Published: 16-02-2022 10:26 | Updated: 07-03-2022 09:29

KI to offer preparatory course for overseas-trained doctors

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Karolinska Institutet will soon be offering a preparatory course for doctors trained outside the EU/EES. The course is being arranged at the request of the Swedish Medical Association, which has been awarded a grant of SEK 5.7 million from the Swedish Public Employment Service to help overseas-trained doctors pass the proficiency test for licensing in Sweden.

For 24 weeks starting this April, the plan is to have 80 participants updating their medical knowledge and developing their language skills in the medical field.

The course will be held remotely, with online lectures by specialists from around 30 medical disciplines. Students at KI will be engaged to provide language support to the participants, who will be mentored by senior doctors. The aim is for the participants to be better equipped to pass the proficiency test on the route to gaining their licence.

The test for non-EU/EES doctors is arranged by Umeå University on behalf of the National Board of Health and Welfare. On average, around a fifth of applicants have passed the test over the past five years. The main reasons for the low pass rate are a lack of preparatory courses and study material and insufficient Swedish language skills, writes the Swedish Medical Association in a press release.