Aalborg University is increasing the capacity of the medicine program to combat a shortage of doctors in Northern Jutland. Aalborg University is taking action to alleviate the acute shortage of doctors in the Northern Jutland Region by expanding the number of study spots in the medicine program. Starting from next academic year, the number of spots will increase from 179 to 250. This initiative is a strategic move to ensure better coverage of doctors in the region, which is currently heavily affected by a shortage of doctors.
The Northern Jutland Region is among the most vulnerable areas in Denmark in terms of doctor coverage, only surpassed by the Region of Zealand. According to the prorector at Aalborg University, Anne Marie Kanstrup, the situation is so severe that if a heat map of doctor shortages in Denmark were to be created, Northern Jutland would be “red as Malaga on a day in August.”
“It is our responsibility as a university to respond to the needs of society. Therefore, we have committed to increasing the number of study spots, and we have the necessary capacity to do so,” says Anne Marie Kanstrup.
This year, 486 applicants have chosen the medicine program at Aalborg University as their first priority. This means that several hundred applicants will be rejected when admissions notifications are sent out on July 26th. Last year, the university had to reject 320 qualified applicants, and the year before that, the number was 367.
The Northern Jutland Region is facing a significant challenge in recruiting doctors, with 64 percent of general practitioners in the region closing their doors to new patients as of January 1st of this year. This is significantly higher than the national average of 54 percent, according to an analysis by the General Practitioners’ Organization (PLO).
Anne Marie Kanstrup points out that it is essential for doctors to be trained in the region where the need is greatest. “Our data shows that over 80 percent of the more than 600 doctors who have graduated from Aalborg University have chosen to work in the Northern Jutland Region after completing their education,” she explains.
The first admissions notifications for higher education programs in the country will be sent out shortly after midnight on Friday, and the average grades for admission will be published at the same time. According to the Ministry of Education and Research, the number of applicants to higher education programs has increased to 85,152 this year, which is 1079 more than last year.
With this expansion, Aalborg University hopes to significantly contribute to alleviating the doctor shortage and ensuring better healthcare for the citizens of Northern Jutland.”