Legislation enacted - Rural doctor positions receive parliamentary endorsement in Thuringia.
In the future, Thuringia will reserve spaces for medical and dental studies through a rural doctor program. This decision was made by the state parliament in Erfurt this Wednesday. As a result, six percent of the available positions at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena will be set aside. However, students who take advantage of these reserved spots must agree to serve as general practitioners or dentists in rural areas for at least a decade following their graduation. This initiative aims to address the labor shortage in the healthcare sector.
CDU health politician Christoph Zippel commented on the development, describing it as a long-overdue move. He expressed his belief that the six percent quota is inadequate, stating that the planned quota should aim to ensure no one waits longer than 20 minutes to see a general practitioner, gynecologist, pediatrician, or dentist, and that the nearest pharmacy must be within reach.
FDP health politician Robert-Martin Montag, on the other hand, was critical of the legislation. He argued that it would not accomplish anything substantial. Montag claimed that the quota will not create any additional study spots, while the CDU has taken credit for its implementation. The original intention was to limit the quota to general practitioners, but it now covers aspiring dentists as well.
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The CDU in Thuringia celebrates this legislation, as it will increase the number of rural doctors. This development will see Friedrich Schiller University in Jena setting aside a portion of its study program spots for rural doctors. The Thuringian Parliament, located in Erfurt, passed this legislation on Wednesday. In accordance with the new ruling, at least 6% of the available positions in the medical and dental fields will be reserved for students who commit to serving in rural areas post-graduation.
