Finland launches special competence program in traffic medicine

Postgraduate specialist training in medicine is organized in Finland by the country's five medical faculties. Training is completed with a written examination, compulsory since 1962. The recently revised programme comprises 49 specialties, 16 of which stipulate five years, and 33 six years of training. State authorization is provided after successful completion of the programme. In addition, the Finnish Medical Association (FMA) has run a complementary training programme since 1993, covering selected and often interdisciplinary branches of medicine. There are 31 such FMA-authorized training programmes leading to special competence. A training programme for special competence in traffic medicine was approved in 1997, aiming to establish a network of traffic medicine experts throughout the country. The need for doctors trained in traffic medicine is estimated to be 1:100,000 inhabitants. In addition to the seven members of the examination board, 17 doctors have received such special competence.