Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - This year, 123 interested parties applied in writing for 20 medical study places, which are allocated in Saxony-Anhalt according to the country doctor quota. "The large number of applications continues to testify to the intention of numerous young people to work as a family doctor in a rural area in Saxony-Anhalt after their studies - I'm very happy about that," said Minister of Health Petra Grimm-Benne (SPD) on Monday in Magdeburg.
Twelve women and eight men have been selected to study medicine at the Universities of Halle and Magdeburg from the coming winter semester. In 2020, Saxony-Anhalt introduced the country doctor quota. Five percent of the study places in human medicine are thus reserved for future country doctors. The students undertake to work as a family doctor in a rural region of Saxony-Anhalt for at least ten years after their specialist training.
The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians demanded that the total number of medical study places increase. There is an urgent need for new blood for retiring general practitioners and specialists. "The country doctor quota is a good approach to strengthening general practitioner care in rural areas, but with the 20 study places not a single new study place is created."
