There were 22 951 physicians licensed in Finland in the beginning of 2009. The number of physicians of working age (under 63 years) living in Finland was 17 796. There were almost 4000 physicians over 62 years and their number is growing rapidly. Several physicians from other EU countries obtain a licence even in Finland, but don’t come to work here. Therefore the medical workforce of Finland is smaller than the number of licensed physicians.
The number of foreign physicians living in Finland has risen. In the beginning of the year there were 569 physicians who do not hold Finnish citizenship working in Finland, and the mother tongue of 913 physicians is neither Finnish nor Swedish.
The international mobility of Finnish physicians has increased as well. Most of them work in Sweden, the United States, Germany and Britain.
Annually 600 new physicians graduate in Finland. Physician density is high in international comparison. There is one physician of working age per 299 inhabitants.
94% of physicians living in Finland belong to the Finnish Medical Association. In the beginning of 2009 the Association had 21 957 members, 1 491 of whom were medical students.
Basic medical education lasts for six or seven years and leads to the degree of Licentiate of Medicine. In Finland, medical education is given in five universities: Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Oulu and Kuopio. Licensed physicians are entitled to work under the guidance and supervision of another physician. In order to receive full authorisation Finnish doctors have to undergo the additional training for primary health care.
63% of Finnish physicians are specialists and 15% are at present undergoing their specialist training. 22% of physicians have achieved a doctoral degree.
Specialist education was renewed in 1999. The earlier 92 specialization programmes were replaced by 49 new specialties. Some of the current specialties require five, the others six years´ training. In the table below the earlier programmes have been included in the current specialties.
The FMA has introduced a system of special competences for particular skills in specific fields. The number of special competence areas is 32 and the number of recognized competences of physicians is 1 742.
More information of medical education »
Finland has 17 800 physicians of working age
Medical Education
Physicians 1.1.2009
group
1 529
7
1 106
72
30–34
2 280
10
1 446
63
35–39
2 498
11
1 549
62
40–44
2 679
12
1 702
64
45–49
2 979
13
1 745
59
50–54
3 158
14
1 625
51
55–59
2 661
12
1 120
42
60–62
1 236
5
456
37
Over 62
3 931
17
1 222
31
Total
22 951
100
11 971
52
FMA >
Statistics Förbund
The Finnish Medical Association -
Health Care and the Medical Profession in Finland
Association
