Examinations

The Decree on Health Care Professionals requires foreign physicians to pass an examination to confirm that their qualifications are equivalent to those provided by medical training in Finland. Physicians who have completed a minimum of six months of practical hospital training in Finland and who have provided a Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate or a National Certificate of Language as evidence of language proficiency are eligible to take the examination.

The examination is organised jointly by Valvira and the University of Tampere Faculty of Medicine and consists of three parts, which shall be completed separately:

1. Clinical knowledge

Part 1 is a written examination designed to test basic knowledge of clinical medicine and health care. Candidates will be asked to respond to written questions on the core medical specialties presented in the form of patient case histories that are of an equivalent standard to the final examination for the Finnish degree of Licentiate of Medicine.

2. Health care in Finland

An administrative examination on issues central to the practice of medicine in Finland, including social welfare and health policy, legislation, health care systems, forensic medicine and the supply and distribution of medicinal products.

3. Clinical skills

The purpose of this practical examination is to ensure that the candidate is in possession of the necessary communication skills, is capable of applying the knowledge and skills acquired during his/her training in a primary health care setting and has command of the key working methods of a competent general practitioner. The candidate must be able to work in cooperation with specialised medical care and be familiar with the concepts of health promotion.

The practical examination is taken at the teaching health centre of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tampere.

The amount of tests

You can sit Part 1 and Part 2 a maximum of ten times. If you have failed three consecutive attempts you will need to wait one year before you can re-sit the exam. If you have failed Part 1 or Part 2 ten times, you are no longer eligible to re-sit.

From 1 January 2011, Valvira will be introducing new rules on re-sits. If you fail Part 3 at the first attempt, you will need to wait for six months before you can re-sit it. If you fail Part 3 at the second attempt, you will need to wait for one year before re-sitting. During this year, you will need to undertake a six-month period of supervised practice at a publicly-run hospital or health centre. You will need to submit written proof of this placement from your employer to Valvira. If you fail Part 3 for the third time, you will no longer be eligible to re-sit it.

Application procedure

An application shall be submitted to Valvira for the right to sit the first part of the examination, the clinical knowledge examination. No application is required for parts 2 and 3.

The following documents must be appended to the application:

• Copy of passport
• Copy of degree certificate or diploma
• Copy of language skills certificate
• Proof of practical hospital training

 Valvira only accepts document copies that have been officially certified by notary public or the police.

The application for the examination of clinical knowledge is to be submitted to Valvira at least two weeks in advance of the examination date. Registration for the administrative examination is to be made directly to the medical faculty of the University of Tampere, and the date of the practical examination is to be agreed directly with the faculty.

Clinical knowledge examinations (part 1) and administrative examinations (part 2) are held four times annually: in February, May, September and November. Information about examination dates, fees and other practical matters is available from the Faculty of Medicine, Department of General Practice, Virpi Sirén, tel. +358 (0)3 3551 6718, email: tentti.teo@uta.fi.

An examination certificate is issued by the Faculty of Medicine once all three parts have been completed.