Temporary employment of medical, dentistry and pharmacy students of non-Finnish universities in Finland and their entry into the Central Register of Health Care Professionals (Terhikki)

1 March 2009 saw the entry into force of an amendment to the Finnish Act on Health Care Professionals on the basis of which medical, dentistry and pharmacy students are entered into the Central Register of Health Care Professionals (Terhikki) kept by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). Finnish universities notify Valvira directly regarding their students who have completed year 4 and 5 in Medicine. Dentistry students are registered on completion of year 4 and pharmacy students when they are authorised on a temporary basis to pursue the activities of a pharmacist. Students of non-Finnish universities must submit the notification by themselves. Form

Medical/dentistry/pharmacy students of non-Finnish universities must enclose with their notification an authenticated copy of their passport, a transcript of studies and a certificate issued by the non-Finnish university stating that the studies completed by the student correspond to those in the curriculum for the first 4 or 5 years of study and, for pharmacy students, that the studies correspond to those required for temporary authorisation to work as a pharmacist. The certificate must specify the start date of studies. Valvira will send registered students a certificate detailing their identification code and registration number. Both of these will also remain valid after graduation.

The following changes will apply to the conditions of practice from 1 September 2009:Students of non-EU/EEA universities

In non-EU/EEA countries medical, dentistry and pharmacy training is not harmonised in the same way as within the EU/EEA. Therefore physicians who have gained qualifications in a non-EEA country must complete six months of practical training in Finland and pass a three-part examination organised by the University of Tampere. The examinations and clinical competence tests for dentists who have gained qualifications in a non-EEA country are organised by the University of Helsinki. In most cases pharmacists will need to supplement their qualification in Finland. Non-EU nationals are also required to pass a test in Finnish or Swedish, with the minimum acceptable language proficiency level being 'satisfactory'.

From 1 September 2009 medical students studying in non-EU/EEA countries may take temporary employment as a physician in Finland when they have completed the curriculum for the first 5 years of study plus Part 1 (Clinical Knowledge) of the three-part examination organised by the University of Tampere. The examination need not be retaken following graduation if Part 2 (Health Care in Finland) is taken within three years of the date of Part 1.

Information about the requirements for dentistry and pharmacy students will be published on the Valvira website as soon as specific details are available.

Non-EU nationals are also required to pass a general language proficiency test in Finnish or Swedish to attain the National Certificate of Language Proficiency at 'satisfactory' level or above, before they can take the above examinations.

Valvira will register students of non-EU/EEA universities as soon as they have passed the above examinations and the language proficiency test.

More information about the legislative amendments is available in Finnish on www.finlex.fi and the Valvira website www.valvira.fi.

For further information phone:
Pia Setälä +358 (0)9 7729 2152
Sinikka Mettälä-Nurminen +358 (0)9 7729 2126
Katri Kallioniemi +358 (0)9 7729 2154
Pirjo Pennanen +358 (0)9 7729 2121