1. Producing an Specific Rural
Training Programme for
European Trainees in Family
Medicine
Jaume Banqué Vidiella
Institut Català de la Salut. CAP Xerta. Spain
Euripa – Semfyc
jbanquev@meditex.es

2. Summary
• Why an specific European Rural Training
Programme for Trainees in FM.
• Guiding principles.
• It will be based on ...
• The Spanish Experience in Rural Training.
• Conclusions.
• Some questions.

3. Why an specific European Rural
Training Programme for Trainees
• Different joining Workshops within Vasco da
Gama and Euripa in the last Wonca Conferences.
• A hug interest in Rural Practice from young
Family Doctors.
• Big variety across Europe about Rural Training in
Family Medicine.
• Euripa aim: Exchanging experiences and
knowledge. Creating European Evidence in Rural
Practice.
• Working for a common future in Rural Practice in
Europe.

4. Guiding principles for a Rural
Training Programme
•Promote and stimulate a positive approach to
Rural Practice.
•Apply “The European Definition of General
Practice/Family Medicine” (Euract 1992).
•Boost and Complete professional competences
in Family Medicine.

5. It will be based on...
• The European Definition of General
Practice/Family Medicine. Euract 2002.
• The Spanish Programme in Family Medicine. Rural
Rotation.
• European experiences: Norway, England, Greece,...
• European Rural Working Groups recommendations.
• Different Academic and stakeholders participation.
• Conclusions from Mallorca Forum and Wonca
conferences.
• ........

6. The Spanish Experience in
Family Medicine
• 1978. Family Medicine Speciality was created in
Spain (Alma Ata influence). Three years of
practical period.
• 1985. First Specific Programme for Family
Medicine Instruction was published.
• 2005. A new Training Programme was developed.
Four years of practical period. A Compulsory
Rural Training Period is included for the first
time. National Commission.

7. How we develop this Rural
Period in Spain
• National Commission for Family and Community
Medicine > Creates the Programme.
• Main Training Centres > Produce and apply this
Rural Period.
• Rural Working Groups from Family Medicine
Associations > Develop and spread opinion,
guidelines and tools for helping all parts involved
in this process.
• Trainees > Attend and evaluate this learning term.

8. Current situation
• What kind of practical period do we have ?
- Compulsory and available for all trainees.
- 2/3 months in length.
• Who can work as a trainer ?
- Rural doctors with certain experience (at least
more than a year in a rural area).
- Rural doctors with interest for teaching, learning
and research.
> Rural Trainers have to produce an specific and
adapted Training Programme for their centre with
support from Regional Training Centres <

9. Conclusions
• There is an interest about Rural Health and
Rural Training from young Family Doctors.
• There is a big variety about Rural Training
across Europe.
• There is a lack of a common tool in Rural
Training for Trainees in Europe.
• There is a need of Evidence about Rural
Health in Europe.

10. Some questions
• Do we need this programme, really ?
• Will we be able to produce it ?
• Will it be useful for all parts involved ?
jbanquev@meditex.es