The specialty of Family Medicine is facing a crisis as an increasing number of future doctors are opting for other areas of medicine, such as Allergology or Plastic Surgery. This trend is reflected in the recent training position allocation process in the province of Córdoba, where up to six positions for Family Medicine have been left unfilled.
According to the Córdoba Medical Union, out of the 43 available seats for Family Medicine in the province, six positions in the Northern and Southern health management areas have not been chosen by any resident doctors. The union attributes this trend to the mistreatment faced by Family Medicine practitioners by the public administration, making it a less attractive specialty for future doctors.
In the recent training allocation process, 97% of the vacant positions that were not chosen by any doctors were in the field of Family Medicine. This highlights the specialty’s struggle to attract new doctors in Córdoba and across Andalusia.
Furthermore, the province of Córdoba is considered less attractive for future resident doctors compared to other regions, with applicants taking longer to choose it in the recent allocation process. Despite these challenges, there have been some success stories, with a few doctors choosing Family Medicine for the first time during the recent allocation process in Córdoba.
Overall, the specialty of Family Medicine is facing challenges in attracting new doctors in Córdoba and Andalusia, highlighting the need for improvements to make it a more appealing career choice for future medical professionals.