examinations

Examination required of medical doctors who have qualified outside the EU/EEA

The Decree on Health Care Professionals requires foreign medical doctors to pass an examination to confirm that their qualifications are equivalent to those provided by medical training in Finland. Doctors who have completed a minimum of six months of practical hospital training in Finland and who have passed a language proficiency test in Finland in either the Finnish or Swedish language are eligible to sit the examination.

The examination is organised jointly by Valvira and the University of Tampere Faculty of Medicine and Technology

It consists of three tests, which shall be completed separately:

1. Clinical knowledge

This is a written test 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

This is a written test on administrative topics 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 test 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 clinical skills test takes place at the health centre.

Sitting the examination

The tests on clinical knowledge and health care in Finland can be taken a maximum of ten times. If you have failed three consecutive attempts, you must wait one year before re-taking the test. If you fail the test on clinical knowledge or health care in Finland ten times, you are no longer eligible to re-take it.

The clinical skills test may be taken a total of three times. If you fail your first attempt at the clinical skills test, you must wait six months before re-taking it. If you fail your second attempt as well, you must wait a year before taking the test for a third time. During that year, you must complete a six-month period of supervised practice at a publicly run hospital or health centre. You must also supply Valvira with a statement from your employer concerning the practice period completed. If you fail the clinical skills test on your third attempt, you are no longer eligible to re-take it.

Application procedure

You must only register with Valvira for the clinical knowledge test. Please notify in writing if you wish to have the questions in Swedish. You may use the registration form to register for the test.

Form (in Finnish)

When registering for the test, you must provide Valvira with the following:

• a copy of your language proficiency certificate
• a certificate of your supervised practice
• a statement from your supervisor including an evaluation of your performance

Valvira only accepts document copies that have been officially authenticated (by a notary public).

The registration form must be submitted to Valvira at least three weeks before the date of the test.

For the test on health care in Finland, you should register directly with the University of Tampere Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology. The date for the clinical skills test should be agreed with the Faculty.

The tests on clinical skills and health care in Finland are given four times annually, in February, May, September and November. For information about test dates, fees and other practical matters, please contact the University of Tampere Faculty of Medicine and Technology on +358 40 190 9830, leena.kiuru@tuni.fi

Read more about the examination at the University of Tampere (tuni.fi, in Finnish)

An examination certificate is issued by the University once all three tests have been passed.