Collaborating Partner:

Postgraduate Medical Education (PME) Project

Sweden

The information listed for Sweden was provided by individuals knowledgeable about PME in Sweden. If you note errors or omissions or would like to provide additional information, please click here.

Duration of studies

Medical education and training are organized into three phases:

Medical school
Basic clinical training (general practice): 21 months. This training is compulsory and consists of the following: surgery (6 months), internal medicine (6 months), psychiatry (3 months), and family medicine (6 months).
Specialist training: 5 years minimum

Trainee selection process

Access to the basic clinical training is direct and compulsory. At the end of this training, the physician’s knowledge is assessed by senior colleagues and tested in a written and practical examination. After successful completion of this program, the physician obtains a license to practice (full registration), which is granted by the National Board of Health and Welfare. Once the license to practice is granted, the physician is entitled to apply for a post to start specialist training. There is strong competition for specialist training posts.

Specialty curriculum authority

The National Board of Health and Welfare is the specialty curriculum authority that grants physicians their formal certification as specialists. The National Board of Health and Welfare receives assistance from various specialist societies (within the Swedish Medical Association and the Swedish Society of Medicine) in establishing the official descriptions and content of the specialties.

The Swedish Medical Association, in cooperation with the Swedish Society of Medicine, runs a program to review and evaluate the quality of training in different departments. Participation is voluntary.

Licensing authority

Socialstyrelsen
National Board of Health and Welfare
S - 10630 STOCKHOLM
tel: +46-8-555.530.00
fax: +46-8-555.53420
e-mail: info@sos.se

Areas of specialization

Community Medicine (Social Medicine)
Dermatology-Venereology
Family Medicine
Industrial Health (Occupational Health)
Infectious Diseases
Neurology
Nutrition
Oncology
Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
Student Health
Clinical Laboratory Specialties:
- Clinical Chemistry
- Clinical Cytology
- Clinical Immunology
- Clinical Genetics (Medical Genetics)
- Clinical Neurophysiology
- Clinical Pathology (Anatomical Pathology)
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Clinical Physiology
- Clinical Virology
- Coagulations & Bleeding Disorders
- Forensic Medicine
- Microbiology-Bacteriology
- Transfusions Medicine
Internal Medicine Specialties:
- Allergology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
- Geriatrics
- Haematology
- Internal Medicine
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine
- Renal Medicine (Nephrology)
- Respiratory Medicine
- Rheumatology
Paediatric Specialties:
- Child & Adolescent Allergology
- Child & Adolescent Cardiology
- Child & Adolescent Neurology
- Paediatrics
- Neonatology
Psychiatric Specialties:
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Forensic Psychiatry
- Psychiatry
Radiological Specialties:
- Child & Adolescent Radiology
- Diagnostic Radiology
- Neuroradiology
Surgical Specialties:
- Anaesthetics, including Intensive Care
- Audiology
- General Surgery
- Gynaecological Oncology
- Hand Surgery
- Neurological Surgery
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopaedics
- Oto-rhino-laryngology
- Paedriatics Surgery
- Phoniatrics
- Plastic Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery
- Urology

Legal references

The Ordinance on Competence to pursue a Profession within Health and Medical Services (1984:545). (SFS) 1993:1662.
The Ordinance (1984:542). (SFS) 1992:1562.
The Ordinance (SFS) 1993:1646.
The Ordinance (1993:100), (SFS) 1993: 1400.
The Ordinance (SFS) 1993:1651.
The Ordinance (SOSFS) 1994:12.