Spain's medical degree homologations and new medical schools under scrutiny

The president of Spain's Medical College (OMC), Tomás Cobo, met with the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities to discuss reforms to the medical degree homologation system. The meeting highlighted that more than 30,000 foreign medical qualifications were processed in 2025 and that a pending Royal Decree will tighten competence checks for non‑EU doctors seeking recognition in Spain, maintaining the professional colleges’ advisory role in the process.

At the same time, the country plans to add six new medical faculties. Critics warn that the expansion outpaces the capacity for clinical training, hospital teaching slots and MIR residency positions, potentially leading to an oversupply of graduates without adequate specialty placements. The Ministry has already increased MIR slots to a record 9,276 for 2026, but concerns remain about a bottleneck in specialist training and the long‑term employment prospects for new doctors.