Italian medical associations call for more general practitioner training scholarships

Medical associations in Italy are calling for increased funding and better management of training scholarships for general practitioners to combat physician shortages. In the Campania region, the Medical Orders of Avellino and Benevento have urged the regional government to increase scholarships for the Specific Training Course in General Medicine. They warn that without intervention, aging populations and upcoming retirements could lead to a “desertification” of primary healthcare, particularly in internal and peripheral areas like Irpinia and Sannio.

Simultaneously, the FIMMG in Sicily is advocating for national regulations that would allow the reallocation of unused training scholarships between regions. Currently, there is a discrepancy where some regions have vacant spots while qualified young doctors in other regions remain excluded due to lack of available positions. Nationally, approximately 5,965 applications were submitted for 2,651 available scholarships, highlighting a significant gap between the demand for training and the current funding levels.