HOSPITAL DOCTORS
Most hospital doctors in Sweden are employed in the county council sector in hospitals and clinics. The remainder are employed by private healthcare providers, work in private practice or in research and development. There are 21 county councils that provide health services in Sweden. These are organized on three levels: primary/outpatient care, county health services and regional health services.
Future prospects for doctors are considered to be very bright. There are already shortages of doctors in many specialist fields and in certain parts of the country, and demand is expected to increase as many doctors will be retiring within the next 10 to 15 years.
Working hours are partly regulated by law, and partly by collective agreements. The working week is in principle 40 hours. In addition most specialties have night and week-end duty, for this there is financial compensation, time off in-lieu (TOIL), or a combination of both.
Salaries and general terms of employment are negotiated between the Federation of County Councils and the Swedish Medical Association. However, the central collective agreements leave considerable room for local negotiations between the individual county council and the local branch of the Swedish Medical Association.
A large majority (90-95 per cent) of Swedish doctors are members of the Swedish Medical Association. The SMA represents its members in collective bargaining regarding salaries, working hours, working conditions etc, but the Association is also deeply involved in a wide range of professional issues, e.g. medical education, medical ethics, health care politics, quality assurance and international relations.
Future prospects for doctors are considered to be very bright. There are already shortages of doctors in many specialist fields and in certain parts of the country, and demand is expected to increase as many doctors will be retiring within the next 10 to 15 years.
Working hours are partly regulated by law, and partly by collective agreements. The working week is in principle 40 hours. In addition most specialties have night and week-end duty, for this there is financial compensation, time off in-lieu (TOIL), or a combination of both.
Salaries and general terms of employment are negotiated between the Federation of County Councils and the Swedish Medical Association. However, the central collective agreements leave considerable room for local negotiations between the individual county council and the local branch of the Swedish Medical Association.
A large majority (90-95 per cent) of Swedish doctors are members of the Swedish Medical Association. The SMA represents its members in collective bargaining regarding salaries, working hours, working conditions etc, but the Association is also deeply involved in a wide range of professional issues, e.g. medical education, medical ethics, health care politics, quality assurance and international relations.
GENERAL PRACTITIONERS
General practitioners are employed in practices in the county. Most of them work in group practices together with nurses, secretaries and physiotherapists. Sometimes they may work together with psychologists and counsellors.
Primary care in Sweden provides all basic health care servicesand is functioning very well. A unique aspect of the Swedish GP is the "broadness" of expected clinical competences. The referral rate from general practitioners to specialists is less than 10 per cent. Services include preventive and rehabilitative care, child and maternity-health care services, healthcare in schools as well as medical care of the elderly in the community.
Primary care is the basis of health and medical care. Its main goal is to meet the needs of most patients for medical treatment, preventive care measures and rehabilitation.
Since there is no mutual recognition of diplomas for General Practitioners/Family Medicine Specialists within the EU, GPs trained in other EU Member States are initially employed as "ST-doctors" ("Doctors undergoing specialist training"). To begin, with there is an individual evaluation of your competence, which results in the development of an individual study plan leading to your becoming a specialist.
The specialist training for general practitioners trained in other EU countries is performed at a specially designated training post, and often includes periods of time at different departments within a hospital. Foreign GPs follow a training programme which is based on their individual needs. The individual study plan often includes additional training in fields such as internal medicine, minor surgery, psychiatry, paediatrics and gynaecology.
During the training you have a personal tutor who will give professional guidance. Clinical skills and theoretical knowledge are evaluated continually through the whole period of specialist training. The period of training ends with an evaluation. The doctor is not required to take a formal final examination before being granted qualification as a specialist. However, some specialist societies have introduced voluntary examinations.
Working hours are partly regulated by law, and partly by collective agreements. The working week is in principle 40 hours. In addition doctos can work extra hours for which there is financial compensation, time off in-lieu (TOIL), or a combination of both.
Salaries and general terms of employment are negotiated between the Federation of County Councils and the Swedish Medical Association. However, the central collective agreements leave considerable room for local negotiations between the individual county council and the local branch of the Swedish Medical Association.
Primary care in Sweden provides all basic health care servicesand is functioning very well. A unique aspect of the Swedish GP is the "broadness" of expected clinical competences. The referral rate from general practitioners to specialists is less than 10 per cent. Services include preventive and rehabilitative care, child and maternity-health care services, healthcare in schools as well as medical care of the elderly in the community.
Primary care is the basis of health and medical care. Its main goal is to meet the needs of most patients for medical treatment, preventive care measures and rehabilitation.
Since there is no mutual recognition of diplomas for General Practitioners/Family Medicine Specialists within the EU, GPs trained in other EU Member States are initially employed as "ST-doctors" ("Doctors undergoing specialist training"). To begin, with there is an individual evaluation of your competence, which results in the development of an individual study plan leading to your becoming a specialist.
The specialist training for general practitioners trained in other EU countries is performed at a specially designated training post, and often includes periods of time at different departments within a hospital. Foreign GPs follow a training programme which is based on their individual needs. The individual study plan often includes additional training in fields such as internal medicine, minor surgery, psychiatry, paediatrics and gynaecology.
During the training you have a personal tutor who will give professional guidance. Clinical skills and theoretical knowledge are evaluated continually through the whole period of specialist training. The period of training ends with an evaluation. The doctor is not required to take a formal final examination before being granted qualification as a specialist. However, some specialist societies have introduced voluntary examinations.
Working hours are partly regulated by law, and partly by collective agreements. The working week is in principle 40 hours. In addition doctos can work extra hours for which there is financial compensation, time off in-lieu (TOIL), or a combination of both.
Salaries and general terms of employment are negotiated between the Federation of County Councils and the Swedish Medical Association. However, the central collective agreements leave considerable room for local negotiations between the individual county council and the local branch of the Swedish Medical Association.
PSYCHIATRISTS
Psychiatry in Sweden is an integrated part of the health care system.
The main duties of a psychiatrist in Sweden include:
We don't recommend our Swedish clients to recruit a foreign doctor directly into child and adolescent psychiatry. However, following your introduction in the country (induction period) there are prospects of work within this field.
Research is very much encouraged. Depending on the size of the hospital, history and policy this of course will vary between each employer.
The main duties of a psychiatrist in Sweden include:
- Hospital treatment and/or outpatient care
- Inpatient care - both voluntary and involuntary
- Assertive community treatment, outpatient care, crisis intervention, inpatient care without losing contact with supporting team
We don't recommend our Swedish clients to recruit a foreign doctor directly into child and adolescent psychiatry. However, following your introduction in the country (induction period) there are prospects of work within this field.
Research is very much encouraged. Depending on the size of the hospital, history and policy this of course will vary between each employer.
DENTISTS
Dentists in Sweden can work either in the Public Dental Service or in a private practice. The public dental services are mainly delivered in local clinics which are managed by the counties. All types of services in the public sector are free of charge for children up to 19 years old. Apart from children, who are the number one priority for public dental care, and other prioritised patient groups, the service also provides dental care for adults. Costs of services for adults are partly refunded by the county.
Swedish public dental clinics are well equipped. Every dentist has their own dental surgery. Generally work is based on team work. Dentists cooperate with qualified dental nurses and dental hygienists. Dental hygienists are able to work very independently and their duties apart from diagnosis may also include providing temporary fillings and local anaesthesia.
Dentists in the Public Dental Service are expected to undrtake all typess of dentistry, including conservative dentistry, paedodontics, orthodontics, modern prosthodontics, dental surgery and even implantology. X-ray examinations are commonly used by dentists and a vast majority of treatment begin wth such an examination. In the case of complicated treatments, patients are referred to a specialist.
Working hours are regulated by law. The working week is 40 hours from Monday to Friday. During a working day there is a lunch break and 2 short coffee breaks. Every dentist has the right to spend one hour on sporting activity every week. Working overtime depends on local needs.
Swedish public dental clinics are well equipped. Every dentist has their own dental surgery. Generally work is based on team work. Dentists cooperate with qualified dental nurses and dental hygienists. Dental hygienists are able to work very independently and their duties apart from diagnosis may also include providing temporary fillings and local anaesthesia.
Dentists in the Public Dental Service are expected to undrtake all typess of dentistry, including conservative dentistry, paedodontics, orthodontics, modern prosthodontics, dental surgery and even implantology. X-ray examinations are commonly used by dentists and a vast majority of treatment begin wth such an examination. In the case of complicated treatments, patients are referred to a specialist.
Working hours are regulated by law. The working week is 40 hours from Monday to Friday. During a working day there is a lunch break and 2 short coffee breaks. Every dentist has the right to spend one hour on sporting activity every week. Working overtime depends on local needs.