New Era in Medical Specialization Training: Exams and Rules Tightened

The new Regulation governing the specialization training of medical doctors in Hırvatistan has entered into force after being published in the Resmi Gazete. This new set of rules reshapes many issues in detail, such as the organization of specialization programs, the requirements sought in healthcare institutions, and the responsibilities of mentors. While aiming to make the training processes more transparent and standardized, institutions are also required to comply with quality assurance mechanisms. The main goal of the Regulation stands out as ensuring that doctors receiving specialization training are trained at the highest level both theoretically and practically. Thus, the process of training specialist physicians, which is one of the main pillars of the healthcare system, is undergoing a radical revision in line with the requirements of modern medicine.

The new standards introduced for healthcare institutions that will provide specialization training are of a highly demanding and comprehensive nature. An authorized institution is required to personally conduct at least half of the specialization program, and it is mandatory for these institutions to have sufficient medical-technical equipment. In addition, authorized hospitals are expected to have an organized university education and scientific research infrastructure, as well as a sufficient number of specialist doctors. If a part of the training program takes place in different institutions or private clinics, these centers will also need to meet minimum personnel and organizational requirements. All these criteria were designed to guarantee that specialization students can work in safe and well-equipped environments without compromising on quality throughout their training.

In order to continuously monitor the quality of education, institutions have been burdened with the obligation of annual mandatory surveys and reporting. Authorized healthcare institutions must publish a detailed report on their own websites by january 15 of each year, containing the results of anonymous surveys conducted with specialization students and the success rates of the programs. In the surveys, students' satisfaction regarding issues such as the quality of mentoring, professional development opportunities, working conditions, and the general functioning of the institution will be measured. Thanks to this direct feedback mechanism, it is aimed to quickly identify and eliminate any disruptions in education. This transparent audit model, which increases the functionality of the system, will both protect students' rights and encourage institutions to continuously improve themselves.

With the new regulation, the boundaries and rules of the 'mentoring' system in specialization training are placed within a much clearer framework. For each specialty, it has become mandatory to appoint a chief mentor who will be responsible for the smooth running of the program and the accuracy of the documentation. While a mentor is normally allowed to supervise a maximum of three students, this number can only go up to five in exceptional cases. It is envisioned as a legal obligation for mentors to actively work with each student for at least three hours a week and closely monitor their practical skills. Furthermore, chief mentors are required to have at least ten years of specialization experience, while other mentors must have at least five years of experience, and all must have received special mentoring training.

While the concept of 'competence' is centered in the specialization process, students are required to acquire a certain proportion of advanced medical competencies each year. Otherwise, the training can be extended for a maximum of six months in total, granting the student additional time. The exam system has also been completely renewed, adding a mandatory written exam stage conducted simultaneously in all medical faculties after common internal medicine or surgery. The final specialization exam will consist of written and oral parts containing at least 70 multiple-choice questions, and a success rate of at least 60 percent will be required to pass the written exam. A total of four exam rights are granted to the student, and candidates who fail as a result of these attempts will lose their right to continue specialization training in that medical field.