MEDICAL SPECIALIZATION IN EUROPE - THE WAY FORWARD PROMOTION OF EDUCATIONAL QUALITY

The medical specialties are being intensively reconsidered in the coun tries of Europe. The important need is for promoting improvement of ed ucational training programmes. Evaluation and improvement of specialis t training programmes is the priority and not the setting up of qualif ying examinations. The first necessity is to safeguard 20 years of evo lution in postgraduate training. Support for the educational process i s essential, to a much greater extent than occurs at present, if stand ards are to be improved and the confidence of the public is to be reta ined. The EC medical education system is the only existing internation al structure in medical education which is controlled by law, and is o n that basis alone of the greatest interest.