Professional practice rights cannot be granted retroactively
Valvira has received a number of licensing applications from individuals who have completed an undergraduate degree in medicine in another EU or EEA country and who are seeking a full medical licence in Finland retroactively as of the date of their graduation. However, professional practice rights cannot be granted retroactively.
Valvira will not consider applications from individuals who are already fully licensed under the previous policy. These applicants’ professional practice rights, as well as the date on which the rights were granted, are recorded in the register of health care professionals (Terhikki), which is kept for supervision purposes. Professional practice rights are always granted as of the date on which the licensing application was approved. The integrity of the register dictates that licensing dates cannot be changed retroactively. The data held in the register regarding individuals’ professional practice rights cannot be different from one day to the next.
Under the previous policy, applicants were first granted a provisional licence that allowed them to work under the direction and supervision of another licensed professional for a period of three years. Applicants who had obtained a degree in another EU or EEA country were granted a full medical licence once they had completed their postgraduate practical training.
The reason for the for retroactive licensing requests lies in a recent ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (in Finnish), according to which Valvira can grant a full medical licence, without a provisional period, to an applicant whose competence is on a par with the standard required in Finland. A comparison of professional qualifications will, where appropriate, be performed in respect of future licensing applications from doctors who have trained in another EU or EEA country.
Enquiries: Maarit Mikkonen, Head of Unit, tel. +358 (0)29 520 9561
For more information in Swedish, please email [email protected].