMES MIR coordinators, Dr. Santiago Toranzo and Dr. Uxía Fernández, stressed the importance of practical training and workshops on non-invasive mechanical ventilation, advanced life support, and arrhythmias, along with theoretical discussions on fundamental issues in emergency medicine.
Dr. Toranzo highlighted the success of the national conferences, which provide essential training for residents and emphasized the importance of knowing how to act in emergency situations, which is often insufficiently covered in traditional residency training.
It is clear that the shortage of emergency physicians in Spain is a matter of concern, and the need for comprehensive and specialized training in emergency medicine is more urgent than ever. With the aging demographic of emergency physicians, it is crucial to invest in training and professional development to ensure a sustainable future for the specialty.