Fight against shortage of panel doctors: scholarship for medical students

Medical students can apply for this until February 12th apply. In return for receiving 923 euros per month for up to three and a half years, the students have to commit to working as a panel doctor in a region in need for at least five years. Motivation, social commitment and academic success to date are evaluated in the selection process.

This is handled by ÖGK-General Director Bernhard Wurzer announced the program from the OeAD Agency for Education and Internationalization. Students of human medicine can apply to all Austrian universities with the exception of the Sigmund Freud Private University (which recently had its accreditation for their master’s degree withdrawn) from the 3rd year of study. They must also be willing to work for at least five years as a panel doctor in general medicine or in paediatrics, child and adolescent psychiatry, gynecology/obstetrics or psychiatry/psychotherapeutic medicine in a region where there is a need for at least five years .

Prerequisite for the application is a main residence in Austria. When evaluating the applications, the criteria used are the motivation, as a doctor in the above-mentioned subjects in a region where there is a need ÖGK to become active, the social commitment (e.g. in rescue or aid organizations or in the nursing or social field) and the previous study success (duration or average grades). There is no legal entitlement to the grant.

The scholarship is initially awarded for twelve months and can be extended to up to 42 months. It should primarily go to students at public universities. The funding must be repaid if the studies are not successful, the training is not completed or the work as a statutory health insurance doctor is not started in time or not practiced long enough.