Nearly 70% of doctors with regional contracts stay on

Nearly 70% of doctors who sign contracts with regional hospitals before starting residency remain there to work, according to data compiled by Riga Stradins University, LSM reported, citing Latvian Radio. Opinions on allocating residency places to regional hospitals are mixed, with some doctors describing the experience as successful and others reporting complaints and disappointment.

Residency is intended to provide both high-quality training and professional involvement in delivering medical services. After completing their undergraduate studies, future specialists choose a field of medicine and where they will work.

Some young doctors sign agreements with regional hospitals before applying for residency, committing to work there during and after their training. They may do so because they come from the region or for other reasons.

Ilze Grope, dean of the residency department at Riga Stradins University, said applicants with such an agreement receive three additional points in the admissions competition if the Ministry of Health has allocated a residency place for that specialist at the hospital.

Riga Stradins University currently has about 1,000 residents across all years of study. Around one-third have links to regional hospitals through agreements signed before residency. Grope considers this a strong result, noting that nearly 70% of those residents remain in the regions.

The Ministry of Health is planning residency places in regional hospitals. Regional hospitals also use additional payments to attract residents.

However, some residents have reported having to work without adequate training in regional hospitals. High turnover is said to occur only at certain regional hospitals, while large hospitals in Riga also need specialists.