Poland's Medical Council rejects proposed doctor training reforms amid salary cap debate

The presidium of the Naczelna Rada Lekarska (Polish Medical Council) issued a statement on 10 July 2026 condemning a draft amendment to the law governing medical and dental professions. The council opposed measures such as shortening the postgraduate training period, introducing new state examinations (the State Competency Exam and the Specialisation Verification Exam), and altering the specialist selection process, arguing that these changes would jeopardise patient safety and the quality of medical education. It called for the project to be rejected in full and urged the preparation of a new bill in consultation with medical organisations.

Separately, Dr Bartosz Fiałek criticised the Ministry of Health’s proposal to cap doctors’ hourly wages at 240 zł, highlighting the disparity between public and private sector earnings. His comments triggered a heated online response, with representatives of the Naczelna Izba Lekarska, politicians and commentators denouncing his remarks and debating the potential impact of the wage cap on medical practice in Poland.