Qualification categories of doctors: description and rules for obtaining

The duty of any practitioner is to increase the level of knowledge and skills. Certification is considered one of the training methods with its own requirements and features, according to the results of which specialists are assigned an appropriate category. Each of the categories of doctors occupies a certain step in the hierarchy of the medical sphere.

Goal and tasks

The participation of health workers in certification is voluntary. The process assesses the personal viability of a specialist, the level of his knowledge, practical skills, the adequacy of his position, and professionalism.

Certification of doctors for a category carries a certain interest:

1. This is prestigious. It allows you to occupy a higher position in a medical institution, allows you to draw the attention of management to yourself. Quite often, the categories of doctors are indicated on the tablets at the entrance to their office.
2. In some cases, the highest category allows you to reduce moral or physical responsibility to the patient's relatives. Like, if such a highly qualified specialist could not solve the problem, then it is difficult to think what would happen if there were a less experienced doctor in his place.
3. The material side. Medical categories of doctors and an increase in the levels of the medical hierarchy can increase the increase in the basic salary.

Types of Certifications

The legislation distinguishes several types of certification activities:

• awarding the title of "specialist" after determining theoretical and practical skills;
• qualification category of doctors (receipt);
• category confirmation.

Determining the level of knowledge for the assignment of a "specialist" is a prerequisite for appointment to the post of doctor. It is carried out by special commissions in institutions of postgraduate education. The following candidates are subject to consideration:

• after an internship, magistracy, residency, graduate school, if there is no diploma "medical specialist";
• those who have not worked for more than 3 years in a narrow specialty;
• Those who did not pass certification for obtaining qualifications in a timely manner;
• persons who are denied the opportunity to receive the second category for objective reasons.

Each doctor has the right to receive a category in several specialties at the same time, if they are related. The main requirement is the experience in the required specialization. The general practitioner category is an exception.

Basic rules and requirements

Distinguish the second, first and highest categories of doctors. The receipt has a sequence rule, but there are exceptions. The requirements are discussed in the table.

Validity period

The certification category of a doctor is valid for 5 years after signing the order on its receipt. After the time, the specialist must confirm the current one or get another category.

According to old orders, there were certain circumstances that belonged to the category of social benefits and allowed to extend the current qualification. These included:

• pregnancy and childcare up to 3 years;
• one month after dismissal due to reduction;
• business trip;
• state of temporary disability.

At the moment, the benefits are not valid. The certification committee may decide to extend the period of validity at the request of the chief physician of the medical institution. If the doctor refuses to appear on the commission, his category will be removed automatically after five years from the date of assignment.

Documents

Four months before the moment of recertification, the specialist must apply for confirmation or obtaining higher qualifications. Passport data, the existing category and date of receipt, personal signature are indicated here.

An attestation sheet and a report on the work done over the past few years, approved by the head physician of the medical institution and the personnel department where the attestant works, are also filled out. Copies of documents on education, work books and assignment of current qualifications are also sent to the commission.

Certification Report

The introduction includes information about the personality of the doctor and the medical institution where he occupies the position. It describes the characteristics of the department, its equipment and staff structure, the performance of the department in the form of statistical data.

The main part consists of the following items:

• characteristics of the contingent undergoing treatment in the department;
• the possibility of carrying out diagnostic measures;
• Conducted medical work with the indicated results for specialized diseases;
• deaths over the past 3 years and their analysis;
• introduction of innovation.

The conclusion of the report consists of summarizing the results, indicating possible problems and examples of their solution, and the possibility of improvement. If published materials are available, a copy is attached. The list of used literature and studied over the past few years is indicated.

Points for increase

Each specialist receives points that are involved in deciding on qualifications. They are awarded for attending conferences, including international congresses, lecturing to colleagues or nurses, distance learning to receive a final certificate, training courses.

In addition, points are awarded for the following achievements:

• publishing a textbook, manual, monograph;
• article publication;
• obtaining a patent for an invention;
• presentation at symposia with a report;
• performance in institutions and the media;
• getting a rank;
• defense of the thesis;
• awarding by public authorities.

Commission composition

The commission consists of a committee, the work of which takes place in between meetings, and an expert group of a narrow focus, which conducts the direct certification of a specialist (exam, testing). Both the committee and the expert group are composed of persons in the following positions:

1. The chairman, who oversees the work and shares obligations between members of the commission.
2. The deputy chairman performs the functions of the chairman in full when he is absent.
3. The secretary is engaged in the registration of incoming documents, forms materials for the work of the commission, fixes decisions.
4. The deputy secretary replaces the secretary and performs his duties during his absence.

In each expert group are specialists in related specialties. For example, the category of dentist and its receipt / confirmation requires a stay in the group of a periodontist, orthodontist, pediatric dentist, therapist.

Meeting order

Certification is scheduled no later than three months from the date of receipt of data on a specialist in the committee. If the data do not coincide with the requirements for the latter, the document is rejected (no later than 2 weeks from the date of receipt). The secretary of the committee agrees with the chairman of the expert group of the necessary specialization the date of the exam.

Members of the expert group consider the certification work of doctors in the category, having drawn up a review for each of them, displaying the following data:

• level of practical skills of a specialist;
• participation in social projects related to the medical field;
• the availability of published materials;
• certified self-education;
• correspondence of knowledge and skills of the declared category of doctors.

The examination should occur within two weeks from the date of receipt of the report. The result of the review is an indicator of the possible outcome of the certification. The secretary informs the specialist of the duration of the meeting, including an interview and testing. More than 70% of the correct answers allow us to consider testing passed. The interview is conducted by interviewing a certified person according to theory and practice, the knowledge of which must correspond to the requested qualification.

The meeting is accompanied by a protocol, which is signed by the members of the expert group and the chairman. The final decision is noted in the qualification sheet. The specialist receives the right to retake the exam only after a year. Within 7 days, the certified person receives a document confirming the increase, decrease or refusal to assign the category.

Extreme measures

The administration of a medical institution can send a request to the commission so that the doctor is deprived of qualifications or upgraded ahead of schedule. In this case, documents are sent to substantiate the decision. The commission considers the issue in the presence of a specialist. Failure to appear without a good reason allows you to make a decision in his absence.

Protest

From the day the decision is made, the doctor or medical institution may appeal the result within a month. To do this, you need to fill out a statement specifying the reasons for the disagreement and send it to the commission under the Ministry of Health.