blog en https://b2c.medinklud.eu ru Med-Integro is now medinklud: Same heart, new name https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/med-integro-became-medinklud-en https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/med-integro-became-medinklud-en?amp=true Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0300 For now, the only thing changing is our name. Our team, our range of services, and our commitment to high-quality care remain exactly as you know them.

Med-Integro is now medinklud: Same heart, new name

Hello!

We have some exciting news to share: Med-Integro is now officially medinklud.

This change is more than just a new look. We’ve decided to rebrand for several strategic reasons, and we look forward to sharing the full story with you gradually, as we move forward.

For now, the only thing changing is our name. Our team, our range of services, and our commitment to high-quality care remain exactly as you know them.

We are always looking for ways to grow. If you have any suggestions on how we can improve your experience, please feel free to share them with us via any channel that’s convenient for you.

Thank you for being part of our journey and for staying in touch!
]]> How to Pass the Doctor’s Exam in Slovakia: A Pediatrician’s ExperienceHow to Pass the Doctor’s Exam in Slovakia: A Pediatrician’s Experience https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/t0psbe0cc1-how-to-pass-the-doctors-exam-in-slovakia https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/t0psbe0cc1-how-to-pass-the-doctors-exam-in-slovakia?amp=true Wed, 30 Jul 2025 00:58:00 +0300 Anna Melnyk is a pediatrician from Ukraine who courageously chose the path of professional fulfillment in Slovakia. Her story is about believing in herself, perseverance, and the dream of treating children again — but this time in another country

How to Pass the Doctor’s Exam in Slovakia: A Pediatrician’s ExperienceHow to Pass the Doctor’s Exam in Slovakia: A Pediatrician’s Experience

Anna Melnyk is a pediatrician from Ukraine who courageously chose the path of professional fulfillment in Slovakia. Her story is about believing in herself, perseverance, and the dream of treating children again — but this time in another country. She made the decision to move to Slovakia back in her sixth year of medical university. She was looking for an environment where she could grow professionally, where the work of a doctor is valued not only morally but also materially.

How the process works for pediatricians and what to expect

After arriving in Slovakia, doctors from Ukraine must go through the nostrification procedure — the official recognition of their diploma. I learned about the nostrification procedure on my own. And I immediately realized: for pediatricians, everything is a bit more complicated than for general practitioners. First of all, it is necessary to pass an additional test exam — skúška spôsobilosti, which grants the right to work as a trainee.

This exam consists of questions from various specialties: from neurosurgery to immunology. The good news is that it can be taken in Ukrainian, Russian, or Slovak, and sample tests are available on the Slovak Medical University website (Slovenská zdravotnícka univerzita).

Preparing for the main exam

The main exam requires significantly more preparation. Anna began preparing even before moving, studying the language and taking courses. After passing the skúška spôsobilosti, she dedicated eight months to intensive preparation: daily study sessions of 10 hours, a structured learning plan, and mastering terminology in Slovak. She studied four key subjects — one month for each, and spent the final month on revision.

Prepare in advance. Even if the test does not seem difficult, it still brings additional stress, time, and costs.

Typical mistakes and how to avoid them

Anna openly shares common mistakes that should be avoided during the oral exam.

  • Silence — it’s better to start answering right away.
  • Lack of structure — answer according to the scheme: definition → etiology → clinical presentation → diagnostics → treatment → prevention.
  • Short answers — expand your thoughts, demonstrate your reasoning.
  • Stress — find your own way to calm down.

Anna’s personal tactic is to take a 20-minute walk before the exam, spend 10 minutes without gadgets, and tell herself: “This is not my last chance — I can do this!”

Full Interview

Each of us has a profession, but sometimes, in order to remain who you are, you have to start from scratch.
Our guest today is Anna Melnyk, a pediatrician from Ukraine. She has gone through the full process of diploma recognition and is now searching for a job in Slovakia. But before regaining the right to treat children, she had to go through a more challenging path than most foreign doctors in Slovakia: an additional exam, a different system, and a new language. This is a story not only about medicine, but also about resilience — about what it means not just to adapt, but to rediscover yourself and become even stronger.

Let’s start with the first question. How did you decide to go specifically to Slovakia? Was there a turning point?

In fact, I made the decision to move a year earlier, when I was in my sixth year of medical university. Throughout my studies, I was always thinking about my career and what I should do afterward. I was constantly looking for opportunities for professional growth in a stable environment where work is valued fairly. Slovakia met all the criteria: close to Ukraine, a similar language and culture. There were also personal reasons — in particular, part of my family had already been living in Slovakia for quite a long time, so I knew this would be additional support for me throughout my journey here.

So it wasn’t a spontaneous decision. It was a plan.

Yes, it was a very well-thought-out decision. I understood what I was giving up there and where I was going.

I suppose when you were making this plan, you already knew that the recognition process for a foreign pediatrician’s diploma in Slovakia has a more complicated path, right?

At first, I had no information at all. I started searching online and found out that pediatricians have a different — and more complicated — path compared to general practitioners. How did I feel about that? It was a bit frightening: an additional exam, more preparation, more stress. But on the other hand, when I learned that previously diplomas were not recognized in Slovakia at all, it felt like a weight off my shoulders — I realized that I had arrived at the right time, when, by passing two exams, I could recognize my diploma.

That’s great! I actually had that exact question written down — whether you knew that just a few years ago your diploma would not have been recognized, and that we can now say hello and thank you to the International Association of Physicians in Slovakia.
About preparing for the exams themselves — tell us more about the additional exam, the skúška spôsobilosti. What does it include? What was easy, and what was not?

Indeed, there is a difference between the process for general practitioners and for pediatricians. The difference is that, for final diploma recognition, pediatricians must take an additional test exam called skúška spôsobilosti. After successfully passing it, this exam allows you to work as a trainee doctor until you take the main exam. By contrast, general practitioners can start working after diploma recognition without this step.

As for the skúška spôsobilosti — it is an exam that consists only of a test section. The main goal is to make up for the difference in hours of certain subjects during university studies. The test can be taken in Ukrainian, Russian, or Slovak, which makes it easier for a doctor who has just arrived in Slovakia and does not yet speak the language.

On the other hand, it includes tests in subjects such as neurology, neurosurgery, immunology, nuclear medicine, and so on. The test is not considered overly difficult, since there is a test database available on the website of the Slovak Medical University (Slovenská zdravotnícka univerzita). However, it still brings additional stress, anxiety, extends the time for diploma recognition, and comes with an extra fee, which is currently €200.

So, did you take this exam in Ukrainian?

Yes.

Is it also possible to take it in English?

I think so, but I might be mistaken. I know for sure about Ukrainian and Russian.

How did you structure your preparation for the main exam, the Doplňujúca skúška?

My preparation actually began six months before my move — that is, six months before graduating from university, I started learning Slovak in courses. By the time I arrived in Slovakia, I already had a basic level of Slovak, which made things easier for me.

I submitted my documents for nostrification and waited for a response. In September, two months after moving, I took the pediatricians’ skúška spôsobilosti. After that, I began intensive preparation for the main exam. Overall, my preparation lasted eight months, which I divided into a transitional period and an intensive period.

During the first three months (the transitional period), I focused on learning medical terminology and translating exam questions. My strategy was to combine studying the exam questions with learning the terms. I would take a question, write out the key terms I needed, repeat and study them. This stage was slow — sometimes it took an entire day to fully understand and translate just one question. This period lasted three months. By January, I realized I already had a solid base of conversational Slovak and medical terms. Then I began the more intensive five-month phase.

My strategy was based on the fact that the exam covers four subjects — one month for each (internal medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, surgery), with the fifth month for revision. I decided to study surgery last, because it is the most frequently asked subject at the start of the exam, and those questions give you the chance to demonstrate your knowledge.

As for the other three subjects — internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics — I studied them together. Every doctor chooses their own strategy. For me, it was more convenient to work by tickets: one question from internal medicine, one from pediatrics, one from obstetrics — and repeat in that cycle. This approach allowed me to cover all the material in four months, leaving the fifth month for review. The preparation was very intensive — I studied at least 10 hours a day. I deliberately refused work in a hospital to fully focus on the exam. It was long, hard, and sometimes boring — but worth it.

Was there anything in this preparation process that surprised you, something you wish you had known in advance?

The volume of material. At first, it seems familiar — every doctor has studied it all at university. But then the language barrier adds another layer, and that’s what becomes intimidating. While learning the language, you realize the amount of material is huge. You have to not only review it but also re-think it in another language in a short period. Many things have been forgotten, so absorbing and mastering it all again is truly challenging.

Alright, so you prepared and came to the exam. Like most doctors, you had probably read something, talked to others, and had some expectations. But was there anything unexpected during the exam itself? Something you weren’t ready for?

Honestly, I don’t think there were any real surprises for me. I tried to find out as much information as possible from colleagues — how the exam went, whether there was time to prepare on the spot, what the atmosphere was like, and so on. So I guess there weren’t any surprises for me personally.

Okay, so no surprises during the exam. Let’s go back to preparation. Were there moments when you felt like giving up, when you didn’t want to do anything anymore? What helped you keep going? Why?

I think there were two main low points during preparation. The first was at the very beginning — when you see the amount of material, you feel deep doubt, you can’t believe the human mind can grasp all of it. The second was during the review phase. You’ve studied, you feel progress, and after covering all the material you think, “I know this, I’ve done great.” But then you start reviewing, go back to the very beginning, and realize that 50% of what you knew perfectly just months ago is already forgotten. And that is extremely discouraging — especially right before the exam.

What helped me then was, first of all, the support of my family and loved ones — people who believed in me much more than I believed in myself. And besides that, whenever I didn’t feel like doing anything, I would simply go outside, walk a lot, sit on a bench. Sometimes spontaneous shopping helped, sometimes talking to friends. After a walk and a coffee, I would return and sit down to study again. It gave me a bit of a reset.

So — to distract yourself?

Yes, to distract myself. To change the atmosphere.

I think that about the exam process we have already spoken with many, and many doctors share this information among themselves. What I would like to find out from you: were there any such typical mistakes at the exam among doctors, which you could observe exactly during the answer at the exam?

The first and most common mistake many make is remaining silent — waiting for the commission to ask questions. When we come to the exam, we draw a ticket with four questions, and we are given preparation time. On average, four or five doctors are in the room. While someone else is answering, you have time to prepare. Then your turn comes. They may ask you a few introductory questions about your career, university, and so on. It’s very important to immediately start speaking about your assigned question — not to stay silent and wait for prompts. When we speak, we convey what we know; when we’re silent, tension builds between the commission and the doctor, and they begin asking many varied questions — some of which you may not know the answers to.

The second mistake I’ve heard about is the lack of structure in answers. When you get a question, it’s crucial to answer according to a clear plan. For example, if the topic is a disease, start with the definition, then etiology, classification, pathophysiology or pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnostics, treatment, and prevention. Following this structure keeps your answer organized — which is extremely important.

The third common mistake is giving closed answers. When the commission asks something, you shouldn’t just answer “yes” or “no” — this makes it seem as though you’re guessing. If they ask, for example, “Is there a treatment for this disease?”, you should reply, “Yes, there is. We use this group of medications, with this scheme and this duration.” In other words, give a complete answer.

And the fourth is nervousness. It affects both your answers and the atmosphere. It’s very important to choose a personal method of calming yourself before the exam — for some it’s walking, for others breathing exercises. Try to enter the exam as calm as possible. Once you get your question, follow the basic rules of communication: eye contact, gestures, clear pronunciation. The goal is to create a relaxed atmosphere between you and the commission — this helps both sides.

Can you share your own calming strategy?

For me, first of all, it’s a 20-minute walk in the fresh air — that always calms me. Then I turn off all gadgets for 5–10 minutes to avoid the temptation to review anything again. I try to distance myself from others, because the atmosphere is tense there. I sit alone and breathe calmly. I also reassure myself that this is not the end: if it doesn’t work out now, there is another exam in three months. I will definitely pass. These simple things helped me a lot.

Great — you’ve just mentioned two techniques I’ve also heard from other doctors. One said that after the test she disconnected from everyone, went to the hotel, and came back later. Another said she reduced the importance of the result, breaking the process into steps: submit the application, try studying, take the exam — and if she failed, it was not the end of the world. She also passed on the first attempt.

Let’s move on to life in Slovakia and work. As far as I remember, you’re now job hunting. Can you tell us about that process? Where and how are you looking? Have you had any interviews? What do Slovak employers expect from foreign doctors?

Yes, I’m currently at the stage of obtaining all the documents after the exam. This is also an important step that can take several months. At the moment, I’m waiting — but I already have a workplace where they’re expecting me. Initially, I searched for a job on my own using different websites like Profesia.sk. Then I realized that finding a job in Bratislava independently is quite difficult — competition is high here. So I contacted Med-Integro, specifically Marián Neriadny, who helped me find my dream job.

I only had one interview — it was a standard format, just like in Ukraine. What do they expect from you? First of all, they ask about your level of language proficiency, since it’s important for most hospitals. They also ask about clinical experience, and sometimes about knowledge of other languages (German, English). In some cases, they may ask medical questions.

Interesting — because one pediatrician I know, who is now preparing to move, asked me what questions would come up at the interview. I told her it’s mostly about language, but you’re saying they can ask about medicine too — though rarely. What question did you get?

Honestly, they were very basic — like the treatment of pneumonia, or treatment of bronchial asthma, just the most fundamental questions. Nothing overly difficult that a pediatrician couldn’t answer.

So nothing like the exam?

No, absolutely not. In 90% of cases — and usually, as you said — it’s all about language skills, work experience, and basic work-related discussions such as pay and working conditions.

So it’s not another exam — it’s a job interview. The one you had for your dream workplace, which is now waiting for you — can you tell us more about it?

An additional factor was that I had the interview a month before I was due to take the exam. Marián believed in me — and still does — and he always said, “She’ll pass the exam in a month, you’ll see — she definitely will.” We were simply waiting for me to pass.

So the interview was nothing special. They could assess my language immediately, since we spoke Slovak.

As for knowledge — of course, they understand you’re a doctor from Ukraine. They know you have medical expertise, but you don’t know the Slovak healthcare system. And most hospitals that need staff are happy to train you in that during the internship period.

So, if not about work now, then probably about life. How is your life and adaptation in Slovakia going? And were there any interesting or unexpected moments that you definitely did not expect?

I have been living here for a year, and adaptation is still ongoing. It is not too difficult, since there are many positive moments, including the fact that I came to Slovakia with minimal knowledge, but of the language, including a certain similarity of cultures, and with available support from close ones. The thing that impressed me the most was the rhythm of life. Slovaks live more slowly, enjoy and savor life more, unlike us, Ukrainians, who are constantly used to running. And this is exactly what I would like to adopt.

Okay. So you think that this is exactly enjoyment? This is not something else, yes? Because when I came — and that was about nine years ago — I heard a lot from our, Ukrainian- and Russian-speaking, that Slovaks don’t want to do anything at all, that they are lazy, and that you cannot expect anything from them too quickly.

And now — about looking back. Any advice, or maybe a moment on your path that you remember with special pride, warmth, or with a smile?

It was exactly a year ago — the moment when I refused the internship in Ukraine. It was painful, because I was leaving a good job in Lviv and choosing the unknown in Slovakia. Then it seemed that this was the worst day of my life, but now I am glad about this decision.

The second important moment — the day of the exam. When you understand that you passed it, you are overwhelmed with emotions: you want to shout, jump, hug everyone. These emotions are worth all the months of preparation — and I am proud of this.

What could you say or advise to a doctor who is just about to move or is still deciding — to go or not to go?

Probably, if I met such a doctor, I would say: you will definitely succeed. And if to your big dream you add inspiration, regular preparation, and a crazy belief in yourself, then at the end of this path you will definitely hear the cherished: “Congratulations, you passed the exam.” The main thing — is belief in yourself and regular preparation.

If to describe all this path in one word or image — what will it be?

The first thing that probably came to my mind — is a labyrinth. A dark labyrinth, in which a person stands at the beginning. He takes a step into the unknown, makes mistakes, goes back, tries again. That is, it means also different stresses, moments when hands go down, and preparation, and, for example, choosing a strategy, etc. But, despite all this, the person goes — step by step — forward. And if he applies enough effort and does not put his hands down prematurely, then he will definitely at the end of this labyrinth see that cherished light.

So is this image or word a labyrinth or is it light?

It is the path that a person goes — exactly the path.

So this path was not easy, but it proves: if you really know who you are, no system will be able to take it away from you. Thank you for your courage and example — it was powerful.

Thank you for the invitation.
]]> How to register on the web platform and get access to the courses? https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/d8zul2xtn1-how-to-register-on-the-web-platform-and https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/d8zul2xtn1-how-to-register-on-the-web-platform-and?amp=true Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:10:00 +0300 This step-by-step guide will help you quickly register on the Med-Integro platform and get access to the courses

How to register on the web platform and get access to the courses?

1 First, go to the platform using the appropriate link: Med-Integro.
2 If you don’t have an account on the Med-Integro educational platform yet, click on "Create new account."
3 Fill in all the required fields with your current information and click "Create my new account."
4 A message will appear confirming that your account has been successfully created, along with further instructions.
5 Follow the instructions: go to your email inbox, open the system email, and confirm your registration by clicking the link.
6 Return to the web platform and log in using the credentials you provided during registration.
7 After successful login, you will land on the "My courses" page, which will most likely be empty at first. Click on "All courses" to view the list of available courses.
8 Open the section "SLOVAKIA: Open (free) courses" and select the course you need from the list.
9 Once on the course page, scroll down to the section "Self-enrollment (student)" and click the "Enroll in the course" button.
10 Congratulations! The course will now appear under your "My courses" section, and the course materials will be available for you to study.
]]> How I passed the qualification exam in Slovakia on the first try — the story of an infectious disease doctor https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/v3co71oaf1-how-i-passed-the-qualification-exam-in-s https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/v3co71oaf1-how-i-passed-the-qualification-exam-in-s?amp=true Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:41:00 +0300 When you are a doctor with education, experience and vocation, but you move to another country - everything starts from scratch. And so it was for me. I am Elizaveta Nikitina, an infectious disease doctor....

How I passed the qualification exam in Slovakia on the first try — the story of an infectious disease doctor

When you are a doctor with education, experience, and a calling, but you move to another country — everything starts from a blank slate. That’s how it was for me. I am Yelizaveta Nikitina, an infectious disease doctor. Several years ago, I found myself in Slovakia. Without understanding whether we would stay here for long. Without confidence in myself. And most importantly, without the language.

The first steps are the scariest

I am a person who finds it hard to step out of the comfort zone. It was scary to submit the documents. Scary to start preparing. Scary to go to the exam.

But I decided to try. With small steps. Without waiting for the “perfect moment.”
  • I started learning Slovak and quite quickly reached level B2,
  • I realized that I didn’t know a single medical term — I enrolled in medical Slovak courses + preparation for the supplementary exam at Med-Integro,
  • I submitted documents for the exam — no one refused,
  • I prepared 3–4 hours a day.

Preparation for the exam — honestly and truly

I didn’t even know what organs are called in Slovak. Medical terms — zero.

In the course with the teacher, I couldn’t just “sit there.” I was made to speak, to articulate, to overcome barriers.

I wrote schemes, took tests, watched lectures. I bought textbooks on therapy and pediatrics in Slovak. I worked every day.

What helped me go through this path

  • Medical Slovak course from Med-Integro
  • Lectures and tests on the platform
  • The method of 15-minute study blocks
  • Support and personal discipline

I passed the exam on the first try. It was a shock. But a pleasant one.

What I feel now

I am a full-fledged doctor in Slovakia. Only specialization remains.

But most importantly — I feel confidence. Confidence that I won’t be lost. That I can develop, earn, be part of this system.

Advice for those who are just thinking of starting

Don’t be afraid. Don’t wait until “everything is perfect.” Learn the language. Don’t postpone.

Every day of delay is a missed opportunity.

If you are a doctor and want to go through the path of adaptation — contact Med-Integro. They know how to help.

Full interview

Today our guest is Yelyzaveta Nikitina, an infectious disease doctor who, one could say, has almost completed the path of adaptation in Slovakia, having just successfully passed the qualification exam, the "doplňujúca skúška." We will find out where this path began, what was the most difficult, talk about the exam, and most importantly, find out how she feels now.

This honest, lively conversation — I hope it will inspire you, because these are not theoreticians, but people who succeeded.

Good afternoon, Yelyzaveta.

Good afternoon.

Let’s start with the first question.
What was the decisive moment when you realized that you wanted to work as a doctor specifically in Slovakia?

First of all, this understanding came when I decided that I would stay here, that I was not here temporarily. And the second moment was when I saw how many colleagues were already successfully working here, that there was nothing difficult about it, nothing impossible. That’s how the understanding came.

Surely there was fear somewhere, in something, about something. Were there any doubts? Can you tell us — were there, were there not? How scary was it? And most importantly, how did you overcome it?

Well, of course, it was scary, it was unclear.
I am, in general, a person who does not really like to leave the comfort zone. That’s why it was scary, it was scary that it wouldn’t work out. Maybe it wasn’t worth starting, maybe it was better to do something simpler.

I decided for myself to move forward with small steps, little by little. I would submit the document — nothing terrible would happen. If they refuse, they refuse, nothing terrible.

They didn’t refuse — good, what’s the next step?

The next step is to start preparing for the exam. Well, I will prepare, I will recall some old knowledge. Nothing terrible.

In the process of preparation, I decided that I would still go and try the exam. Well, I’ll try, maybe it won’t work out the first time, nothing terrible. I had a break while I was on maternity leave.

In this way, with small steps, I made decisions. That is, not globally, not about some big things, but little by little, with small steps. That’s how fear is overcome — personally for me.

So, right away in my head came the book The Art of Small Steps. You took this elephant, this big exam, this whole adaptation of a doctor here, and just cut it into pieces. In this way, you removed the importance from each small step. And in this way...

Devaluation of the goal.

That’s right, devaluation of the goal. Dividing it, breaking it down and devaluing it.

That’s already psychology.

By the way, that’s how I took my German exam.

I also took my German exam that way.

Okay, then about the exam. Tell us then — it’s clear, you prepared with small steps. How exactly did you prepare for the exam? What was a priority? What was the most difficult?

I understood that in order to go to the exam, I had to have basic language skills. Before that, being in Slovakia, I studied not medical Slovak, but regular Slovak for everyday life. I completed level B2 and realized that further it had to be a specialized course. I realized that I needed help with this because I didn’t know any medical terms necessary for a doctor at all.

I didn’t know at all the names of organs in Slovak. I understood that I needed materials for this, I needed help. I turned to Med-Integro, took a two-month course with a teacher specifically in medical Slovak.

I am very grateful to the teacher. She made me use these terms, made me speak, overcome this language barrier.

Who did you study with?

With Dana.

Dana Dubovská? We can send regards.

Yes. Thanks. Regards.
I completed this two-month course.
A large number of materials, tests, presentations. I gained a lot from there, both medical information and, of course, slovná zásoba (vocabulary). Besides this, how else did I prepare? I took tests on your platform.

The tests also help not just to memorize the answer, the correct one there A, B, C. But also to dive into the material additionally from some other side. Then what?

Then I bought textbooks on pediatrics and on therapy. I understood that later they would be useful in my work. That is, for me as a practicing doctor, it’s never a problem to turn to some academic literature. Therefore, I calmly bought textbooks precisely in Slovak.

I tried to avoid studying in my native language in order to immerse myself more in the language.

On the questions that are published by ZSU, I wrote short notes. In some rather difficult topics for me, which had already been forgotten from the university program, I immersed myself more, read some articles.

Personally, drawing diagrams helped me. Visually somehow to memorize gradually, little by little, just in parallel with the course. I also prepared for the oral part. How much time did it take me over two months? About 3-4 hours a day.

This time, on which attempt did you manage to pass?

On the first attempt.

Unbelievable!
So you finished learning Slovak — not medical — up to B2. Then medical Slovak — two months of intensive preparation, 3-4 hours a day.
You passed on the first attempt. Magnificent!
What was the hardest thing during those two months?

The problems, the challenges can be divided into two main groups.

These are, of course, household matters, which delay and distract from the learning process. That’s probably true for everyone. There’s a good method to avoid procrastination — 15-minute blocks. That is, you actively study for 15 minutes, learn something. 15-minute break. You set an alarm every 15 minutes — according to some psychological studies I read, this significantly increases the KPI of learning, with short breaks and short learning phases. It helps to avoid procrastination.

The second group of challenges is on the medical topic.
I finished medical university more than 10 years ago. The whole university program — especially if you don’t use some areas in your work — it’s impossible to remember everything. There were, of course, areas that were hard to recall.

For example, I didn’t work with obstetrics. I didn’t come close at all to this topic in my work practice. Therefore, to recall all of that, to recall even anatomy, the first year of university — that was, of course, difficult, but everything comes back.

As for anatomy, now on the internet there are many platforms where you can see visualizations, where you can look at something in 3D, remember it. The help is quite substantial in this regard. I tried to pay more attention — if I saw a gap in some area, I tried to return to it, to review it. Maybe to approach it from another angle. If some classification was complicated — to draw it out.

So you tried to work through everything, all questions, as thoroughly as possible, 100%?

Well, at least I set myself the goal that for each question I would at least say a couple of sentences, so as not to be silent, not to answer “I don’t know.” I think for any examiner, the phrase “I don’t know” already puts a cross on the person. So I tried at least to say something.
Yes, of course, every question.

Of course, there were questions that directly related to my previous work experience.
And there I could talk at length and in detail.

But, by the way, examiners, when they hear that the person understands the question, is explaining a lot, in detail — they stop them quite quickly. So that idea that I know this question, and I’ll get through the whole exam thanks to it — that’s not the case.

Each question gives 25%. That is, if one question is unanswered — 75% remains, which means the person passed. But that one question covers all the others — that doesn’t happen. That means for every question you have to answer at least something.

Okay, and then about the exam itself. Was there anything that surprised you in the exam? Something unexpected that you weren’t ready for?

Well, in principle, I can’t say that I wasn’t ready for something, and something surprised me and didn’t let me answer calmly — I wouldn’t say that. I had talked in advance with colleagues who had already been there, who knew. So I had heard about some moments that could happen.

Therefore, to say that something could really interfere — nothing so remarkable. Well, some small differences.

For example, exams at my medical university — here neither students nor professors wear white coats. That’s unusual because at our medical institute everyone wore white coats. Students, teachers — like a uniform. Here, there’s no such thing. It doesn’t bother me at all.

Okay, so from that point of view, there wasn’t anything you would have wanted to know in advance but didn’t encounter there. And now, when you’ve already gone through this path — maybe there’s some point that would be good for others who are just going or planning to take the exam to know and take into account? Is there something? Can you?

I can. This is my personal subjective opinion. It concerns the language of communication. That is, examiners pay attention to the language. That is, you shouldn’t count on saying something in Russian — they’ll understand me anyway. Or in Ukrainian — doesn’t matter. They don’t react very well to that.

They can turn a blind eye. But if there’s a problem with the language, then there can be problems with the exam as a whole. What to take into account — if you can’t memorize some term in Slovak. They themselves — the teachers, the examiners — suggest: say it in Latin. Here a lot is used in Latin even in regular practice among doctors. Therefore, if it’s easier for someone — memorize it not in Slovak, memorize it in Latin.

That is much better than if you speak in Russian or Ukrainian. Or, as a last resort, you can say it in English. Especially if it concerns some international classifications — that’s okay too. Here English is also used quite often in the literature. Especially when it comes to some large classifications — English is used freely.

It’s worth avoiding, of course, the use of Russian or Ukrainian. That is — the language is really the foundation.
It’s better to say “in vino veritas, in aqua sanitas” than something in Russian.

We touched a bit on resources. Maybe we’ll repeat and expand a bit on the resources that helped you the most in preparation. Clearly, the first step — an excellent step — B2.
On our platform, there are tests — excellent. You bought two books — super. Is there anything else that you can recommend?

I can recommend — on your platform there were lectures. That is, for example, I didn’t buy literature on obstetrics, on surgery. Therefore, I took materials on these disciplines from the lectures.

Those topics that I was missing, I found quite a lot of lectures freely available on the internet, written specifically in Slovak for students of Slovak medical universities: the Košice university, the university in Bratislava. There are some questions.

It’s clear that you can’t download a textbook in PDF format, but there are a lot of lectures on specific questions.

I just go on Google in Slovak, write some topic and look. Some questions that I couldn’t find — that was the exception — but for myself I took from some textbooks that I still had from university in Russian. But with the understanding that I would need to translate it.

Now you’ve passed this exam, so you are practically a doctor without specialization, almost at the finish line — only specialization remains, right? Are there any points, personal feelings — how do you feel now? How has your life and your sense of yourself here in Slovakia changed? Is there something?

It has changed. I feel more confident that, at least, I won’t be lost here. That I can go to work, earn, develop, continue learning, improve in the profession. It gave me the feeling that I am already standing firmly here.

So, excellent. Good. Then on this firmness — another question about difficulties before this. What difficulties were the most memorable or the most painful that you encountered here, in this new country for you? And how did you cope with them?

I’ve been here quite a long time already, more than three years in Slovakia. In the beginning, in the first year, of course I had difficulties with the language, because in the first year I didn’t study the language at all. I understood that it was really a difficulty — not knowing the language in the country where you live.

You didn’t study the language in the first year. Was that a conscious decision?

Well, how to say a conscious decision? In the first year, I think everyone had that uncertainty — maybe soon we’ll go back home and we won’t need it anymore. At some point, my husband and I even considered moving to another country. It was more from some indecisiveness, uncertainty.

Then, when we already got our residence permit here, we realized — that’s it, we’re going to stay here. And then the first thing I decided — I’m going to learn the language, because without the language in a foreign country — no matter how much it seems to someone that the language is similar — yes, it is similar, but nonetheless. Nonetheless, they are two different languages, if we’re talking about Russian and Slovak. That’s an interesting point.

Right now you’re repeating almost exactly what I heard from another person I interviewed about this — but there we were talking only about entrepreneurs. That is, they also have this turning point, when they decide that they’re staying here. Only then do they start learning the language and somehow begin to put down roots.

Until that moment, until that decision — maybe we’ll still go back somewhere, maybe we’ll move somewhere — nothing happens. And for some, this period drags on for a decade.

My husband is an entrepreneur. And also, as I said, we had a moment of uncertainty — when an entrepreneur pays taxes for the first time, he already understands — I’m not leaving here.

Okay, one more question then — now about what you especially like.

Let’s say, in the Slovak healthcare system, in colleagues — maybe you’ve already communicated, interacted, worked together. What can you especially note as good? In the system itself, in colleagues?

Well, I haven’t worked in the healthcare system here yet. I can say, well, only from the patient side, or relay the experience of colleagues. But from the side — what catches the eye — it’s the computerization of every doctor, so to speak. That is, electronic prescriptions, electronic medical records.

That’s something that speaks positively about the system. Something that, probably, we were lacking. In Ukraine, that existed in some local, maybe private, medical clinics. If we’re talking about the state sector — those paper medical histories, prescriptions on bits of paper. That’s it.

As for local colleagues — they are very calm. That is, they are relaxed. There isn’t that tension like we have. I studied, I worked with the thought that the doctor is always wrong. That is, enormous pressure. Here, it seems to me — from the outside, I can’t say for sure — but it seems to me from the outside,

that the doctor is more protected by law in some matters.

That is definitely a plus. That’s why colleagues are so calm, relaxed, they work with pleasure.

Already closer to the conclusion, perhaps — is there something that from here you would want to say to yourself at the very beginning of the integration path in Slovakia? One or two sentences that would have helped you then.

Definitely to learn the language earlier. Earlier, as for the exam — I thought about that step for quite a long time. A person not very confident in themselves — oh, what if it doesn’t work out. I should have started that process earlier. And everything would have worked out anyway. It could have been less delayed.

The sooner it doesn’t work out, the sooner it will work out?

Every day, every month, more and more competitors basically come here. I mean already about work, for example. More and more competitors. At the start, there were simply fewer of them.

To start earlier — that’s the advice to myself at the beginning. If we talk about those medics who have just arrived or are still thinking about moving — are there any recommendations for them?

The recommendation is first of all to focus on learning the language. Don’t think that the language is almost like ours and you can leave it somewhere aside. No.

You need to focus on the language. And then adaptation will be easier. And with getting a job, with going through all the procedures and nostrification — it will also be easier.

The whole system here is much simpler than in neighboring EU countries. As far as I’ve heard from colleagues in the Czech Republic. In Slovakia this path is easier and simpler. Not to mention Germany. Therefore, that is a big plus. Let’s say, that’s a significant reason to choose Slovakia.

So I think — focus on learning the language and go forward.

Quite briefly. Very sincere. Thank you for your answers. Thank you for your story. Not everyone agrees, not everyone gives permission to voice their story for others. At the moment this is your personal success.
But it’s also a signal for those who are hesitant. Many are working now not in their specialty, precisely out of fear. They work in a warehouse or just do cleaning.
Your story is a signal for them — that everything is possible, everything is real. Please, don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid.

Confidence must be backed by effort. Just coming to the exam and thinking maybe I’ll get lucky — most likely, that won’t happen.

You need to allocate time for preparation. A fairly large percentage of success depends on luck. You might get a very bad ticket and you won’t pass, even if you prepared for six months for the exam. The human factor won’t disappear either. The commission — they’re tired, they sit there all day. They have to listen to our Slovak with our accent mixed with Russian.

You also have to make allowance for the human factor.

But in the same way, you might get lucky. You might draw a good ticket, the commission might be favorable to you, they might like you — and everything will be fine.

So at the very least, it’s worth going, trying, seeing how it happens, where it happens. I understand that this is also a question of money for many, because one attempt costs 500 euros. That’s not a small amount, but still, even if it doesn’t work out the first time — you’ll already know how it happens, what you’re ready for, how to behave, how not to behave.

It’s experience. Even if it’s negative, it’s also experience.
]]> Foreign Medical Professionals in Slovakia: The Path to Integration https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/z67duu8ag1-foreign-medical-professionals-in-slovaki https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/z67duu8ag1-foreign-medical-professionals-in-slovaki?amp=true Mon, 28 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0300 How Can Foreign Doctors, Pharmacists, and Nurses Become Part of the Slovak Healthcare System? This article explores official data on examinations, success rate analysis, qualification recognition

Foreign Medical Professionals in Slovakia: The Path to Integration

Foreign Medical Professionals in Slovakia: Three Key Takeaways from Official Data

High Interest – Low Success Rate: The Complementary Exam Remains a Significant Barrier

According to official data from Slovakia’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, the doplňujúca skúška(complementary exam), which is mandatory for the recognition of foreign medical qualifications, proved extremely challenging in 2023. Out of 41 pharmacists who attempted the exam, only 11 passed—resulting in a success rate of less than 27%. The situation was even worse for dentists: just 45 successful attempts out of 353. Even among doctors, the success rate did not exceed 42%. These numbers point to serious academic and language barriers, inadequate preparation, or a lack of systemic adaptation to the needs of international candidates.
Ukraine – The Main Source of Medical Migration to Slovakia

Between 2022 and 2025, Slovakia accepted 596 temporary healthcare trainees, 541 of whom were Ukrainian citizens. Similarly, the vast majority of diplomas submitted for the doplňujúca skúška (complementary qualification exam) also came from Ukrainians: 230 doctors in 2022, 204 in 2023, and 153 in 2024. Ukraine continues to be the dominant source of qualified medical professionals, particularly due to the war. However, the low number of successful exam attempts highlights that this valuable human resource is not being fully utilized.

The situation of practicing nurses and medical assistants deserves special attention. In 2022, 25 out of 26 candidates passed the exam (a 96% success rate), and in 2023, 121 out of 131 were successful (92% success rate). This is an outstanding result, especially compared to other medical professions. It confirms that with adequate preparation and an accessible diploma recognition process, foreign professionals—especially nurses—can integrate quickly and effectively into Slovakia's healthcare system. This area is already showing progress: between 2022 and 2024, 377 nurses (mostly from Ukraine) had their education recognized. These figures indicate that Slovakia is already making concrete and successful steps in nurse integration. It is crucial to maintain and expand this progress—especially in light of the system’s shortage of more than 2,600 nurses.
Slovakia Needs Medical Personnel – But Is Not Ready to Accept Them

According to the latest assessment report from the Ministry of Health, Slovakia lacks 1,744 doctors, 2,605 nurses, and 24 dentists (based on data from 2023–2024). However, the barriers to recognizing foreign diplomas and passing the doplňujúca skúška (complementary examination) limit the actual reinforcement of the healthcare system. The problem does not lie in the absence of professionals, but in the inefficiency of the mechanisms for integrating theminto the national healthcare system.

How Can Slovakia Better Integrate Foreign Healthcare Professionals into Its Healthcare System

Some steps have already been implemented:

Temporary licensing (tzv. dočasná odborná stáž) has allowed more than 500 specialists from Ukraine to work in the healthcare system since 2022.

The diploma recognition process has been partially moved into the digital environment, but it remains fragmented.

However, for the full integration of specialists, especially in the context of a growing personnel shortage, it is necessary to go further.
Preparatory Programs for the Supplementary Exam — A Strategically Important Resource

One of the main reasons for the low success rate in passing the exam is the insufficient preparation of foreign medical professionals. The lack of comprehensive support before the exam is particularly noticeable.

What could help:

  • an intensive course in Slovak medical language,
  • webinars on the exam structure,
  • adapted study materials with a focus on local specifics,
  • mock tests and oral exam training with feedback.

Some of these solutions are already partially implemented through private sector initiatives. For example, the educational platform Med-Integro, focused on the comfortable and fast integration of foreign medical professionals, already offers language courses and study modules for exam preparation. The company also plans to expand the system’s capabilities with exam simulations, video error analyses, and expert support. This promising direction could become the foundation for partnerships with universities and public institutions.
Appointment of Integration Coordinators at Medical Institutions

Appointed coordinators (e.g., mentori pre integráciu) can assist foreign healthcare professionals with their adaptation — from handling administrative procedures to integrating into the workplace team. This practice helps reduce staff turnover and accelerates professional adaptation.
Introduction of "Bridge Programs" — Clinical Courses Before the Exam

Such programs (lasting 3–6 months), which include clinical practice and language support, are already successfully used in Germany. They serve as a natural bridge between diploma recognition and passing the qualifying exam, allowing foreign professionals not only to study theory, but also to gain hands-on experience in real clinical settings under supervision.

Time to Join Forces

In the context of a growing shortage of medical personnel, Slovakia cannot afford to lose qualified professionals due to bureaucratic and language barriers. We believe that a sustainable solution lies in strong partnerships between public institutions, medical education providers, and the private sector. The Med-Integro platform is open to collaboration with ministries, hospitals, and universities to jointly develop effective preparatory programs.

If you are a foreign healthcare professional preparing to work in Slovakia, you may find the Med-Integro platform helpful. It offers language courses, learning modules, and practical formats for preparing for the doplňujúca skúška(complementary exam). Soon, the platform plans to launch new services — including webinars, mock tests, and oral training sessions with feedback. All of this can become a valuable addition to your preparation, helping you feel more confident and supported as you move toward your goal.
]]> Consultation and Q&A Session for Foreign Pharmacists Before the Supplementary Exam (April 25, 2025) https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/50rtvigrr1-consultation-and-qampa-session-for-forei https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/50rtvigrr1-consultation-and-qampa-session-for-forei?amp=true Wed, 23 Apr 2025 22:00:00 +0300 The full transcript of the consultation meeting in the form of a clear question-and-answer dialogue, held during an online Q&A session intended for foreign pharmacists preparing for the supplementary exam in Slovakia.

Consultation and Q&A Session for Foreign Pharmacists Before the Supplementary Exam (April 25, 2025)

We present to you the full transcript of the consultation meeting (April 23, 2025, 18:30) in the form of a clear question-and-answer dialogue, held during an online Q&A session intended for foreign pharmacists preparing for the supplementary exam in Slovakia.

The meeting was organized on the initiative of Med-Integro as part of the course Slovak Language for Pharmacists – Phase 3 + Exam Preparation, in cooperation with MALnS and the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava.

Questions were answered by doc. PharmDr. Marek Máťuš, PhD., Vice-Dean for Educational Activities in the Pharmacy Study Program at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava.
Question 1: How many candidates usually pass the exam on their first attempt?
Answer: We don’t keep exact statistics, but the overall success rate in recent years has been around 20%. In 2024, only 13% of candidates passed.

Question 2: Is it taken into account that we are not native Slovak speakers?
Answer: The exam is conducted in the official state language – Slovak. You are expected to know professional terminology. We try to formulate the questions clearly, but still with professional accuracy.

Question 3: Can we ask for language assistance during the exam?
Answer: No. In the written part, no clarifications are provided. In the oral part, we can try to communicate if necessary.

Question 4: How is the oral part of the exam evaluated?
Answer: It’s important to demonstrate a basic professional understanding. You don’t need to know every detail, but you should understand the system and principles.

Question 5: How important is knowledge of Slovak professional language?
Answer: Very important. In the written part, it’s essential. In the oral part, it’s acceptable to describe things if you don’t know the exact term.

Question 6: What materials do you recommend for preparation?
Answer: For now, we recommend available textbooks and attending lectures. We are working on making presentations and possibly some methodological materials accessible.

Question 7: What should we focus on and what are common mistakes?
Answer: The most common mistake is misunderstanding the question. Practice reading comprehension and careful reading.

Question 8: Can we study from foreign textbooks?
Answer: Yes, absolutely. But Slovak textbooks will help you better learn the necessary terminology.

Question 9: Will there be any test collections available?
Answer: We plan to publish sample questions – not an official collection, but a selection from previous exams (around 30 questions).

Question 10: What should we focus on most before the exam?
Answer: Focus on the fundamental principles. We cannot suggest specific topics – that would be considered unfair.

Question 11: Are there any study tables or lists of medicines?
Answer: Yes, we are working on a list of essential medicines that tend to appear repeatedly in the questions.
Additional Questions from the Meeting:

Question: Where can we find Slovak professional terminology if it’s not taught in standard Slovak language courses?
Answer: We understand your situation. We are working on making more materials available, but for now, we recommend attending lectures and using textbooks.

Question: Will the exam conditions be simplified in the future?
Answer: No, there are currently no such plans. Any changes depend on legislation.

Question: Is it possible to get accommodation in a university dormitory?
Answer: Dormitories are occupied by full-time students. Please refer to the "Services → Accommodation" section on the Comenius University website.
]]> How to Avoid Taking the Additional Exam for Dentists in Slovakia and What Conclusions Can Be Drawn https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/bx0tzo9e81-how-to-avoid-taking-the-additional-exam https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/bx0tzo9e81-how-to-avoid-taking-the-additional-exam?amp=true Fri, 15 Nov 2024 14:11:00 +0300 Oleh Verhulenko How the Additional Exam for Dentists Went in Bratislava on October 15, 2024: Impressions and Insights of a Foreign Dentist After the First Attempt at the doplňujúca skúška pre zubárov.

How to Avoid Taking the Additional Exam for Dentists in Slovakia and What Conclusions Can Be Drawn

How did the supplementary exam for dentists in Bratislava on October 15, 2024, go? Impressions and conclusions of a foreign dentist after their first attempt at passing the supplementary exam (doplňujúca skúška pre zubárov):

✓ How was the supplementary exam for dentists (doplňujúca skúška pre zubných lekárov) conducted on October 15, 2024?

✓ How many dentists attended the exam on October 15, 2024, and how many successfully passed it?

✓ How did the dentist prepare for the exam, and what did they realize during the exam?

✓ Which aspects of the exam were the most challenging?

✓ What should be focused on during preparation for the supplementary exam?

✓ What resources were used during preparation, and what caused the failure in the oral part of the exam?

✓ Is it true that the examination committee is biased against foreign medical professionals?

English version of video script

- First of all, thank you for agreeing to come this Sunday to answer these questions. I am sure your answers will be very helpful for someone preparing for the exams. Can you please describe in just a few sentences how this year’s recent exam was conducted, and did you notice any nuances that were unusual for you, something you didn’t know or weren’t prepared for?

- I’m happy to answer your questions. I took the exam for the first time this year. There were about 30 people in total. Overall, there weren’t any unexpected situations. The exam consisted of two parts: a written part and an oral part. The written part was tests. So, if you prepare well, passing the tests is quite possible. Well, the oral part is much more difficult, as it requires more in-depth knowledge.

- So, in principle, the exam was conducted roughly as it is usually described. In groups, in chats, on Telegram. So, there were no surprises for you, right?

- Well, yes. On the examiner’s side, everything was positive, calm, and there was no fuss.

- Okay. Then can you describe your usual preparation routine in a few words? How did you prepare, what materials did you use, how much time did you dedicate, and when did you start preparing?

- I prepared from several sources, including the internet, Telegram—there’s a lot of information there based on school materials and additional literature found online.

- Okay, so mostly the learning platform, Telegram channels—do they have direct answers there?

- Printouts from Czech authors' books and Slovak books.

- So, these aren’t specific answers to specific questions but rather comprehensive materials?

- Yes, some topics or chapters, and you choose what suits you.

- How much time did you spend on preparation?

- Overall, I didn’t study that much, about two and a half to three months.

- Every day?

- Every day. On weekends, I spent more time studying. I focused more time when I had it, writing things down for myself and simultaneously learning the Slovak language. Because in the exam, not only do they test your knowledge, but also your proficiency in the Slovak language. That is, how you can construct sentences, understand their questions, and navigate the material.

- Okay, then a more specific question. The students we previously interviewed, who passed on their first attempt, said they prepared for six months, studying for 8 hours a day. You prepared for 3 months—how many hours a day was that approximately? 2–3 hours a day?

- I combine studying with work, so during workdays, it was about 3–3.5 hours, no more. On weekends, with breaks, about 6 hours in total.

- Understood. Then the next question: which aspects of the exam caused you the most difficulty, and what was the most challenging part?

- The difficulty, I think, was the additional questions in the exam. You need to know the material at the university level more thoroughly.

- So, the most challenging thing was the additional questions?

- Yes, that is, if you’re preparing and they steer you slightly off-topic, you need to be ready to know the question more broadly and more deeply.

- There’s feedback from some students—it’s, of course, their opinion—but I’d like your view. When they ask so many in-depth additional questions during the exam, some students (this was feedback from a girl who passed on her 8th attempt) have noted, "They just don’t want us here; it’s a biased attitude toward foreign doctors who came here to work and live." You took it for the first time—did you get that feeling, even briefly?

- I took it for the first time, so I can’t say for sure whether there was bias or not. I can judge this after several attempts—if I answer clearly and well and still don’t pass, that would be a signal. But as for myself, there were some questions I didn’t know well, and I could have studied them better. So, I can’t objectively say whether they want us here or not.

- Which topics and tasks were easiest for you, where you felt comfortable and passed easily? I take it this was the test part?

- Well, the tests, yes, you can prepare for them.

- Maybe in the oral part?

- In principle, I also prepared general medicine well enough, so it wasn’t too difficult for me. The difficulties were in the additional questions in dentistry. That is, the questions I had prepared to answer went off track, and I couldn’t answer them. You need to know the material more thoroughly.

- So, the easy part was general medicine, and the success factor was that you simply knew the material very well and could reason and deviate from the main question, right?

- Well, no, I can’t say I knew it very well; what was in my ticket, I could answer.

- For the additional questions, did they deviate significantly from the topic or not?

- For general medicine—no, not significantly.

- So, this can be combined, yes, that they didn’t deviate much.

- My impression is that you need to know your specialty question in dentistry better.

- Next question: at what stage did you face difficulties? I understand this was in dentistry when additional questions were asked in the oral part?

- Yes, in dentistry, there were additional questions on the level of histology and microbiology, so you need to know them. It wasn’t just about indications and your actions at work but also why it happens. Not only "how" and "why," but also "why exactly."

- Okay, then knowledge of the language. Did your language proficiency negatively impact you, or did it not affect you? Did you understand everything, and could you say everything you wanted, or did you feel restricted?

- It felt like the language wasn’t polished yet. Some examiners repeated questions several times for me to understand. But the deciding factor, I think, wasn’t the language but the lack of in-depth knowledge of the topic.

- Well, did any distracting factors come into play? Maybe you studied all night before the exam and were tired, or there was some stress, or perhaps you came straight from a night shift? Were there any distractions, maybe colleagues nearby—someone noisy or nervous? Did any distracting factors exist, and did they affect your result?

- There weren’t really any distracting factors. I recommend getting a good night’s sleep before the exam and not stressing.

- Everyone was quiet at the exam, right?

- Everyone was quiet. Mostly, there were people who had already taken the exam multiple times, so they were prepared and knew what to expect. The statistics on passing the exam aren’t very encouraging.

- What are the statistics? Do you have any information? Around 30 people, right?

- Yes, 30 people, and I think only two passed out of thirty.

- That’s excellent—I mean, very unfortunate. Okay, let’s delve into the most critical moment or deciding factor for your result. Was it solely insufficiently in-depth knowledge, or was there something else?

- Well, the language proficiency, first of all, I think. If you don’t know something completely, you can compensate with good language skills. This also influences the examiners. If you construct proper, long sentences and can explain the question from another perspective, I think that also affects success.

- Was there a moment when you realized, “That’s it, I failed”? Was there a moment during your answer when you felt, “That’s it”? Maybe you can describe your feelings at that moment—it could be interesting for others.

- Of course, when I started answering the second or third question, I could feel the examiner was already skeptical.

- You could tell by their reaction, right?

- Yes, they were already like, “Next question, next question.” You feel like there’s no point in continuing with the rest of the questions.

- About the aspects of the exam that require more time, we’ve discussed that. It’s important to dive deeply into everything, plus the language—the freer it is, the more benefits you have. Looking back at this exam, now that you have experience, what changes would you make to your preparation? What would you do differently, or maybe you’re already doing something differently for your next exam?

- Well, first of all, I would dedicate more time to each exam question. Write everything down for myself. And I think it’s important to say everything out loud. Know the questions more thoroughly and comprehensively.

- Okay, let’s dive deeper into this question (this is the last question). You say, “Write everything down for yourself.” So, I understand that there aren’t really ready-made answers to the tickets or topics in these Telegram chats or anywhere else yet, right? People mostly say you need to make notes and prepare from books—nobody shares these directly, is that correct?

- In the chats, there are answers, but they’re somewhat scattered. I write things down separately for myself to remember the questions better and to break them down and structure my knowledge.

- Okay, so I understand your future routine is to dedicate more time, not rush to take the exam in a month, but prepare longer, make notes, and practice saying them out loud?

- Yes, out loud. And improve my conversational Slovak.

- Okay, are you planning to practice speaking out loud, like presenting in front of a mirror, or maybe team up with other doctors?

- No, I think not with doctors, just by myself.

- By yourself?

- Yes, by myself.

- Thank you very much for your answers. I hope they’ll be helpful for you as well.


Med-Integro – Relocation, Preparation for Exams, and Employment of Foreign Medical Professionals in Slovakia

]]> Final Meeting of the International Team of the MED-INTEGRO Project https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/7v0136km01-final-meeting-of-the-international-team https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/7v0136km01-final-meeting-of-the-international-team?amp=true Thu, 31 Oct 2024 17:21:00 +0300 Ing. Marian Neradny 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 Yesterday, we had the opportunity to review the "completed work" together with our partners and address only minor "decorative" adjustments

Final Meeting of the International Team of the MED-INTEGRO Project

So, we are (almost) done 😊. Not only with the last official international meeting but with the entire MED-INTEGRO project, on which we have been working for three years with the support of SAAIC - National Agency for the Erasmus+ Program.

Yesterday, together with our partners from iCan School, EuroFortis SIA, Threshold Training Associates - Language School, and the International Association of Physicians in Slovakia, we had the chance to view the "finished work" and make only minor "decorative" adjustments.

So, what have we achieved over these three years of work?

✓ We created a platform for foreign healthcare professionals coming to our countries (Slovakia, Latvia, and the Czech Republic), where they can find everything to help them quickly and successfully integrate into the chosen country. The main content includes an educational section and specialized professional language training for healthcare workers through courses and e-learning.

✓ Based on the platform, we also developed mobile applications (Android and iOS) that provide instant and convenient access to the content.

✓ Since this type of education has its specificities and relatively few specialists, we developed teaching and preparation methodologies for both teachers and foreign healthcare students.

✓ We prepared a unique comprehensive material analyzing the healthcare situation in various EU countries in terms of needs and opportunities, including recommendations for improving adverse conditions. This material was presented to the broader professional public and government representatives.

Our project is therefore coming to an end (with the last administrative and financial matters still to be settled), but the work and its application are just beginning. We believe this is only the start, and over time we will add other countries. What we have created today is just the foundation of something much bigger in the future, as the need for this work was, is, and will remain!

P.S. Thanks also to myhive offices for providing a comfortable venue for our event.
]]> https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/07bzxcny31-the-second-multiplier-event-of-the-med-i Multiplier event of the Med-Integro project in Latvia https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/zmigtscm61-multiplier-event-of-the-med-integro-proj https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/zmigtscm61-multiplier-event-of-the-med-integro-proj?amp=true Mon, 07 Oct 2024 11:57:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 On October 5, 2024, over 200 healthcare professionals joined an online conference to conclude the MED-INTEGRO project, discussing outcomes and healthcare improvements for Latvia

Multiplier event of the Med-Integro project in Latvia

On October 5th, 2024, an impactful online conference marked the closing event of the MED-INTEGRO project. Hosted by Latvian project partner Eurofortis in partnership with Latvian Medical Association (Latvijas Ārstu biedrība), the conference gathered more than 200 healthcare professionals. Running from 10:00 to 14:30, the event offered a comprehensive program focused on MED-INTEGRO project outcomes and practical insights for strengthening healthcare in Latvia.
The conference began with Eurofortis presenting an overview of the MED-INTEGRO project that was launched in 2022 in collaboration with partners from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Eurofortis shared significant achievements, including the development of the Med-Integro platform, which provides useful resources, such as language-learning courses for foreign healthcare workers. These materials aim to ease the transition for professionals adapting to the Latvian healthcare environment and are now freely accessible to anyone in need.
Following the project introduction, Eurofortis presented an overview of the current situation in Latvia's healthcare field, highlighting both challenges and areas of growth. The presentation included a legal analysis prepared by Slovak partners, which explained the major barriers to the integration. At the end, attendees were encouraged to share their ideas and suggestions on how to foster interest in medicine as a career path among youth.
After a lunch break, attended could learn about various initiatives that support foreign doctors who are pursuing their career in Latvia. Latvian Medical Association organise language classes, which will now offer MED-INTEGRO's language course as a supplementary learning material. Our partnership strengthens a collective commitment to helping foreign professionals build successful careers in Latvia’s healthcare system. Conference attendees were invited to share their experiences and opinions related to the integration of foreign medical professionals.
Overall, the MED-INTEGRO final conference was a milestone in the project’s journey, celebrating the successful project implementation and setting the stage for future collaborations. With free resources now available, MED-INTEGRO project will continue to support foreign medical professionals and strengthen Latvia’s healthcare community.
]]> Presentation of the Med-Integro project results in Slovakia | Human resources and migration in healthcare https://med-integro.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-project-final-meeting-en Fri, 20 Sep 2024 16:05:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 The presentation showcased the results of the analysis of specialists' migration and legal obstacles, as well as proposed measures to improve conditions for foreign medical workers in Slovakia

Presentation of the Med-Integro project results in Slovakia | Human resources and migration in healthcare

The presentation showcased the results of the analysis of specialists' migration and legal obstacles, as well as proposed measures to improve conditions for foreign medical workers in Slovakia]]> https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/u3uiumauu1-dentists-are-no-longer-the-most-profitab Dentists are no longer the most profitable in the healthcare industry. See who has sales in the tens of millions and where the highest margins are https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/kuvnjhdme1-dentists-are-no-longer-the-most-profitab https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/kuvnjhdme1-dentists-are-no-longer-the-most-profitab?amp=true Fri, 23 Aug 2024 14:19:00 +0300 Sofiia Zayka The long underfunded health sector, weakened by the pandemic and plagued by understaffing, remains, oddly enough, one of the most profitable areas for physicians

Dentists are no longer the most profitable in the healthcare industry. See who has sales in the tens of millions and where the highest margins are

The long underfunded health sector, weakened by the pandemic and suffering from understaffing, remains, surprisingly, one of the most lucrative areas for doctors. According to Finstat research, it is general practitioners and subspecialists who earn the most.

Being a general practitioner or pediatrician is not easy. During flu season, waiting rooms are usually full even before the nurse arrives, and sometimes there are only three doctors on duty in emergency departments due to staff shortages. However, this overload, for those who are patient, pays off in the form of higher incomes.

With an aging population, rising incomes, and better informed citizens, healthcare entrepreneurs can rejoice in continued financial growth.

Medical crises also bring steady income to healthcare companies. An example of success during the pandemic in Slovakia can be seen in laboratories, which achieved record profits thanks to mass testing, but the most reliable form of business remains pharmacies.

Share of enterprises in selected health sectors by number of companies.

Despite all the challenges, the health sector continues to grow

Health care is one of the few sectors that has not been affected by the pandemic in recent years, but on the contrary, it has helped some of its sectors. It has long been known that the supply of medical services in Slovakia is gradually decreasing, which, willy-nilly, brings better financial results for those who have private medical offices.

The profits of companies in the health care sector have been steadily increasing, except for the pandemic year 2020, when they declined mainly due to losses of sanatoriums in other health care services.

Finstate examined the results of healthcare companies that have already filed their 2023 tax returns. Overall, the data shows that healthcare sector earnings have been rising for the past five years. While in 2019 they were 2.3 billion euros, in 2023 they were already half as high, i.e. 3.4 billion euros.

The increase in revenues is related to the shocks that have affected the healthcare industry in recent years. For example, significant inflation, especially in energy prices, has forced companies to raise the cost of their services and products. Also, the coronavirus pandemic temporarily increased the demand for some types of health services but decreased the demand for others, explained Matej Barta, a medical analyst at the INESS Institute, in an interview for Pravda.

More than 11 thousand companies operate in the healthcare industry, of which more than 62% have already filed tax returns for 2023. Revenues in the industry have grown by half since 2019, to 3.4 billion euros. The total net profit of companies in 2023 amounted to more than 246 million euros, up 17.7 percent compared to last year. General practitioners were the most profitable, with 27 cents of net profit remaining from one euro of revenue. They were followed by specialists and dentists, who have 17 cents of net profit per one euro of income.

The most profitable specialists and general practitioners

The undisputed leaders in health care remain doctors, particularly adult general practitioners and pediatricians, specialists and dentists. Over the past five years, general practitioners' income has grown at an average annual rate of seven percent. Just like revenues, net income for outpatient clinics has increased nearly every year for the past five years.

“On the other hand, revenue growth is also supported by long-term trends that healthcare will continue to face in the coming years. The main ones are the aging population, growing wealth and better informed citizens, which increases demand,” said Barta.

How profitable is it to be a general practitioner? Matej Barta explains that it is important to understand the context. If a general practitioner or pediatrician works in a hospital, he receives a fixed monthly salary. And if he runs a private practice, his income depends on several factors. On the one hand, there is the revenue, which depends on the patient fee (capitation) and various bonuses for services rendered. On the other hand are expenses, including rent, utilities, nurse's salary, office equipment, and more. Barta also notes that in the case of private offices, profits can be highly dependent on how income is distributed. For example, if a doctor officially assigns himself a minimum wage, the profit of his office will look much higher. According to him, the financial results of outpatient clinics can be distorted by such accounting approaches.

Whether it's worth it to be one type of doctor or another depends on many factors, and Barta emphasized that it's impossible to give a definite yes or no answer. “In addition to the income and cost factors mentioned, personal preferences can also influence the decision. One physician may prefer the certain degree of freedom that private practice affords him or her, while another may prefer a stable salary and 'set' conditions in exchange for not having to deal with office management. This is just one example, and there could be many more factors influencing the decision,” he added.

Companies that manage general outpatient clinics have the lowest debt levels (ratio of liabilities to total assets) among the six healthcare sectors analyzed. In 2023, their debt was 23.5%. By comparison, specialists had a ratio of around 31% and dentists had a ratio of over 40%. Among specialty companies, the largest in terms of revenue are those engaged in specialized medical practices. The revenue leader among them is FMC - Dialyzačné služby, s.r.o., 94.8% of which is owned by the German company Fresenius Medical Care Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH. Last year, the company achieved revenues of almost 38 million euros and made a profit of 154 thousand euros for the first time since 2017.

The second largest company in terms of revenue is Longman s.r.o., which also operated dialysis centers, mainly in eastern Slovakia. Its revenue last year was €18.6 million, but as of January 1, 2024, the company was liquidated and merged with FMC - Dialyzačné služby. The successor to the company had previously absorbed several firms in the dialysis services sector. The top three also include the operator of the famous Koch Sanatorium in Bratislava, GPN s.r.o., with revenues of EUR 8.2 million. GPN's majority shareholder is Ivan Kmotrik, who also owns the soccer club ŠK Slovan Bratislava.

Revenue of the top 10 companies in the field of general, specialized and dental medical practice in 2023 (euros)

Laboratories and the pandemic

The imaginary winner of the pandemic is the laboratory sector, with revenue increasing by 18% in 2020 and another 50% in 2021. And these figures apply only to the top five companies, with Unilabs Slovensko leading the way. In 2023, the company's revenue reached almost 80 million euros, representing 85% of the sector's total revenue.

A larger player is Medirex, which, however, has not yet filed its tax return for 2023 and is therefore not included in this analysis.

Contribution to the opening of new outpatient clinic

New outpatient clinics are to be opened in Slovakia. Adult general practitioners and pediatricians can apply for financial assistance under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan, receiving up to €80,000 for the establishment of new medical facilities. In this way, the Ministry of Health seeks to provide medical personnel to regions experiencing a shortage of them.

In the Považska-Bistrica region, the situation with the shortage of general practitioners for adults and children has been critical for a long time. One pediatrician and up to four general practitioners can open a new office in this region with the help of funds from the recovery plan.

The first application of the recovery plan created 22 new outpatient clinics. Of these, 15 were for adults and 7 for children. There are currently 47 successful applicants in the second round.

Pharmacy profits have been growing for a long time

Pharmacies have the largest share of revenue among the six industries analyzed, and this has long been more than 40 percent. Significantly behind them are the activities of specialized medical practices with a share of more than 14 percent. The remaining activities have a smaller share of revenue.

The pharmacy business, along with general medical practice, appears to be the most stable among the six industries analyzed. Average revenue growth over the five years was more than eight percent, and in no year did pharmacy revenue decline. In 2023, almost 1,300 companies in this sector will reach revenues of 1.4 billion euros.

Among pharmacies, the largest player in the market is the Dr. Max network, which unites about two hundred limited liability companies. The most important of them is the central company Dr. Max, owned by Penta Financial Group. In 2023, the pharmacy chain achieved revenues of more than 35 million euros. In total, pharmacies under the Dr. Max brand earned around 300 million euros, representing almost 21% of the sector's total revenue.

Similar to the Dr. Max chain of pharmacies is the Benu chain of pharmacies, which includes about 150 companies, of which about thirty filed tax returns for 2023, with a combined revenue of less than 50 million euros. Also a significant player in the sector is Pilulka.sk, a. s., which is primarily focused on online sales but has not yet filed a tax return for 2023.

“When considering pharmacies, one should also take into account the fact that their assortment is in some cases gradually expanding to less traditional products for pharmacies, from diapers to electronics. Sales of these items may have some impact on revenue and profitability,” said analyst Barta.

This text is a translation of an article from spravy.pravda.sk (original material),

translated with attention to detail for the convenience of foreign readers

by Sofia Zayka.

]]> There are significant income disparities between outpatient providers https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/vbhkfcmlg1-there-are-significant-income-disparities https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/vbhkfcmlg1-there-are-significant-income-disparities?amp=true Tue, 20 Aug 2024 11:31:00 +0300 INEKO Analysis: Private outpatient cardiologists and gynecologists earn the most, while neurologists and general practitioners earn the least. The difference is up to 2.5 times

There are significant income disparities between outpatient providers

INEKO analysis: Private outpatient cardiologists and gynecologists earn the most, while neurologists and therapists earn the least. The difference reaches 2.5 times.
From an analysis of publicly available data from the Register of Accounting Statements of Legal Entities and data provided by all three health insurance companies, we found significant differences in the income of private outpatient physicians when comparing 19 of the most common medical specialties. In 2017, the equivalent gross salary of cardiologists working in outpatient clinics outside of hospitals was on average 2.5 times higher than that of neurologists. For example, cardiologists, gynaecologists, gastroenterologists and general practitioners for children and adolescents had an equivalent average gross monthly salary of approximately 3,000 euros or more, whereas neurologists, internists, clinical speech therapists, dermatovenerologists, pulmonologists and almost also urologists earned less than 1,700 euros per month. On average, a private outpatient physician had a gross monthly income of 2,416 euros in 2017 (see Table 1).

The data on the average earnings of doctors in various specialties are based on the officially declared income and recorded expenses specified in the accounting reports of suppliers. They therefore do not include, for example, undeclared income (various fees and gifts without a receipt), and do not exclude the effects of tax optimization by inflating expenses or using company assets for personal consumption. According to a sensitivity analysis, where we proceeded from the theoretical assumption that on average 10% of the costs of materials, services and depreciation (telephone, computer, "educational" trip to the sea in the summer, car) were unlawfully included in the company's expenses, we recalculated the income of doctors and found that the average gross monthly income of a private outpatient doctor in 2017 would have increased by 432 euros to 2848 euros.

Table 1: Gross Salary Equivalent and Other Financial Data Per Physician Position in Common Medical Specialties
(N = 3,771 private outpatient providers – legal entities; 2017)

(source: INEKO)

Data sources: Financial Statement Register, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic (MF SR); health insurance companies

Recalculations and table: INEKO

It should be noted that the analysis only included outpatient clinics that are legal entities and provide medical care exclusively in one specialty. Interestingly, cardiologists and general practitioners are at the opposite ends of the income ranking, while cardiology and general practitioner outpatient clinics are relatively common in Slovakia. It can be assumed that doctors working in outpatient clinics of this “double combination” will earn on average less than “pure” cardiologists, but more than “pure” general practitioners.

The highest income (revenue), but also expenses per doctor, are accounted for by gastroenterologists, who require much more complex equipment to perform their work than, for example, psychiatrists. If we exclude clinical speech therapists, who do not need to hire a nurse, psychiatrists have the lowest income and expenses. On average, in 2017, one doctor accounted for about 89 thousand euros in revenue and almost 72 thousand euros in expenses. Between 2014 and 2017, the outpatient clinics’ revenues increased by 18.5%, while expenses grew more slowly, by 15.9%. Thus, the outpatient clinics were profitable.

As for profitability, it should be noted that, unlike most public hospitals, private outpatient medical institutions show a positive financial result on average every year. This applies to all specialties. In 2017, cardiologists had the highest profit after tax, while clinical speech therapists had the lowest. General pediatricians demonstrated the highest net profit margin in 2017, exceeding 20%. Net profit margin reflects the profitability of revenue (profit after tax divided by revenue), and in 2017, the average value for all specialties studied was almost 15%.
When comparing this profitability indicator with other sectors of the Slovak economy, it can be seen that the provision of outpatient healthcare is above average in terms of net profitability. According to the FinStat.sk portal, the average net profitability of companies in Slovakia in 2013-2016 was approximately 4%. According to a study by the IndexPodnikateľa.sk portal, conducted on a sample of 10,000 legal entities, in 2016 the most profitable sector in terms of revenue profitability was the information technology sector (6.5%), followed by the pharmaceutical industry (5.3%). The financial analysis of companies and industries for 2013 from FinStat shows that the average profitability in healthcare was 3.8%, with the top three being telecommunications, finance and IT, with profitability ranging from 9.3% to 7.6%. Healthcare as a whole is being dragged down by debt-ridden and loss-making large public hospitals, and in some years also by VshZP.

The average operating margin, or EBITDA margin, i.e. (earnings before tax + depreciation) / revenue, in 2017 for the studied sample of private outpatient providers - legal entities - was more than 26%. For comparison, the same indicator for the entire Slovak economy in 2013-2016, according to the FinStat portal, was 8.8%.

If we look at Table 2 below, we will see the ranking of specialties by the amount of payments from health insurance companies per doctor. All outpatient providers that signed contracts in 2017 are considered, a total of 10,027 entities, regardless of their legal form (i.e., both legal entities (LE) and individuals (IE) together; note: this is a different sample than the one analyzed in Table 1). Health insurers also take into account the specific costs of each specialty when paying for outpatient medical services, including the need for appropriate equipment for outpatient clinics. Therefore, specialties that require a large amount and/or expensive equipment to do their job logically rank first. At the bottom of the table are speech-language pathologists, who do not employ nurses and therefore have lower payments from insurers. Dentists certainly need various equipment, instruments, and medical supplies, but of all the specialties, they also have the largest direct payments from patients, which is why they may not rank higher in Table 2.
It is also worth mentioning neurologists, who, as we have shown above, have the lowest gross salary equivalent of all the specialties considered. This is a specialty where the consumption of medical supplies and the use of expensive equipment do not dominate, so this specialty is at the bottom of Table 2 in terms of revenue from insurance companies. It is also true that a comprehensive neurological examination takes a relatively long time for a doctor, which limits the number of patients he can see per day and, consequently, the number of services billed to the insurance company. This may be one of the reasons for the relatively low incomes of these specialists. It is clear that with the increase in chronic diseases, the demand for neurological care also increases, while in some regions of Slovakia the situation with the number of outpatient neurologists is critical, which leads to long waiting times. Insurance companies should consider whether higher fees for services would make the profession of outpatient neurologists more attractive, especially since their salaries are significantly lower than those of their hospital-based neurologist colleagues, where annual salary indexation is guaranteed by law (more on this below).

Table 2: Average annual revenue from health insurance companies per physician
(N = 10,027, all contracted outpatient providers (LE+FL); 2017)

(source: INEKO)

Data source: health insurance companies VšZP, Dôvera, Union

Table: INEKO

The following Chart 1 illustrates how much money, on average, a private outpatient clinic per full-time physician received from all three health insurance companies together in one year during the four years observed. Typically, an outpatient clinic employs one doctor and one nurse. It can be seen that outpatient clinics' income from insurance companies has been steadily increasing. Over the four years (2014-2017), the average payments from insurance companies increased by 19.2%. If we were to assume a linear increase in payments from insurance companies, the annual growth would have been approximately 4.5% during this period.

Figure 1: Evolution of annual average private dispensaries' average revenues from health insurance companies, converted per physician rate
(N = 3,771 private outpatient providers - legal entities)

(source: INEKO)

Data source: health insurance companies VšZP, Dôvera, Union

Table: INEKO

One of the reasons why there is a shortage of outpatient physicians in some regions of Slovakia and medical specialties, or many of them are older and young ones are not coming to replace them, may be the fact that nowadays it is financially more profitable for them in most cases to work in a hospital or in an inpatient medical facility. Doctors working in inpatient facilities have for several years (since the protest action of mass layoffs during the Radičová government) had legally guaranteed minimum wage requirements, which automatically increase every year at the same rate as the average wage in the economy. In 2017, the minimum amount of the basic part of the basic salary of a qualified doctor (without allowances for on-call and overtime) was 2,031 euros.

Naturally, the actual income of these hospital physicians is higher, as compensation for duty, paid overtime, work on weekends and holidays, as well as the part of the salary above the legal minimum agreed upon during collective bargaining or on the basis of personal salary negotiations with the management of the institution are added to the minimum wage. Unfortunately, publicly available sources, including the Slovak Ministry of Health, do not have data on the average total wages of specialist physicians working in hospitals. Therefore, we can only compare the salaries of all hospital doctors, including those who are unqualified, who earn significantly less than qualified doctors. In 2017, the minimum salary of unqualified doctors was €1,104, which is €927 less than qualified doctors with specialization (note: the term “attestation” was previously used). We therefore have to settle for “only” statistics from the National Center for Health Information (NCZI), which indicates that the average salary for all doctors working in hospital settings (for public interest work), including compensation for on-call work, is just under €2,600 (see Table 3).

Although physician incomes in the private outpatient sector grew twice as fast in percentage terms as the all-hospital physician group during the 2014-2017 period under review, despite this convergence, the average gross salary of hospital-based physicians remains higher (see Table 3 and Chart 2). Of course, for a greater volume of hours worked. To more accurately compare the income of physicians working in private outpatient clinics (all of whom are qualified) and hospital physicians with qualifications, we need to know the salaries of hospital specialists and the actual income of private outpatient physicians, which includes undeclared income and only actually incurred and justified tax expenditures that are used exclusively for business activities and not for personal consumption.

Table 3: Comparison and dynamics of average monthly gross salary

(source: INEKO)

Data sources: Register of Accounts (ÚZ), Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic (MF SR); health insurance companies; Union of Health and Social Services (SOZ ZaSS), National Center for Health Information (NCZI); Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic

Conversions and table: INEKO

Figure 2: Gross wages of physicians as a multiple of the average gross wage of an employee in Slovakia

(source: INEKO)

Data sources: Register of Accounts (ÚZ), Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic (MF SR); health insurance companies; Union of Health and Social Services (SOZ ZaSS), National Center for Health Information (NCZI); Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic

Conversions and table: INEKO

Graph 2 shows how many times more Slovak doctors earn compared to the average worker in Slovakia. Table 4 supplements this information (although with a different methodology and sample - so the value for Slovakia differs from that in Chart 2) in the context of the international comparison, which shows that the Slovak Republic does not deviate from the average.

(source: INEKO)

The purpose of this analysis is not to assert whether outpatient physicians earn a lot, enough, or little, but rather to improve the public debate about health care financing and health care provider compensation. The goal is to reduce information disparities among the various participants in the public debate so that it is more informed by data, argument, and evidence rather than unsupported assertions, myths, and speculation. We also want to continue our previous analysis from August 2011 entitled “How much do Slovak doctors earn?”, where we estimated the incomes of private outpatient doctors to range from 1,050 to 3,200 euros depending on the specialty. Whereas the previous analysis used “only” various expert estimates, the current analysis uses open data from which real data on the activities of outpatient clinics are extracted.

Methodology

The subject of INEKO analysis was not hospital outpatient clinics, i.e. physicians working in hospitals and serving outpatient clinics run by hospitals, as well as outpatient clinics run by physicians as natural persons, as financial data on them are not publicly available. The analysis includes accounting data (ÚZ) of outpatient health care providers who are legal entities (e.g. s.r.o., a.s.) with complete data in the ÚZ Register, who have contracts with all three insurance companies, and whose main economic activity, according to the SK NACE classification, is defined as outpatient activities of general, specialized or dental practice, and who provide health care services in only one specialty. After statistical data cleaning and exclusion of extreme cases (outliers), we worked with data on 3,771 subjects (for 2017), representing 51% of all outpatient providers who are legal entities and 38% of all outpatient providers including those acting as individuals.

Data on revenues, expenses, and financial results were obtained from the profit and loss statements of the individual providers listed in the Docket. In order to calculate the gross salary equivalent per physician rate, we needed data from insurance companies on the average number of rates for each specialty for each provider (by CHI identification number). Also, data from the National Center for Health Information (NCZI) Medical Yearbook of Slovakia on the number of nurses working in outpatient clinics for different specialties were used in the calculation. When calculating the cost of nurse labor, we used data from publications of the Statistical Office of Slovakia (ŠÚ SR). There is no data on the wages of nurses in the private outpatient sector, so we used data for all nurses. In 2017, according to the salary structure sample survey, the average gross monthly salary of a nurse in Slovakia was €868. We assumed that in more profitable specialties nurses' salaries would be slightly higher than in less profitable specialties, so in the model we adjusted the average salary costs of nurses in different specialties based on this assumption.The gross wage equivalent of an outpatient physician, whether the physician owns the dispensary or is simply an employee, we have, in simplified terms, calculated as the sum of the physician's gross wages (after deducting nurse labor costs from personal expenses) and the dispensary's profits converted to gross wages. The gross wage equivalent, as well as data on financial result, income and expenses were recalculated and are shown in the tables and graphs per full-time physician.

Dušan Zachar

INEKO


Many thanks to the health insurance companies Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa, Dôvera and Union for their cooperation in developing and harmonizing the methodology and providing statistical data for analysis.


This analysis is part of a project supported by the European Social Fund through the Operational Program “Effective Public Administration”.


INEKO implements thei-Health.sk project, which is financially supported by the insurance company Dôvera, and manages the portal nemocnice.ineko.sk, which is financially supported by the insurance companies Dôvera and Union.


If you find INEKO's activities and initiatives useful, we would be very grateful for your support for our further work. Thank you!

  • The specialty of physiatry, balneology and medical rehabilitation, which is among the top 20 most common specialties, is not included in the analysis for methodological reasons.

  • The term “gross wage equivalent” is explained at the end of the analysis in the Methodology section.

  • In order to comprehensively assess the financial health of outpatient providers, a much broader range of financial measures should be considered.

  • Martin Vlahinsky: What is the reality of “excessive” network profits; INESS blog; eTREND.sk; 9.8.2018

  • Vlahinsky, M. (2018).

  • Act No. 578/2004 on health care providers, health professionals, professional organizations in health care: the basic part of the salary of a physician with specialization working in a hospital facility is at least 2.30 times the average monthly wage of a worker in the Slovak economy as established by the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic for the calendar year preceding by two years the calendar year in which the basic part of the salary is assigned.

  • Newsletter of the Slovak Trade Union of Health and Social Services (SOZ ZaSS)

This text is a translation of an article from the website blog.sme.sk

The original text belongs to INEKO, the translation was made with care for foreign doctors by Sofiia Zayka.

]]> In 2022, outpatient doctors earned an average of 4,836 euros, with pediatricians, gynecologists, and general practitioners earning the most, and dermatologists and internists the least https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/f6vf04kjs1-in-2022-outpatient-doctors-earned-an-ave https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/f6vf04kjs1-in-2022-outpatient-doctors-earned-an-ave?amp=true Thu, 15 Aug 2024 16:24:00 +0300 Sofiia Zayka Significant income disparities persist among outpatient medical specialties. In some cases, they are several times higher

In 2022, outpatient doctors earned an average of 4,836 euros, with pediatricians, gynecologists, and general practitioners earning the most, and dermatologists and internists the least

Significant income disparities persist among outpatient medical specialties. In some cases, they are several times higher.
Following up on our analysis of the income of non-state outpatient doctors from 2019, where we assessed the period from 2014 to 2017 based on publicly available data from the Register of Financial Statements of Legal Entities and data provided by all three health insurance companies, this time we looked at the years 2018 to 2022 and the development of income in the outpatient (non-hospital) sector.

Income Development of Outpatient Clinics (2018 - 2022)

In the five-year period from 2018 to 2022, outpatient doctors saw their income increase by an average of 83%, a significantly higher rise than the 29% growth in the average wage in Slovakia's economy. This increase was also higher than the wage growth of hospital doctors, which reached nearly 33% during this period. Inflation (CPI) rose by 21% over these years. Due to this substantial growth and positive development for outpatient doctors, their average "gross salary" (expressed as the sum of the gross salary paid to the doctor and the clinic's profit recalculated to gross salary per one full-time medical position), which reached 4,836 euros in 2022, temporarily became comparable to the average gross salary of a certified hospital doctor (i.e., a doctor with specialization), which we approximately calculated for 2022 at around 4.5 thousand euros. The wage growth since 2018 is shown in Graph 1 below.
The significant income growth of the analyzed outpatient clinics during the observed period was driven by a 47% increase in payments from health insurance companies (ZP) and a 59% rise in the clinics' own revenues. This likely includes direct payments from patients, income from occupational health services, emergency services, fees from pharmaceutical companies (e.g., for participation in clinical studies or lectures), or other business income. Meanwhile, clinic expenses grew at a slower rate (+41%) compared to revenues from ZP and their own sources. This revenue and cost trend led to a doubling of outpatient clinic profits before taxes (+102%) from 2018 to 2022 (see Graph 2). The performance of individual outpatient specialties in terms of financial results is discussed below and in Table 3.

Graphs 1 and 2 also show that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on outpatient clinics was reflected in only a moderate increase in doctors' "gross wages" and clinic profitability in 2020. This was likely due to a decline in services and patient visits, resulting in lower revenues from health insurance companies. However, in the following two years, there was a return to strong wage and profit growth in the outpatient sector. It appears that this segment of healthcare emerged financially stronger from the COVID-19 crisis. Further research should explore the extent to which direct payments from patients contributed to this, as outpatient clinics' own revenues have surpassed the growth of insurance payments, with their share of total revenues gradually increasing. A key question for future research is whether clinics have become accustomed to charging patients as a significant source of income.

Data sources: Register of Financial Statements, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic; Health Insurance Companies; Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic; National Health Information Center (NCZI); Trade Union of Health and Social Services (SOZ ZaSS).

Calculations and graph: INEKO

Data sources: Register of Financial Statements, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic; Health Insurance Companies (ZP); Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (ŠÚ SR); National Health Information Center (NCZI).

Calculations and graph: INEKO

Box 1: Concept of "Gross Salary" for Outpatient Doctors in Brief

In simple terms, "gross salary" = the sum of a doctor's gross salary and the clinic's profit converted into gross salary, expressed per one full-time doctor position.

The vast majority of doctors in outpatient clinics not operated by hospitals work in non-state (private) clinics, which are typically structured as business entities (e.g., limited liability companies or joint-stock companies), meaning they are legal entities and business enterprises aimed at generating profit. Most of these doctors own their clinics, and their total declared income consists of the "actual" gross salary paid, which, along with the nurse's gross salary, forms part of the personnel costs reported in the clinic's financial statements, as well as paid dividends or profit shares.
In 2022, outpatient doctors paid themselves and their employed doctors an average monthly gross salary of 1,778 euros. In many clinics with a single doctor, owners transferred only the minimum wage to their accounts each month. The remainder of their total annual income from healthcare services and clinic operations came from profits. After accounting for various tax factors, we convert these profits into an equivalent gross salary. Adding the actual gross salary gives us the final "gross salary" figure for outpatient doctors, which we use throughout our analysis. All data is adjusted to reflect one full-time doctor position.

Earnings of Outpatient Doctors by Specialization

The weighted average monthly "gross salary" of non-state outpatient doctors reached 4,836 euros in 2022, while the median for the top 19 most common medical specializations was 4,284 euros. In the pandemic year 2020, the average was 3,500 euros, and the median was 3,136 euros. As shown in Graph 3, the largest number of clinics in 2022 generated a "gross salary" for their doctors within the income range of 3,000 to 4,000 euros.

Graphs 3 to 10 (histograms) depict the distribution of outpatient clinics according to the income interval – the interval of monthly "gross salary" corresponding to their doctors' earnings.
Graph 3: Practices of 19 Most Common Medical Specialties and the Interval Range of Monthly "Gross Salary" of Their Doctors
(n = 3,511 non-state outpatient providers – legal entities; year 2022; "gross salary" recalculated for one full-time medical position)

Data Sources (including the following histograms): Register of Financial Statements, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic (MF SR); health insurance companies; Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (ŠÚ SR); National Health Information Center (NCZI)

Calculations and graph: INEKO


We found that significant differences in the incomes of doctors across various non-state outpatient practices continue to persist when comparing the 19 most common medical specialties. The difference between the highest-earning outpatient pediatricians and the lowest-earning outpatient dermatovenerologists (dermatologists) was identified as being as much as 2.7 times.

The following Table 1 shows the most common medical specialties in the outpatient sector, ranked by the amount of the average monthly "gross salary" of doctors, recalculated for one full-time position. The table also illustrates the development of this value over time – by comparing the years 2018 and 2022. The other columns present the distribution of doctors' "gross salary" in various specialties according to percentiles.

Table 1: "Gross Salary" of Doctors, Its Development, and Distribution by Income Percentiles in 19 Most Common Medical Specialties
(n=3,511 non-state outpatient providers – legal entities; data for the year 2022; monthly "gross salary" in euros recalculated for one full-time medical position; for multi-year comparison purposes, the "Development" column analyzes a sample of n=4,017 practices)

Data Sources: Register of Financial Statements, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic (MF SR); health insurance companies; Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (ŠÚ SR); National Health Information Center (NCZI)

Calculations and table: INEKO

The winners in terms of the nominal amount of "gross salary" along with the dynamics of its growth in the observed period 2018-2022 were clearly general practitioners for children, as well as general practitioners for adults, whose gross incomes doubled during this period. Outpatient pediatricians rose to the top of the rankings of medical specialties with the highest "gross salary." In 2022, general practitioners for children and adolescents had an average monthly "gross salary" of 6,891 euros, and their median "gross salary" was 6,299 euros. General practitioners for adults reached the top 3 highest-earning medical specialties, with an average gross monthly income of 5,253 euros and a median income of exactly 5,000 euros.

We hope that this information resonates with young medical students who are choosing which specialty to study, as it is no longer true that general practice is not financially lucrative. Notably, outpatient pediatricians are lacking in many regions of Slovakia, including the Bratislava region. Financially, being a general practitioner pays off!

From Graph 4 below, we can see that for the given interval sizes (in thousand euros), the largest number of pediatric practices have doctors earning a gross monthly income in the range of 5,000 to 6,000 euros, followed by the second most common interval of 6,000 to 7,000 euros. It is also notable that a relatively high percentage (10%) of pediatric practices fall into the highest (open-ended) income interval of over 12,000 euros. As shown in Graph 5, for general practitioners for adults, in 142 monitored practices, doctors earn a gross monthly salary in the range of 3,000 to 4,000 euros.

Graph 4: General Practitioners for Children and Adolescents Practices ("gross salary"; 2022)
Graph 5: General Practitioners for Adults Practices ("gross salary"; 2022)
Above-average "gross salaries" in 2022 were also achieved by outpatient gynecologists (5,311 euros) and dentists (4,916 euros). Cardiologists, with a median "gross salary" of 4,324 euros, also ranked above the median "gross salary" of doctors across all specialties (4,284 euros). Gastroenterologists (4,284 euros) and ENT specialists (4,192 euros) had median gross salaries that were similar or close to the median value of all observed outpatient specialties.

Graph 6: Outpatient Clinics of Gynecologists ("gross salary"; 2022)
Graph 7: Dental Outpatient Clinics ("gross salary"; 2022)
On the contrary, at the bottom of the income ranking, below the 3,000-euros, are dermatologists, internists, urologists, and clinical speech therapists, while diabetologists and surgeons are very close to this threshold.
Graph 8: Dermatology Outpatient Clinics ("gross salary"; 2022)
Graph 9: Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinics ("gross salary"; 2022)
It should be noted that the analysis includes only those outpatient clinics that are legal entities and provide healthcare exclusively in one specialty. Therefore, it can be assumed that doctors working, for example, in joint cardiology and internal medicine outpatient clinics will earn on average less than "pure" cardiologists but more than "pure" internists.

Interestingly, in the analysis of the previous period (2014-2017), doctors in purely neurological outpatient clinics belonged to the specialty with the lowest "gross salary" in 2017 (1,418 euros). When comparing the previous observed period of 2014-2017 with the current period of 2018-2022, we find that neurologists saw the largest percentage increase in income from health insurance companies, second only to gastroenterologists. This resulted in a rise in the income rankings for outpatient neurologists, and between 2018 and 2022, they became the leaders in the growth of "gross salary" and pre-tax profit, which increased by 126% and 148%, respectively (see Tables 1 and 3).

Graph 10: Neurology Outpatient Clinics ("gross salary"; 2022)
Such high percentage increases could, of course, have been achieved more easily due to the relatively low initial base of neurologists' "gross salary." In the previous analysis, we raised the question of whether, in a time of increasing chronic diseases and the consequent growth in patient demand for neurological healthcare, combined with the shortage of outpatient neurologists in some areas of Slovakia and the resulting long waiting times for patients, it would be worth considering increasing payments for services by health insurance companies to make the profession of outpatient neurologists more attractive. We are pleased that the numbers are already indicating a gradual increase in resources and profitability for this specialty.

Own revenues of outpatient clinics

In the statistics of outpatient clinics' own revenues (i.e., revenues outside payments from health insurance companies) and the comparison of their share in total revenues across specialties, it is worth noting that the four highest-earning specialties also show the highest shares of own revenues (see Table 2). For dentistry, this is natural, as even in clinics contracted by insurance companies, direct payments from patients play a significant role. These outpatient specialties also share the fact that they are legislatively classified as part of primary healthcare, have mandatory health districts, and do not require referral slips (mandatory recommendations from a doctor). In three of them, capitation payments from insurance companies (a lump sum payment for patients registered in the clinic's records) dominate. And most importantly, unlike other outpatient specialists, they have a relatively stable base of patients whom they know and who regularly visit these specialties as their primary contact for almost any health problem or administrative need for a "stamp."

Table 2: Share of Own Revenues in Total Revenues of Outpatient Clinics in 2022
(n = 3,511 outpatient clinics)

Data Sources: Register of Financial Statements, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic (MF SR); health insurance companies

Calculations and table: INEKO

Expences, Revenues, and Profitability of Outpatient Clinics

The highest total annual revenues (turnover) recalculated for one full-time medical position (approximately 150,000 to 160,000 euros) in the analyzed sample of outpatient clinics were recorded by gynecologists, general practitioners for children and adolescents, dentists, and gastroenterologists. The average annual revenue for all specialties in 2022 was 137,648 euros, with payments from health insurance companies accounting for 73.5% and the clinics' own revenues making up the remaining 26.5%.

Regarding annual expences per full-time medical position, the specialties with the highest costs are logically those that require much more advanced equipment for their operations. These include dentistry, gynecology, and gastroenterology. To cover higher depreciation and other costs, they also require higher revenues.

On the other hand, speech therapists, who don't even need to employ a nurse, can manage with significantly lower revenues as their costs are also the lowest. Specialties with the lowest costs and revenues include internists and psychiatrists.

Generally, outpatient providers, who are private business entities, have been consistently profitable as their revenues exceed their costs. The analyzed clinics in 2022, on average, generated a positive financial result (before tax) of nearly 41,000 euros per full-time medical position, with the highest profits ranging from 43,000 to 63,500 euros reported by pediatric clinics, gynecologists, gastroenterologists, ENT specialists, and general practitioners for adults. The lowest profits were generated by dermatologists and clinical speech therapists. See Table 3.

The highest net profit margin, i.e., the profitability of revenues (profit after tax divided by revenues) exceeding 30.5%, was achieved by general pediatricians in 2022. After pediatricians came ENT doctors, general practitioners for adults, and gynecologists. The average net profit margin across all examined specialties was a high value of 21.5%. The least profitable were dermatologists in 2022 (though still with a respectable value of 12%).

The average operating marg, or EBITDA margin (profit before tax + depreciation / revenues), reached almost 34% in 2022 for the analyzed sample of private outpatient providers. The highest EBITDA was recorded by general pediatricians (43.6%). Data has shown that both net profit margin and operating margin have been steadily increasing in our non-state outpatient sector.

Table 3: Financial Results of Outpatient Clinics in 2022 Recalculated per Full-Time Medical Position and Its Development
(n=4,017 outpatient clinics)

Data Sources: Register of Financial Statements, Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic; health insurance companies

Calculations and table: INEKO

Revenue of Outpatient Clinics from Health Insurance Companies

If we look at Table 4 below, we will see the ranking of specialties based on the amount of payments from health insurance companies per full-time medical position. Naturally, when paying for outpatient medical care, health insurance companies also take into account the specific costs of each specialty, including the need for adequate equipment in the clinic. Therefore, it is logical that specialties requiring a large number and/or expensive equipment, or those with above-average consumption of medical supplies, are ranked higher. On the other end of the table are clinical speech therapists, who do not employ nurses, which logically results in lower payments from the insurance companies. Dentists undoubtedly need various instruments, tools, and medical supplies, but of all the specialties, they have the highest direct payments from patients and the highest share of their own revenue (as shown in Table 2), which may explain why they are not ranked higher in Table 4. Between 2018 and 2020, the average payment from insurance companies increased by 47% (see also Graf 2).

Table 4: Average annual payment from health insurance companies for outpatient clinics in different specialties in 2022, calculated per full-time medical position
(n=4,017 outpatient clinics)

Data Source: Health insurance companies VšZP, Dôvera, Union

Table and calculation: INEKO

Box 2: Objective of the analysis

The ambition of this analysis is not to assert whether outpatient doctors earn a lot, a reasonable amount, or too little, but rather to contribute to improving the public debate on healthcare financing and the remuneration of healthcare workers. The goal is to reduce the information asymmetry between the various participants in the public discussion, so that the debate is more grounded in data, arguments, and evidence, and less in unsupported claims, myths, and speculation. At the same time, we want to build on our previous two analyses: How Much Do Slovak Doctors Earn? from 2011, and There Are Significant Income Differences Among Outpatient Providers, published in 2019. While the first analysis was based "only" on various expert estimates, the second already utilized open data and drew on actual figures regarding the financial operations of outpatient clinics. The current analysis also draws on much more detailed data from all three health insurance companies on the amount of payments to outpatient clinics in various specialties and the number of contracted doctor positions.
How Much Do Slovak Doctors Earn? (INEKO, 2011)
There Are Significant Income Differences Among Outpatient Providers (INEKO, 2019)

Box 3: Methodology of the analysis

The subject of the analysis by the non-governmental non-profit organization INEKO does not include hospital outpatient clinics or doctors employed in hospitals who serve in outpatient clinics operated by hospitals, nor outpatient clinics run by doctors as sole proprietors, as financial data for them are not publicly available. The analysis includes data from the financial statements of outpatient healthcare providers who are legal entities (e.g., limited liability companies, joint-stock companies) with complete data in the Register of Financial Statements for the observed period, who have contracts with all three health insurance companies, whose main economic activity is classified as general, specialized, or dental outpatient practice according to the SK NACE classification, and who provide healthcare in only one of the 19 most common specialties.

After statistical data cleaning and exclusion of extreme cases (outliers), we worked with data from 3,511 entities (for 2022) or 4,017 entities when comparing current data with 2018, representing 44% or 50% of all contracted outpatient providers – legal entities in the observed medical specialties, and 36% or 42% of all outpatient providers, including those operating as sole proprietors.

We sourced data on revenues, costs, and financial results from the income statements of individual providers listed in the Register of Financial Statements. To calculate the equivalent of gross salary ("gross salary") per full-time medical position, we used data from all three health insurance companies on the number of medical positions in outpatient clinics and in individual specialties. We also used information from health insurance companies on the amount of payments to individual outpatient clinics by specialty in our calculations.

Data on the average gross salaries of hospital doctors were sourced from the informational bulletins of the Slovak Trade Union of Health and Social Services (SOZ ZaSS), and the ratio of hospital doctors with and without specialization (certification) was obtained from the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic.

Additionally, in our calculations, we used data from the Slovak Health Yearbook from the National Health Information Center (NCZI) on the number of nurses working in outpatient clinics by specialty. For data on inflation trends (Consumer Price Index (CPI)), average nominal wages of employees in the Slovak economy, and the calculation of nurse labor costs, we referred to publications by the Statistical Office (ŠÚ) of the Slovak Republic.

There are no data on the salaries of nurses in the private outpatient sector; therefore, we used the figure from the Slovak Statistical Yearbook for all nurses (including hospital and "social" nurses). In 2022, according to the structure of earnings survey, the average gross monthly wage of a nurse in Slovakia was €1,239 (this value proved to be very similar to the average gross wage of nurses working in outpatient clinics (€1,349), which came from a survey (n=268 participating outpatient clinics) conducted for us by the Association of Outpatient Providers (ZAP) among its members, for which we are very grateful). We assumed that in specialties with relatively higher profits, nurse salaries would also be slightly higher than in less profitable ones, and we adjusted the average wage costs of nurses by specialty in our model based on this assumption.

The "gross salary" of an outpatient doctor, regardless of whether they own the clinic or are merely employed there, was calculated, simply put, as the sum of the doctor's gross salary (after deducting the nurse's salary from personnel costs) and the clinic's profit converted to gross salary (see more about the concept of "gross salary" in Box 1). The "gross salary," as well as other data on financial results, revenues, costs, etc., were calculated and are presented in the tables and graphs per full-time medical position.

This analysis does not take into account undeclared income (fees and gifts from patients without a receipt) or expenses (such as "topping up" a nurse's salary off the books) when calculating outpatient doctors' incomes. The analysis also does not filter out the effect of potential tax optimization through overstatement of costs (depreciation) or the use of company assets for personal consumption.

Dušan Zachar, INEKO

Peter Klátik, INEKO


We would like to express our sincere thanks to the health insurance companies Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa, Dôvera, and Union for providing statistical data for the analysis.


INEKO is conducting a healthcare project supported by the health insurance companies Dôvera and Union, and the company Msquare.Donors do not interfere with the outputs of the INEKO institute.


Your support in our work would greatly help us continue contributing to the improvement of public discussion through data. Thank you!

The subject of the analysis includes outpatient providers (only legal entities) contracted by all three health insurance companies, who provide healthcare in only one specialty, with their main economic activity classified as outpatient and dental medical practice (SK NACE 862**), have complete data for the observed years in the Register of Financial Statements, and have passed data validation and filtering criteria that remove statistically significant outliers related to various types of revenues.

It should be noted, however, that the calculation of the growth dynamics of average gross wages for hospital doctors does not account for the wage growth rate exclusively for certified hospital doctors, i.e., those with specialization, who are comparable in terms of education level to outpatient doctors (since such data are not available). Instead, it also includes the wage growth of less well-paid non-certified hospital doctors, for whom we assume a slightly lower wage growth rate than for certified hospital doctors. In 2022, the average gross wage for hospital doctors (both certified and non-certified combined) in state, regional, and semi-public institutional facilities reached €3,601. Based on knowledge of the base salaries of certified and non-certified hospital doctors, their percentage representation in hospitals, and simplified assumptions about the distribution of additional components of the total gross wage (those above the tariff level), we calculated that the average gross wage (with all bonuses) for a certified hospital doctor could have reached €4,480 in 2022.

A significant jump in hospital doctors' wages occurred at the beginning of 2023, when the more expensive wage formula ("struck deal") with higher coefficients and taking into account years of service began to be applied. Therefore, in the next period, the average wage of a certified hospital doctor will likely once again surpass the average income of a private outpatient doctor. In the third quarter of 2023, the combined average gross wage for hospital doctors (both certified and non-certified combined) reached €4,516.

We tracked four main cost components: personnel costs, service costs, material consumption, and depreciation, which together make up approximately 95% of the total costs of outpatient clinics.

The analysis did not cover outpatient clinics affiliated with hospitals, nor, for methodological reasons, outpatient clinics combining multiple specialties (such as cardiology-internal medicine clinics, etc.).

The specialty of physiatrics, balneology, and therapeutic rehabilitation, which is among the top 20 most common specialties, is not included in the analysis due to methodological reasons.

Interpretation of percentiles, e.g., in the case of general pediatricians: 10% of outpatient pediatricians earned less than €2,561 per month in 2022, 10% earned more than €11,959, and 80% of pediatricians had a monthly income ranging from €2,561 to €11,959. Exactly half of all pediatricians earned less than €6,299, and exactly half earned more than €6,299. 25% of pediatricians earned less than €4,303, and 75% of general pediatricians had a total gross income above this amount in 2022.

This text is a translation of an article from the blog.sme.sk website.

The original text belongs to INEKO, and the translation was done with care for foreign doctors by Sofiia Zayka.

]]> The finishing line of the Med-Integro project https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/s665fnc4j1-the-finishing-line-of-the-med-integro-pr https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/s665fnc4j1-the-finishing-line-of-the-med-integro-pr?amp=true Thu, 25 Jul 2024 07:17:00 +0300 Anna Beloshytska 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 Med-Integro project: Nearing the Finish Line in Our Mission to Support foreign Healthcare Professionals in EU (Slovakia, Latvia, Czech Republic)

The finishing line of the Med-Integro project

Since its start in November 2021, the Med-Integro project has been dedicated to facilitating the relocation of foreign healthcare professionals to Europe. The collaboration of project partners:
• iCan language school (Slovakia),
• Threshold Training Associates language school (Czech Republic),
• Biedrība Eurofortis (Latvia)
• and Medzinárodna asociácia lekárov a zdravotníkov na Slovensku (Slovakia)
has enabled to create an innovative and comprehensive platform. As we approach the final stages, we are excited to share our progress and achievements.

Project Overview

The Med-Integro E-learning platform is designed to support healthcare professionals through various stages of their relocation and integration process. It currently boasts over 30 courses and provides a structured pathway to success through four distinct phases:
  1. Phase 1: for beginners
  2. Phase 2: intro to medical terms
  3. Phase 3: Preparation for the Exam
  4. Phase 4: Legal Minimum for the exam
Each phase is meticulously crafted to ensure a smooth transition for healthcare professionals, with detailed courses, videos, presentations, and vocabularies.

Phase Breakdown and Progress

Phase 1: Beginners

• Completion Status: 100%
• This phase introduces participants to the language and basics, laying a solid foundation for further learning.

Phase 2: Medical

• Completion Status: 94%
• Focuses on medical terminology and practical knowledge needed in the healthcare field.

Phase 3: Preparation for the Additional exam (Doplňujúcu skúšku)

  • Doctors: 98%
  • Nurses: 100%
  • Dentists: 90%
  • Pharmacists: 95%

Divided into specific courses tailored for different professions, this phase equips participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their qualification exams.

Phase 4: Legal Minimum for Exam

• Completion Status: 100%
• Covers the essential legal knowledge required for the exams, ensuring participants are well-prepared for every aspect.

Additional Features

Mobile App Development
  • Completion Status: 75%
  • Our Android and iOS mobile apps will provide on-the-go access to all our resources, making learning more flexible and convenient.

Website of the Project
  • Completion Status: 85%
  • The website serves as the central hub for all information and resources related to the project.

Methodologies and Resources

We have developed comprehensive methodologies for both students and teachers, ensuring an effective and engaging learning experience. Our blog is thriving, offering valuable insights and updates to our community.

The Med-Integro project is on the brink of completing a monumental part of the work that will greatly aid the relocation and integration of foreign healthcare professionals to Europe. With significant progress across all phases and a robust platform in place, we are proud of our achievements and excited for the final steps.
We invite you to explore our platform, share your experiences, and stay tuned for the official launch of our mobile app and final website updates. Your feedback and support are invaluable as we strive to make a meaningful impact in the healthcare community.

Also, we would be glad to see you among the participants of a series of international presentations of the project results, the first of which will be held 13.09.2024 in Bratislava, Slovakia.

MULTIPLIER EVENT

This project is co-funded by the European Union's Erasmus+ program
]]> Opening and Managing a Dental Clinic in Slovakia: Everything You Need to Know https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/968z1i72s1-opening-and-managing-a-dental-clinic-in https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/968z1i72s1-opening-and-managing-a-dental-clinic-in?amp=true Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:41:00 +0300 Sofiia Zayka Learn How to Properly Open a Dental Clinic in Slovakia: Key Steps, Legal Requirements, and Market Trends. Useful Tips for Dentists and Medical Facilities

Opening and Managing a Dental Clinic in Slovakia: Everything You Need to Know

Analysis of the Situation in Slovakia's Dental Industry

The dental industry in Slovakia faces several challenges that require solutions from both the government and private investors. One of the key issues is the shortage of dentists. In smaller towns and rural areas, patients often experience long waiting times for appointments, causing inconvenience and reducing access to medical care.

The current situation highlights the need for opening new dental clinics, particularly in regions with low population density. However, establishing a dental clinic in Slovakia requires strict compliance with legal regulations and obtaining all necessary permits.

Procedure for Obtaining Permits to Open a Dental Clinic

To open a dental clinic in Slovakia, it is necessary to obtain the appropriate licenses and permits from government authorities.

The process involves the following key steps:

  • Registration in the Medical Institutions Register: The first step is to register the clinic in Slovakia's medical institutions register. This is required for legal operations and obtaining permission for medical practice.
  • Obtaining a Sanitary and Hygiene Certificate: All premises where dental services will be provided must comply with sanitary standards and requirements. Specialized inspections will check the premises to ensure they meet the established standards.
  • Approval from the Regional Health Authority: To obtain permission for medical practice, an application must be submitted to the regional health authority along with all the required documents.

To successfully complete this process, it is important to consult with a lawyer or specialist who can help properly prepare the documentation and expedite the permit process.

Key Legal Requirements for Dental Clinics

Opening a dental clinic comes with strict legal requirements related to both infrastructure and the qualifications of medical staff. The main ones include:

  • Licensing of Medical Personnel: All dentists working in the clinic must have valid medical practice licenses that confirm their qualifications.
  • Compliance of Medical Equipment with Standards: All equipment used in the clinic must be certified and comply with European safety standards.
  • Liability Insurance: It is essential to insure the clinic's operations against potential claims from patients.

Current Market Issues: Shortage of Dentists in Slovakia

According to current research, Slovakia is experiencing a significant shortage of dentists. This issue is driven by demographic changes as well as the mass migration of qualified specialists to countries with higher salaries. The lack of professionals increases the workload on existing clinics, which, in turn, leads to longer waiting times for patients.

To address this problem, government authorities are planning to introduce support programs for young specialists and offer incentives for opening private dental clinics in remote regions.

Sale of Dental Clinics and the Role of a Professional Representative (Guarantor)

When selling a dental clinic, several factors must be considered, from the legal status of the institution to the transfer of licenses and equipment. During the sale process, it may be necessary to involve a professional representative or lawyer who can help properly structure the transaction and ensure compliance with all legal requirements.

A critical aspect is the presence of a guarantor — a professional representative who will be responsible for the medical operations of the clinic after the rights are transferred to the new owner. This process requires meticulous preparation and adherence to all legal obligations.


Opening and managing a dental clinic in Slovakia requires thorough preparation and adherence to all legal formalities. Despite current challenges, the dental services market in Slovakia holds significant potential for growth. Proper business organization, including obtaining all necessary permits and complying with sanitary regulations, will ensure the clinic's success and build patient trust.

Support for Foreign Medical Professionals

Med-Integrо offers comprehensive assistance to foreign medical professionals who wish to work in Slovakia.
We understand that relocating to a new country and adapting to its healthcare system can be challenging.

To simplify this journey, Med-Integrо provides the following services for foreign doctors:

Relocation and Administrative Support

Employment Assistance
  • Help in finding jobs in medical facilities facing a critical shortage of specialists, such as pediatricians.
  • Preparation for interviews and assistance with signing employment contracts.
  • Advice on working conditions and legal aspects of employment.

With our help, you can:
  • Successfully integrate into Slovakia’s healthcare system.
  • Find a suitable job.
  • Become part of a professional medical community.

Med-Integrо makes the relocation and adaptation process easier and more comfortable for foreign doctors, helping you start a new and successful chapter in your professional career.
Sources:
  1. Bratislavskykraj.sk: Povolenia pre zdravotnícke zariadenia
  2. Diskusia: Slovensko trápi nedostatok zubárov
  3. Založenie zubnej (stomatologickej) ambulancie - postup
  4. ‌‌Bratislavskykraj.sk: Povolenia pre zdravotnícke zariadenia
]]> How a pediatrician/therapist can open an office in Slovakia https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/yf1k4c4zf1-how-a-pediatriciantherapist-can-open-an https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/yf1k4c4zf1-how-a-pediatriciantherapist-can-open-an?amp=true Thu, 11 Jul 2024 18:02:00 +0300 Sofiia Zayka How to get up to 60,000 euros from the state to open an office

How a pediatrician/therapist can open an office in Slovakia

The health care system in Slovakia is experiencing a shortage of medical personnel, especially first contact specialists. Current general practitioners and paediatricians find it extremely difficult to cope with the growing demand for medical services, which makes Slovakia a good place for development in this field. Regional differences in the supply of medical personnel also play a significant role: in the capital, Bratislava, there is an acute shortage of nurses, while in Košice there is a greater shortage of doctors. At the same time, general practitioners and paediatricians are in demand in all regions of the country.

What opportunities there are for foreign paediatricians and general practitioners in Slovakia

The shortage of specialists and the ageing of existing staff threaten the sustainability of health care for children. According to the Slovak Ministry of Health data for 2023, there was a shortage of about 223 paediatricians in the country. The option of opening an office or a network of first contact specialist offices looks more attractive in regions where there is a shortage but lower costs of maintaining and opening an office.

Primary care physicians play a key role in the Slovak health care system. However, according to the Ministry of Health as of 2023, the country was short of about 400 general practitioners for adults. The shortage of general practitioners is felt in all regions, which makes them particularly in demand.

Regional differences and maps of health personnel shortages

The situation with the shortage of medical personnel in Slovakia differs from region to region.

The maps below show the distribution of the shortage of medical personnel in different regions of Slovakia:
These maps clearly show in which areas of the country there is the most acute shortage of medical personnel and where foreign specialists could be realised with the greatest benefit for themselves and the Slovak health care system.

How to get up to 60,000 euros from the state to open an office

In 2022, the Slovak government introduced a subsidy programme aimed at stimulating the opening of new offices of general practitioners and paediatricians. Under this programme, up to 60,000 euros are allocated for each doctor who opens an office. These funds can be used to set up the office, purchase the necessary equipment and initial operating costs. This measure aims to address the shortage of specialists and improve access to health services throughout the country.

Stages of obtaining support:

1. Moving to Slovakia and legalisation of residence:

  • Obtaining a residence permit: If you are not an EU citizen, the first step is to obtain a residence permit (HND) in Slovakia. This will require a reason, such as a labour contract or starting a business. A temporary residence permit can be obtained from the Alien Police.
  • Work permit: It is important for foreign professionals to obtain a work permit if they plan to be employed in a Slovak clinic or hospital. And for this you will need to go through the following steps.

2.Learning a language:

  • Slovak Language Courses for Medical Professionals: Working in the medical field requires knowledge of the Slovak language, as all documentation and interaction with patients takes place in the local language. Courses can be taken either before or on the spot. It is recommended to reach a level of at least B2.
  • Examination preparation: In order to work in medicine in Slovakia, you need to pass examinations to prove your language skills and professional qualifications.

How the Supplementary Exam for Medical Professionals (Doplňujúca skúška) Went >>>>>>

3. Diploma Nostrification:

  • If your diploma was obtained outside Slovakia, you need to have it recognised (nostrification). The process involves submitting your diploma to the Ministry of Health, which determines whether your level of education meets Slovak standards. Sometimes additional internships or examinations may be required.

4. Obtaining a medical licence:

  • After the diploma is recognised, it is necessary to apply to the regional health authority for a medical licence. This will allow you to practise medicine legally in Slovakia.

5. Opening an office and receiving a grant:

  • Business registration: In order to open a private GP's or paediatrician's office, you need to register a legal entity (e.g. a sole proprietor or s.r.o.). This can be done through the Slovak Commercial Register.
  • Applying for a subsidy: The state offers financial support for opening medical surgeries. Grants for opening an office can be up to 60,000 euros and are aimed at covering the costs of equipment, renting premises, advertising, etc.
  • To apply for a grant, it is necessary to apply to the Ministry of Health or other state structures involved in supporting medical projects. It is important to collect all the required documents: business plan, proof of licence, premises lease agreement, etc.

6. Receiving a grant and controlling the use of funds:

  • Once an application is submitted and approved, the funds are transferred to the company's account. The state will monitor the use of the funds to ensure that they are actually used for the development of the medical business. Financial reports and proof of expenditure are a mandatory part of fulfilling the conditions of the grant.

7. Cabinet launch and marketing:

  • Once the funds are received, it is necessary to set up the office, purchase equipment, sign contracts with suppliers of medical supplies and start attracting patients. Marketing in local media and via the Internet will help to attract the attention of the region's residents.

Opening an office in Slovakia with state support requires careful preparation and compliance with all legal procedures. The subsidy system allows you to cover a significant part of the costs, and Med-Integro can support you through all the steps of integration and relocation, making the process affordable and attractive for doctors wishing to start their practice in the country.

Who is a guarantor (odborný zástupca) and what is his role?

In Slovakia, it is possible to open an office of a general practitioner or paediatrician with a guarantor (odborný zástupca) who can support the activities of the medical institution. This is especially useful for foreign specialists who need time to prove their qualifications. In this case, the guarantor can be responsible for the medical practice in the clinic until you have completed the qualification process and are fully authorised to work independently.

Highlights:

1. The role of ‘odborný zástupca’ (guarantor):

  • A guarantor is a licensed medical professional who lends his or her name and qualifications to support a new medical facility. The guarantor can be part-time or consultative, and does not have to be a permanent employee of the clinic.
  • Under his or her ‘auspices,’ you will be able to get started, allowing you to provide services to patients right away while you complete the credentialing process.

2. Confirmation of qualification:

  • Once you have successfully completed the qualification confirmation process in Slovakia, the guarantor will no longer be needed. This means that you will be able to work as an independent professional with a full medical licence without the need for further cooperation with a guarantor.
  • It is important to comply with all requirements for the qualification, including passing exams and completing the necessary internships.

This process allows you to open an office and start practising medicine faster, minimising the time delays associated with the recognition of qualifications.

Assistance to foreign medical professionals

Med-integrо provides comprehensive support to foreign medical professionals who would like to work in Slovakia. We recognise that moving to a new country and integrating into its healthcare system can be challenging.

To address these challenges, Med-integrо offers the following opportunities for foreign physicians:

Relocation and administrative support

  • Support in the process of nostrification of diplomas and obtaining licences.
  • Assistance with visa and migration issues.
  • Support in adapting to life and work in Slovakia, including Slovak language courses for medics.

Employment

  • Assist in job search in health facilities experiencing an acute shortage of paediatricians.
  • Preparation for interviews and employment contracts.
  • Advice on working conditions and legal aspects of employment.

With our help, you can successfully integrate into the new healthcare system, find a job and become part of the professional community.
Sources:
  1. Novaambulancia.sk
  2. Ministerstvo zdravotníctva Slovenskej republiky
  3. European Website on Integration
  4. MALnS
]]> How can a foreign massage therapist without a diploma get a job in Slovakia? https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/nfnb6iuka1-how-can-a-foreign-massage-therapist-with https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/nfnb6iuka1-how-can-a-foreign-massage-therapist-with?amp=true Fri, 05 Jul 2024 05:55:00 +0300 Oleh Verhulenko What to do if a diploma of a massage therapist from a third country is not recognized in Slovakia, is lost and/or there is no way to restore it. Where, how much and for what money to study and pass exams to start working as a massage therapist in SK.

How can a foreign massage therapist without a diploma get a job in Slovakia?

For a foreign massage specialist, after moving to Slovakia, there are several ways of professional integration. This article provides information on what to do if you are a massage therapist from a third country (non-EU country) and your diploma cannot be recognized in Slovakia (due to non-compliance with standards loss, inability to obtain a copy or restore, etc.)

Massage services from the point of view of Slovak legislation

Providing massage services in Slovakia is a licensed activity (Viazaná živnosť). Licensed activity is an activity in which, in addition to the general conditions, the condition for carrying out the activity is the fulfillment of the condition of professional competence acquired in another way. In the list of specialized activities (Príloha č. 2 zákona č. 455/1991 Zb. o živnostenskom podnikaní) you can find two types of activities related to massage services and the corresponding certificates of competence required to perform these types of activities:
Massage services (Masérske služby)
  • graduation from a secondary medical school or
  • graduation from medical college or medical university, or
  • graduating from the University of Physical Education.
Wellness massage services (Wellness masérske služby)
  • certificate of incomplete qualification or
  • certificate of full qualification.

Obtaining professional qualifications for activities in the field of wellness - massage services

Since we are considering the situation of a foreign massage therapist who finds himself in Slovakia without a diploma or who does not have the opportunity to recognize this diploma, the specialty available to you in Slovakia is called “Wellness worker - massage services” (Profession code (code SK ISCO-08): 5142009 massage therapist (except for massage therapists in healthcare)). This specialization is regulated. That is, you cannot officially work or provide services in this specialty without appropriate confirmation of qualifications in the form of one of the two certificates indicated above.
From December 31, 2021, documents on professional qualifications for the activity of “sports massage therapist”, which were provided by accredited educational institutions through “classical and sports massage” courses or similar courses, have become invalid. From January 1, 2019, it is possible to perform massage services outside a medical institution only after acquiring the qualification “Wellness worker – massage services.”

How to obtain the qualification “Wellness worker – massage services” in Slovakia?

You can acquire a partial qualification by completing the educational program “wellness worker - massage services” in one of the accredited institutions.

Accredited massage courses in Slovakia

The Information System of Continuing Education of the Ministry of Education of Slovakia has a list of accredited educational programs “Wellness Worker – Massage Services”. As of mid-2024, it looked like this:
After successfully passing the course exam, the graduate cannot perform massage services on his own behalf, but, for example, can work as an employee of a wellness establishment (under the supervision of a fully qualified massage therapist).

You can obtain a full qualification in the specialty “Wellness worker - massage services” as a result of successfully passing a (paid) professional qualification examination (skúšky na overenie odbornej spôsobilosti). Having received full qualifications, a specialist can work on his own behalf, as well as become a guarantor in a wellness establishment or massage parlor.

Who has the right to take the professional qualification examination (skúška na overenie odbornej spôsobilosti)

The exam can only be taken by a person who:
  • will provide a document confirming completion of the educational program “wellness worker – massage services” and successful passing of the final exam, or
  • confirms having at least 5 years of experience in the field of classical or sports massage - this professional experience is confirmed by a certificate from the employer in the field of classical or sports massage (in the case of employment) or an honest statement and proof of social insurance (in the case of self-employed work).

Where to take the qualification exam as a massage therapist in Slovakia

As of mid-2024, the following are authorized to take the professional qualification examination (skúška na overenie odbornej spôsobilosti) in the field of “Wellness worker - massage services”:
  • Comenius University in Bratislava (Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave - FTVŠ)
  • Slovak Chamber of Wellness Workers and Massage Services (Slovenská komora wellness pracovníkov a masérskych služieb)

What is the cost of the exam to verify the professional qualifications “Wellness worker – massage services”

At the Slovak Chamber of Wellness Workers and Massage Services

The cost of the exam for a massage therapist in Slovakia is 280 euros.

If you take the exam at the Slovak Chamber of Wellness Workers and Massage Services, the payment must be made to the account of the relevant regional division of the chamber where you will take the professional qualification exam. As of mid-2024, the Chamber has two divisions, in cities:
  1. Vrutky,
  2. Košice.

In the note to the recipient, please indicate:
EXAM, your name and exam date (SKUSKA, vaše priezvisko a dátum skúšky).

If you fail the exam, the fee for retaking the exam is as follows: the fee is only for the part of the exam that you failed, meaning you do not have to retake the entire exam and pay for each part, only for the part you failed.

Cost of retaking the exam at the Slovak Chamber of Wellness Workers and Massage Services
Theoretical part
  • Test 30 questions – 80 euros
  • Oral response – 80 euros
Practical part
  • Practical implementation – 80 euros

Dates for professional competence exams “Wellness worker – massage services” in Kosice for 2024

  • 22.06.2024
  • 20.07.2024
  • 17.08.2024
  • 21.09.2024
  • 19.10.2024
  • 16.11.2024
  • 14.12.2024

Dates for professional competency exams “Wellness worker – massage services” in the city of Vrútky for 2024

  • 10.06.2024
  • 22.07.2024
  • 26.08.2024
  • 16.09.2024
  • 28.10.2024
  • 25.11.2024
  • 09.12.2024

At the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports of the Comenius University in Bratislava

Unfortunately, at the time of collecting information for the article, the exam schedule for 2024/2025, as well as the cost of taking the exam, were not yet available at Comenius University. We will be sure to update the information as soon as it becomes available.

Definition of some terms of the professional qualification examination (skúška na overenie odbornej spôsobilosti)

Professional qualification (Odborná spôsobilosť) is a set of knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform work activities.

A professional qualification examination (Skúška na overenie odbornej spôsobilosti) is a test of the knowledge, skills and abilities of an individual in accordance with the qualification standard and assessment standard of a given partial or full qualification.

The qualification standard (Kvalifikačný štandard) expresses the totality of knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to obtain the corresponding partial qualification and full qualification.

An assessment standard (Hodnotiaci štandard) is a set of criteria, organizational and methodological procedures, material, technical and spatial conditions for checking and assessing the achieved professional qualifications in accordance with established qualification standards.

How is the examination for testing professional qualifications “Wellness worker - massage services” (skúška na overenie odbornej spôsobilosti "Wellness pracovník - masérske služby") passed?

The professional qualification examination consists of:
Written test including questions on anatomy, physiology, massage theory, hygiene requirements and sauna
Practical exam on the practice of massage and bath (sauna) rituals
Oral exam.

First, a written exam is conducted in the form of a test; after checking it, the exam participant proceeds to the next two parts: the practical part and the oral exam, where he chooses one question each from theory and practice.

How can a massage therapist qualitatively prepare for the professional qualification exam in Slovakia?

In this section we collect tests, questions and recommended literature to prepare for the qualification exam for massage therapists in Slovakia. However, it is worth remembering that in order to fully prepare for the exam to be tested by prof. To qualify as a massage therapist and successfully pass it, you need to master the Slovak language at a sufficient level.

If you have a lot of free time and iron discipline, you can learn the Slovak language using dozens of free and non-core Internet resources. But if you want to quickly and efficiently master specialized Slovak for massage therapists, pay attention to the series of courses “Slovak language for doctors”.

Examples of written test questions to test the professional qualifications of a massage therapist

What gases do we call respiratory (Ktoré plyny označujeme ako dýchacie)?
  1. N2
  2. CO2
  3. CO
  4. O2

When inhaled, they participate (Na vdychu sa podieľajú)
  1. Diaphragm (bránica)
  2. Internal intercostal muscles (vnútorné medzirebrové svaly)
  3. External intercostal muscles (vonkajšie medzirebrové svaly)
  4. Muscles of the larynx (svaly hrtana)

More sample exam preparation questions >>>

Questions from the practical part of the exam to test the professional qualifications of a massage therapist

Practical part of the exam: massage - practice with understanding

  1. Demonstrate a massage of the lower limb from behind and list the muscles that you massage (Ukážte masáž dolnej končatiny zo zadu a vymenujte svaly ktoré masírujete).
  2. Demonstrate massage of the lower extremity from the front, paying particular attention to massage of the knee in a healthy client (Ukážte masáž dolnej končatiny spredu so zameraním na masáž kolena u zdravého klienta).
  3. Show the process of palpation, its types and use on individual parts of the body (Ukážte hmat tepanie, jeho druhy a použitie na jednotlivyćh častiach tela).
  4. Massage of the shoulder girdle - demonstration with simultaneous indication of individual muscles (Masáž oblasti ramena - ukážka so súčasným pomenovaním jednotlivých svalov).

Practical part of the exam: bath rituals - practice with understanding

  1. Demonstrate the technique of working with the Helicopter towel (Ukážte techniku ​​s uterákom Helikoptéra).
  2. Demonstrate the Pizza technique or simple towel rotation (Predveďte techniku ​​Pizza alebo jednoduché točenie uterákom).
More sample questions to prepare for the practical part of the exam >>>

Questions and example answers for the practical part of the exam to test the professional qualifications of a massage therapist

Hygienické zásady masírovaného. Čo musíme dodržiavať z pohľadu hygienických zásad pri saunových rituáloch?

Hygiena – čistota alebo očista
Delí sa na: hygiena masírovaného, hygiena masér, hygiena prostredia

Hygiena masírovaného:
  • vedieť taktne oznámiť, za akých podmienok masírujeme
  • nemá byť príliš napapkaný ale ani hladný, nemal by konzumovať pred masážou alkohol,
  • prísť čistý a voňavý, zdravie je samozrejmosť
  • „dochvíľnosť je výsada kráľov!“ – takže prísť na čas
Musíme zabezpečiť, aby bola na masérskom stole čistá plachta, deky, vyvetraná miestnosť.
Vypísaný dotazník z kontraindikáciami.....choroby, lieky, prekonané choroby, alergie.....

Saunový rituál:
  • dostatočne informovať o programe
  • vždy začať načas, príprava min. 20 minút dopredu
  • privítanie hostí, prípadne výdaj plachiet pod seba, uvedenie hostí do sauny
  • vyvetranie, zatvorenie dverí
  • privítanie, úvod, predstavenie sa, základné info, osveta o hygiene
  • info o ceremoniály (príbeh, priebeh, trvanie, použité vône,
  • správne dýchanie, pokyny k opusteniu sauny
  • polievanie lávových kameňov vodou, použitie ľadových gúľ, drte
  • rozvírenie vzduchu nad pecou, distribúcia tepla a esencií do priestoru sauny
  • parné nárazy, 3 kolá
  • rozlúčka, potlesk, informácia o správnom ochladení, doplnení tekutín, relaxe, občerstvení
  • info o ďalších akciách

Aký význam má stálosť vnútorného prostredia?

Homeostáza
  • je stabilita vnútorného prostredia, ktorá umožňuje príjem živín a odstraňovanie odpadových látok.
  • či je telo v rovnováhe závisí aj od teploty tela.

Bunky pre svoj život potrebujú príjem a výdaj. Prijímajú živiny, ktoré sú potrebné na energiu a stavebný materiál, vydávajú metabolity a odpadové látky. Na to, aby mohlo všetko fungovať v rovnováhe potrebujeme O2 – kyslík dodáva energiu.

  • ľudský organizmus je endotermný – naša teplota nezávisí od teploty vonku
  • telo funguje ako dom : tepelné jadro (orgány) a tepelný obal (koža, svaly)
  • teplota na povrchu je cca o 1 stupeň nižšia ako vo vnútri, cez deň kolíše
  • v HYPOTALAMUSE v mozgu sa nachádza termoregulačné centrum
  • v tele sa nachádzajú termoreceptory, ktoré merajú teplotu a posielajú info do termoregulačného centra
  • keď je teplota pod 36,5 receptory ovplyvnia pečeň
  • keď je teplota nad 36,5, začneme sa potiť, očervenieme, roztiahnu sa cievy

pH – ďalší faktor ovplyvňujúci homeostázu. Naše PH je jemno zásadité, cca 7,3. Telo sa snaží tento stav udržovať.

Koncentrácie látok a minerálov:
Najdôležitejšie: sodík, draslík napr. pri dehydratácii sa musí podať fyziologický roztok s koncentráciou minerálov a nie čistá voda lebo tou by sa narušila homeostáza.
Pri vyššej aktivite sú vhodné izotonické nápoje (zelený čaj so soľou a medom)

More examples of questions to prepare for the oral part of the exam >>>

Recommended literature for preparing for the exam to test the professional qualifications of a massage therapist in Slovakia

  1. Anatómia a fyziológia človeka – dostupné učebnice a anatomické atlasy:
  2. Ivan Dilevský – „Základy anatomie a fyziologie člověka„,
  3. Ivan Dylevský – „Základy anatomie pro maséry“
  4. Hygiena a epidemiológia – Zákon v zmysle § 23 zákona č. 355/2007 Z. z. o ochrane, podpore a rozvoji verejného zdravia a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov v znení neskorších predpisov
  5. Bezpečnosť a ochrana zdravia pri práci – platná legislatíva
  6. PhDr. Tatiana Simona Demová a kolektív: Wellness Sauna Masáže – Wellness pracovník masérske služby, Polygraf centrum 2020
  7. Jánošdeák Ján.: Učebnica masáží, Vydavateľstvo osveta, 2007
  8. Flandera Stanislav.: Klasické masáže, Vydavateľstvo Poznání, 2005
  9. Matej M. a kol.: Sauna v zdraví a chorobe, vydavateľstvo Osveta, 2005
  10. Mullerová Alena, Roman Letošník.: Nové trendy v saunách , CPress, 2010
  11. Sedmík Ján.: Velká kniha masáží, NS Svoboda, 2015
  12. Vlastimil Tesař: Klasické masáže, Grada
  13. Bielik V.: Regenerácia v športe, SPORTDIAG, 2014
  14. Mikolášek A.: Saunovaním ke zdraví, ERA Group, 2004
  15. Storck U.: Technika masáže v rehabilitaci, vydavateľstvo Grada, 2010
  16. Blahušová V.: Wellness, fitness, Karolinum 2005
  17. Jánošdeák J.: Športová masáž. Šport, 1983
Sources:
  1. Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic
  2. Slovak Chamber of Wellness Workers and Massage Services
  3. Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports of the Comenius University in Bratislava (FTVŠ UK)
  4. Ministerstvo vnútra SR
]]> How the Supplementary Exam for Medics (Doplňujúca skúška) went on May 28, 2024 https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/pj58m2gs51-how-the-supplementary-exam-for-medics-do https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/pj58m2gs51-how-the-supplementary-exam-for-medics-do?amp=true Sat, 08 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 Med-Integro Team Analysis of the Results of the Qualifying / Supplementary Exam (Doplňujúca skúška) for Foreign Doctors and Dentists in Slovakia - May 28, 2024

How the Supplementary Exam for Medics (Doplňujúca skúška) went on May 28, 2024

In Slovakia, as in many European countries, medical professionals are required to pass a Supplementary Exam (doplňujúca skúška). In May of this year (2024), the exam for doctors and dentists was conducted jointly.

Shortage of Medical Professionals in Slovakia

According to the International Association of Physicians in Slovakia, most regions of Slovakia have experienced a "prolonged shortage of professional medical staff (5500 doctors and 15000 nurses)" in recent years.
The shortage of medical staff in Slovakia presents opportunities for employment and professional development for foreign doctors.

Comprehensive test of medical knowledge

The exam for doctors and dentists, held on May 28, 2024, consisted of several stages:
→ Written Part – A theory test covering a broad range of medical topics across various disciplines:
For the specialization of General Practitioner, the subjects include:
  • internal medicine,
  • surgery,
  • pediatrics,
  • gynecology and obstetrics.

For the specialization of Dentist, the subjects include:
  • internal medicine,
  • surgery,
  • therapeutic dentistry,
  • conservative dentistry,
  • pediatric dentistry,
  • periodontology and oral medicine,
  • orthopedic dentistry,
  • dental prosthetics,
  • maxillofacial surgery, including dentoalveolar surgery.

→ Oral Part – An assessment of communication skills and the ability to analyze complex clinical cases.

Details and feedback on the qualifying / supplementary exam (doplňujúca skúška)

We have conducted several interviews so that you can:
  • how the exam on May 28, 2024, went,
  • personal experiences with preparation and passing the additional exam on the first attempt,
  • expectations and results shared by colleagues,
  • valuable advice.
Pediatrician answers to the following questions:
  • How many participants were there?
  • Difficulty of the supplementary / qualifying examination (doplňujúca skúška)
  • Commission
  • Comparison with exams in Ukraine
  • Feelings before and after the exam: expectations and reality
  • Tips for future exam takers
  • Did the course help?
  • Future plans

Read the pediatrician's impressions of the Supplementary Exam for foreign doctors in Slovakia >>

A neurologist answered the following questions in an interview:
  • How long did you study for the exam?
  • How was the exam held?
  • How was the oral part of the supplementary/qualifying exam (doplňujúca skúška)?
  • How many tests were there in the written part?
  • What was the most difficult part of the written part of the supplementary/qualifying exam (doplňujúca skúška)?
  • How many questions are asked in the oral part?
  • What did you like and what was difficult in the exam?
  • Is mental preparation for the exam important?
  • How did you prepare for the supplementary/qualifying exam (doplňujúca skúška)?
  • Were there any topics or questions that were particularly difficult?
  • Evaluation of the difficulty of the exam
  • Correlation between the effort spent on preparation and the result obtained
  • What advice would you give to those who will be taking this exam?
  • What are future plans?

View the interview with the neurologist who passed the exam on the first attempt >>>

Results of the qualifying / supplementary exam for foreign medics in Slovakia (Doplňujúca skúška lekár):

Analyzing the results:

Average percentage on the written exam (%PP):
- Highest: 100%
- Lowest: 50%
- Average percentage: 90.96%.

Average success rate by specialization (% odborne):
- Highest: 95%
- Lowest: 68,75%
- Average percentage: 83,78%.

Total scores (Spolu):
- Highest scores: 89
- Lowest score: 55
- Average score : 74.5.

Grade distribution by subject:
- Internal Medicine (VL): Varies from 12 to 20 points.
- Gynecology (Gyn): Varies from 15 to 20 marks.
- Surgery (Chir): Ranges from 13 to 20 points.
- Pediatrics (Pediat): 11 to 20 points.
- Intensive medicine (Int): 15 to 20 points.

Results of doctors who have taken Slovak courses for medical professionals

Written exam (PP):
- Grade point average: 90.83
- Minimum score: 75
- Maximum score: 100

Success rate in the major (% odborne):
- Average percentage: 84.63
- Minimum percentage: 78.75%
- Maximum percentage: 88.75%

Conclusion: The average results of graduates from the Slovak language course for medical professionals are quite high, with scores exceeding 90% on the written exam and approximately 85% in their specialty. These results significantly exceeds the minimum passing score.

SLOVAK COURSES FOR MEDICS

SLOVENČINA PRE ZDRAVOTNÍKOV Fáza 1 - Základy slovenského jazyka

SLOVENČINA PRE ZDRAVOTNÍKOV Fáza 2 - Lekárska slovenčina

SLOVENČINA PRE LEKÁROV Fáza 3 (+ príprava na kvalifikačnú skúšku)

SLOVENČINA PRE ZUBÁROV Fáza 3 (+ príprava na kvalifikačnú skúšku)

SLOVENČINA PRE ZDRAVOTNÉ SESTRY Fáza 3 (+ príprava na kvalifikačnú skúšku)

PRÁVNE MINIMUM pre zahraničných zdravotníkov Fáza 4
]]> Supplementary exam for foreign doctors in Slovakia: Experience of a pediatrician from Ukraine https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/6n6blhep01-supplementary-exam-for-foreign-doctors-i https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/6n6blhep01-supplementary-exam-for-foreign-doctors-i?amp=true Wed, 05 Jun 2024 16:23:00 +0300 Med-Integro Team Find out how the exam went - Doplňujúca skúška lekár - 28.05.2024. Personal experience of preparing and successfully passing the exam on the first attempt, as well as tips for future exam takers

Supplementary exam for foreign doctors in Slovakia: Experience of a pediatrician from Ukraine

The qualifying / supplementary exam (doplňujúca skúška) was held on May 28, 2024.

A doctor (pediatrician), let's call her Olga, who has taken a cycle of Slovak language courses for foreign medics, was at this exam and shared her impressions, preparation tips and general useful information about the organization.

The commission and the exam format

The exam began with a joint testing session involving both dentists (zubný lekár) and physicians (lekár). At this stage we were able to bond a little, to feel that we were in the same boat. Although we could not communicate while the test was being conducted, after the test we were able to discuss the difficulty of the questions and the answer choices with some of our colleagues.

How many participants were there?
There were 44 people present at the exam, 40 of whom successfully passed the test. After that, we were divided into two groups of 20 people each to take the oral part of the exam. Of the 20 people in my group, 10 passed. In the second group, which was an unexpected result, 14 out of 20 participants successfully answered all the additional questions of the exam committee. This was a record result, and many attribute it to the absence of a strict examiner, which was feared by those who came to the exam not for the first time.

How would you rate the difficulty of the exam?
I would rate the written part of the exam 5 out of 10, but the oral exam was a definite 10 out of 10. It was incredibly challenging, especially from a psycho-emotional perspective. You sit in front of five people, each asking their own questions. In such an atmosphere, it is easy to forget everything you knew.

How long was the exam?
We started with the tests in the morning, and from 13:00 the real torture began. Our group stayed in the exam until 17:30. It was horrible chronic stress.

What can you tell about the committee that took the exam?
The qualifying / supplementary examination (doplňujúca skúška) included questions in four fields:
  1. internal medicine (Interná medicína),
  2. surgery (Chirurgia),
  3. pediatrics (Pediatria),
  4. gynecology and obstetrics (Gynekológia a pôrodníctvo).
The committee consisted of four specialists, each of whom asked questions in a different field, and the chairman of the committee. The chairman did not ask me anything, although others said that he was sometimes actively involved in the process.

Comparison with exams in Ukraine
Our student noted that the exams in Slovakia are significantly different from those she took in Ukraine. The main stress factor is the language.

— It was a long time ago, but the most important difference was the language. In Slovakia, I had to answer in a non-native language, which added stress. Sometimes I just couldn't remember the right term because of my nerves.

Supplementary exam: expectations and reality

Surprise on the exam
One of the first and most impressive surprises at the oral part of the exam was that the committee turned out to be quite loyal, friendly. This really surprised me, because in the “narrow” circle of foreign medics in Slovakia, who often prepare for the exam together and also look for colleagues who have already had such experience, there were many rumors that the examiners were “tough”, very strict and asked tricky questions. I was asked normal questions, although of course there were additional questions.
Evaluation of results
I have only been in Slovakia for 10 months and already passed the exam! I am very satisfied! Some of my colleagues who have been here since the beginning of the war had not even started preparation. I knew I would take the exam in May, so I started preparing from September. I think it's a great result.

Have expectations been fulfilled?
Expectations and the results of the qualifying / supplementary exam (doplňujúca skúška) may often not match, but in Olga's case, the outcome was better than she expected.

— The result exceeded all my expectations!
I gave myself permission not to pass the first time. After all, I would have kept going until I passed. In Slovakia, fortunately, the number of attempts to retake the exam for foreign doctors is not limited. I heard that some people take the exam eight times. I eventually passed the first time. And the result was better than I expected.

Tips for examiners

Preparing for the qualifying / supplementary exam (doplňujúca skúška) requires considerable effort and time. Many candidates had to study for 6 months or even a year, with a minimum of two hours of preparation time each day.

To successfully pass the "skushka" (this is how natives of the Russian/Ukrainian-speaking environment call an additional exam, communicating in native language), the following are essential:
  • knowledge of the material,
  • proficiency in the Slovak language,
  • psycho-emotional preparation.

"My advice is to study the material every day, for at least two hours. This not only helps you retain the knowledge but also prepares you for the stress of the exam. Additionally, it is important to remain mentally strong and not give up."

If you dedicate time to studying every day, you have every chance of success. I started preparing in September and studied almost without breaks. Those who relied on luck and did not devote enough time to preparation, of course, failed the exam. And honestly, I wouldn't want to see a doctor who takes their professional preparation, and consequently my health, so lightly.

Be sure to write down and learn the Latin names as well, as this is a necessary part of the answer when defining any term.

How beneficial was the Slovak course for foreign medics and the exam preparation included in the course?
There was a lot of material. The courses helped systematize knowledge and prepare for the main questions.

Additional materials were very helpful: files with answers to questions and notes, which helped better prepare for the exam. In the course lessons, as part of the homework, each group member prepared a report/answer to one of the exam questions. During the lesson, they presented the material in Slovak. Everyone else took notes, and the teacher corrected anything related to the Slovak language and proper pronunciation.

Plans for the future

"I am now planning to confirm my specialization. I am a pediatrician, but after the exam I am considered a doctor without specialization. I will have to send my documents to the ministry again and possibly continue studying. I plan to look for opportunities to complete a residency or internship in Slovakia," said Olga.

In conclusion to the story of our candidate, who passed the qualifying / supplementary exam (doplňujúca skúška) for doctors in Slovakia on the first attempt, the importance of diligent preparation in three fields should be emphasized:
  • language preparation (studying medical Slovak)
  • specialized preparation (reviewing and structuring the knowledge acquired during medical school, as well as direct preparation for exam topics/questions)
  • psycho-emotional readiness.

If you are planning to take an supplementary exam for medics in Slovakia and are looking for an effective way to prepare, check out the Complete Slovak Language Course for Medics.

During one or more phases of the course, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and nurses:
  • learn Slovak from scratch
  • master the necessary medical vocabulary
  • develop communication skills for complex professional topics
  • take mock tests (based on exam questions from previous years and feedback from those who have taken the exam)
  • undergo preliminary psychological preparation for the exam (through repeated practice of various parts and stages of the upcoming exam)

After successfully passing the qualifying / supplementary exam (doplňujúca skúška), a foreign medic gains the opportunity for full (independent, without the supervision of a Slovak specialist) employment in Slovakia.

SLOVAK COURSES FOR MEDICS

SLOVENČINA PRE ZDRAVOTNÍKOV Fáza 1 - Základy slovenského jazyka

SLOVENČINA PRE ZDRAVOTNÍKOV Fáza 2 - Lekárska slovenčina

SLOVENČINA PRE LEKÁROV Fáza 3 (+ príprava na kvalifikačnú skúšku)

SLOVENČINA PRE ZUBÁROV Fáza 3 (+ príprava na kvalifikačnú skúšku)

SLOVENČINA PRE ZDRAVOTNÉ SESTRY Fáza 3 (+ príprava na kvalifikačnú skúšku)

PRÁVNE MINIMUM pre zahraničných zdravotníkov Fáza 4

VIEW VACANCIES

]]> Presentation of the Med-Integro project at the international EPIM meeting https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/asd23gplz1-presentation-of-the-med-integro-project https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/asd23gplz1-presentation-of-the-med-integro-project?amp=true Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:05:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 On May 29 and 30, 2024, the event CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR MIGRATION & INCLUSION BRATISLAVA GATHERING organized by EPIM took place in Bratislava

Presentation of the Med-Integro project at the international EPIM meeting

On May 29 and 30, 2024, the event CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR MIGRATION & INCLUSION BRATISLAVA GATHERING organized by EPIM (European Philanthropic Initiative for Migration) took place in Bratislava.

The event's goal was to address the question of how to build inclusive societies in the region and what is necessary for living and healthy democracies. The present time puts us in front of many challenges that we have to face and migration is one of the main ones. Only how we approach them will ultimately mean whether an opportunity or a problem awaits us. Therefore, at the event, participating organizations that deal with migration and subsequent inquisition presented their real experiences and views on the issue.

Among the basic discussed questions to which the participants tried to find answers was the question of changing society's approach to migrants to see and assess them comprehensively (holistically) and not only from the point of view of their economic benefit or burden on society. Practical questions were directed to removing various barriers (social, economic, cultural, religious) where there was room for presentations of various practical solutions and proposals.

Among the most inspiring presentations of this time of the event was the presentation of the Med-Integro project, which is being created with the support of the EU within the framework of Erasmus Plus, and the main author of the whole idea, Alona Kurotová, spoke with it. This project is a guide to a practical solution for a selected group of migrants who are healthcare workers. The paradox is that our entire region suffers from a long-term lack of qualified medical personnel, and despite this, the inclusion of these people is difficult and often completely pointlessly complicated. From our point of view, the successful inclusion of foreigners in our society is possible only if these people feel welcome, valued, supported and respected here. We found that we need a system of integration or inclusion for foreign and returning health workers, that's why the Medintegro project was created. It combines 4 parts: a relocation system, where foreign health workers could be welcomed, employees are respected, a community that supports them, and e-learning modules that make them more valued. We know that every part is important, it is not only about the language. It is clear to us that this project deals with only a selected small group of highly qualified migrants, but in the subsequent discussions, it became clear that it can be a suitable basis and tool for a systemic solution to the inclusion of much wider group migrants, mainly from the point of view of the lack of labour and the ageing of the population both in our region and throughout Europe.

We believe that just such inspiring events will help us together to turn a problem into an opportunity, and our thanks, therefore, go to the organizers as well as to all the participants of the event.
]]> Supplementary exam for foreign doctors/dentists in Slovakia (28.05.2024) https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/5tugblbg21-supplementary-exam-for-foreign-doctorsde https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/5tugblbg21-supplementary-exam-for-foreign-doctorsde?amp=true Sat, 01 Jun 2024 16:41:00 +0300 Answers to the main questions about the qualification/supplementary exam (Doplňujúca skúška) for foreign doctors in Slovakia.

Supplementary exam for foreign doctors/dentists in Slovakia (28.05.2024)

Personal experience of a doctor who passed the exam at the first attempt:
✔ how long the whole exam (written and oral part) lasts and how it goes, in general,
✔ how many questions are in the written part, which topics, which questions are the most difficult,
✔ how the oral part of the exam is conducted,
✔ how to prepare for the exam in order to pass it on the first try.

About applying and starting the exam

Approximately a month before the exam (the minimum application submission period for taking the supplementary exam is 30 days), I submitted all the necessary documents.

The application for the supplementary exam must include:
  • The applicant's first and last name.
  • The address of the applicant's permanent residence or an equivalent place of residence.
  • The name of the regulated profession in the Slovak Republic for which the recognition of professional qualifications is being sought and for which the supplementary exam will be conducted.

The following documents must be attached to the application:
  • A copy of the educational document with a translation into the official language of the Slovak Republic.
  • A copy of the decision from the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic recognizing the educational document (a decision issued by the authority of the Czech Republic or another state is not accepted) — Diploma Nostrification.
  • Proof of payment for services related to the supplementary exam — Examination fee.

On the day of the exam, there were about 110 of us, and we were divided into two groups: 44 people were taking the exam for medical doctors, and 67 were for dentists. We all gathered in a large assembly hall where we were given the test assignments.

How was the supplementary exam (doplňujúca skúška) for foreign doctors in Slovakia?

How long is the exam?
The exam started around 8.00 am.
The written part lasted approximately 1-2 hours. This time was given to answer all 100 questions.

How many questions were in the written part?
There were 100 questions in the written part of the exam. 20 of them were related to the legal framework of health care in Slovakia, and the remaining 80 were on medical topics in thematic sections:
  • general medicine,
  • gynecology,
  • surgery,
  • pediatrics.

Take the MINI TEST to review sample questions from the supplementary exam for third country medics in Slovakia and see how prepared you are for the exam.

How the oral part of the exam is conducted:
After completing the written exam, we were divided into groups of 20 people for the oral part. In the examination room, there were 5 people present at a time. Each person would answer their question and then leave the room so that the next person on the list could join the exam.

Overall, the exam did not seem very difficult to me, except for some questions that I don't recall even covering during my time in medical school.

Additionally, a particular discomfort was caused by the fact that the exam took place in the presence of other students (colleagues), rather than being one-on-one with the examination panel.
How to prepare for the exam to pass on the first attempt:
I started my preparation around February 2023 at iCan School.
There, I completed phases 2 and 3 of the preparation process.
I recommend beginning your preparation well in advance and focusing on understanding all the key concepts and classifications.

Advice for medical professionals preparing for the supplementary exam (Doplňujúca Skúška) in Slovakia:
My advice is to thoroughly study the entire exam material, at least the essential topics and classifications. It might be helpful to review some of these initially in your native language to better understand the concepts before diving into the Slovak language material.

SLOVAK COURSES FOR PHYSICIANS

SLOVENČINA PRE ZDRAVOTNÍKOV Fáza 1 - Základy slovenského jazyka

SLOVENČINA PRE ZDRAVOTNÍKOV Fáza 2 - Lekárska slovenčina

SLOVENČINA PRE LEKÁROV Fáza 3 (+ príprava na kvalifikačnú skúšku)

SLOVENČINA PRE ZUBÁROV Fáza 3 (+ príprava na kvalifikačnú skúšku)

SLOVENČINA PRE ZDRAVOTNÉ SESTRY Fáza 3 (+ príprava na kvalifikačnú skúšku)

PRÁVNE MINIMUM pre zahraničných zdravotníkov Fáza 4
]]> Ask anything about relocation and integration of medical professionals in Slovakia https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/2m7azb4ld1-ask-anything-about-relocation-and-integr https://b2c.medinklud.eu/tpost/2m7azb4ld1-ask-anything-about-relocation-and-integr?amp=true Mon, 13 May 2024 23:37:00 +0300 Med-Integro Team Frequently asked questions and answers for foreign medical professionals regarding relocation and integration in Slovakia

Ask anything about relocation and integration of medical professionals in Slovakia

We are writing a comprehensive article for foreign medical professionals who are either integrating or planning to relocate to Slovakia. Our main partners are seasoned specialists from the Accredited Language School iCan and the International Association of Physicians in Slovakia (MALnS).

The article will feature information about:
  • taking the qualification/supplementary exam (doplňujúca skúška),
  • job search,
  • employment,
  • and addressing other challenges faced by medical professionals while integrating into the Slovak healthcare system.

If you are recently in Slovakia and have questions, feel free to submit them using the form provided.

ASK A QUESTION

If you have experience in one or more of the listed areas and believe it could help simplify integration for "newbies," please share it.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE

We will ensure to attribute authorship if that's important to you and sincerely appreciate your participation.
]]> MALnS and the Faculty of Law of Comenius University in Bratislava have concluded an Agreement on Mutual Cooperation https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/i2d5kyzza1-malns-and-the-faculty-of-law-of-comenius https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/i2d5kyzza1-malns-and-the-faculty-of-law-of-comenius?amp=true Mon, 13 May 2024 22:57:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 On Tuesday, May 7, 2024 was the signing ceremony of the Agreement on Mutual Cooperation

MALnS and the Faculty of Law of Comenius University in Bratislava have concluded an Agreement on Mutual Cooperation

On Tuesday, May 7, 2024, a ceremonial signing of the Agreement on Mutual Cooperation took place between the International Association of Physicians in Slovakia and the Faculty of Law of Comenius University in Bratislava. This marks the culmination of negotiations aimed at actively participating in addressing current societal issues in the field of health care. This agreement creates a strong professional partnership, particularly in the preparation of legislative proposals necessary for the better integration of foreign healthcare professionals, as well as in research, education, and project areas.
]]> ZERO Ukrainian nurses in the Slovak healthcare system... https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/u1aglt4f71-zero-ukrainian-nurses-in-the-slovak-heal https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/u1aglt4f71-zero-ukrainian-nurses-in-the-slovak-heal?amp=true Mon, 13 May 2024 22:00:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 The "First-hand Experience" broadcast, where the President of the Slovak Chamber of Nurses and Midwives, Iveta Lazorova, was also in discussion alongside the founder of MALnS, Alona Kurotova

ZERO Ukrainian nurses in the Slovak healthcare system...

Although the Ministry of Health announced the simplification of the diploma recognition system for Ukrainian nurses with a completed bachelor's degree last year, which would have provided them with the opportunity to fully apply their qualifications in the Slovak healthcare system, the real outcome is indicated by the title of this post. One could ironically note that the debate about Ukrainian nurses in the Slovak healthcare system is "a debate about nothing."

However, to better understand the essence of the problem and potential solutions, it is necessary to listen to the opinions of those who are looking for ways and solutions (and, of course, know what they are talking about).

This was precisely the focus of Tuesday's broadcast "First-hand Experience," where the President of the Slovak Chamber of Nurses and Midwives (Slovenská komora sestier a pôrodných asistentiek), Iveta Lazorova, was also in discussion alongside the founder of International Association of Physicians in Slovakia (MALnS), Alona Kurotova.

In conclusion, it is simply desired that all relevant authorities take a close look at this issue, because the problem of nursing shortages in our healthcare system will not resolve itself (and will only get worse).
]]> Employment of Ukrainian doctors in Slovakia https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/jy5isxrnp1-employment-of-ukrainian-doctors-in-slova https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/jy5isxrnp1-employment-of-ukrainian-doctors-in-slova?amp=true Wed, 08 May 2024 20:37:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 We would like to invite you to a meeting to learn more about the practical and legal aspects of employing Ukrainian doctors in Slovakia

Employment of Ukrainian doctors in Slovakia

MEDINTEGRO, as part of its aim to facilitate the employment and integration of health professionals from outside the European Union into EU countries, invites you to an interesting event!

Many healthcare professionals from abroad have already successfully participated in the online Slovak language courses for healthcare professionals that we have prepared together with our main partner - the iCanSchool language school.

We would therefore like to invite you to a meeting where you will learn more about the practical and legal aspects of employing Ukrainian doctors in Slovakia.

We will talk about:

  • legal status and opportunities in Slovak healthcare
  • key aspects to consider when entering into a contract with an employer and preparing for a new working environment.

The meeting will be addressed by Mgr. Alona Kurotová, PhD., founder of the International Association of Doctors in Slovakia, iCan School, director of the consulting company Alkur, director of the Alona Kurotová Foundation. Don't miss this unique opportunity to prepare for your future in a new medical environment!

When and at what time?

May 18, 2024 at 1:30 p.m.

Where?

Place: Panónska cesta 3604/17, 851 01 Petržalka, kancelária 4, priestor iCan School.

Registration is required

Join us now!
MEDINTEGRO, в рамках своєї місії з полегшення працевлаштування та інтеграції медичних працівників з-поза меж Європейського Союзу в країни ЄС, запрошує вас на цікавий захід!

Багато медичних фахівців із-за кордону вже успішно взяли участь у онлайн-курсах зі словацької мови для медичного персоналу, які розроблені спільно з нашим головним партнером - мовною школою iCanSchool.

Тому ми хочемо запросити вас на зустріч, де ви дізнаєтеся більше про практичні та юридічні аспекти питання працевлаштування українських лікарів у Словаччині.

Поговоримо про:

  • правовий статус і можливості у медичній системі Словаччини
  • ключові аспекти, які варто врахувати при укладанні договору з роботодавцем та підготовці до нової робочої обстановки.

На зустрічі виступить Mgr. Альона Куротова, PhD., засновниця Міжнародної Асоціації лікарів у Словаччині, мовної школи iCan School, директор консалтингової компанії Alkur, керівниця Благодійного фонду Альони Куротової. Не пропустіть цю унікальну можливість підготуватися до свого майбутнього в новому медичному середовищі!

Коли та о котрій?

18 травня 2024 року, о 13:30

Де?

Місце: Panónska cesta 3604/17, 851 01 Petržalka, офіс 4, приміщення iCan School.

Реєстрація обовʼязкова

Долучайтесь вже зараз!
]]> The informal project meeting in Riga (Latvia) https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/7j0c59jbl1-the-informal-project-meeting-in-riga-lat https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/7j0c59jbl1-the-informal-project-meeting-in-riga-lat?amp=true Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:00:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 iCanSchool team used the opportunity to have a meeting with the EuroFortis team regarding the Med-Integro project

The informal project meeting in Riga (Latvia)

iCanSchool team being in Riga in August for a Learn & Lead used this opportunity to have a meeting with the EuroFortis team regarding the Med-Integro project!

We had a very productive meeting discussing project issues and further plans 🤝.

We thank you our partners for such hospitality and responsiveness.

Wishing everyone to have a wonderful and productive day 🫶.
]]> The offline meeting of the Med-Integro project participants in Prague (Czech Republic) https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/a47tjvdfs1-the-offline-meeting-of-the-med-integro-p https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/a47tjvdfs1-the-offline-meeting-of-the-med-integro-p?amp=true Wed, 28 Jun 2023 17:00:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 During these two days, the meeting participants took part in a platform training, shared project progress, discussed a course structure and agreed on the plans

The offline meeting of the Med-Integro project participants in Prague (Czech Republic)

On June 26-27, there was a productive Med-Integro project meeting in Prague!

iCanSchool, EuroFortis, Jazyková škola Threshold Training Associates, Medzinárodná asociácia lekárov a zdravotníkov na Slovensku representatives gathered to discuss developments in the project and its further growth.

The goal of the project is to support healthcare workers from different countries in their integration in Slovakia, Latvia and the Czech Republic.

During these two days, the meeting participants took part in a platform training, shared project progress, discussed a course structure and agreed on the plans.

We agreed on a common strategy, ways of further development, common methods of testing and more.

The Med-Integro meeting was very productive. We thank you Jazyková škola Threshold Training Associates for hosting us and a big thank you to all the partners for such a fruitful work.
]]> Monthly online meetings https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/n1p7d5o7c1-monthly-online-meetings https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/n1p7d5o7c1-monthly-online-meetings?amp=true Tue, 25 Apr 2023 19:00:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 Dozens of monthly online meetings where the project team synchronizes progress, gets feedback from partners, discusses next steps and simply supports each other

Monthly online meetings

Dozens of monthly online meetings where the project team synchronizes progress, gets feedback from partners, discusses next steps and simply supports each other.
]]> The first stage of the Med-Integro educational platform testing has started https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/29vtykvyg1-the-first-stage-of-the-med-integro-educa https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/29vtykvyg1-the-first-stage-of-the-med-integro-educa?amp=true Fri, 16 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 More than 100 foreign doctors, pharmacists, dentists and nurses have started taking a specialized Slovak language course for healthcare workers

The first stage of the Med-Integro educational platform testing has started

More than 100 foreign doctors, pharmacists, dentists and nurses have started taking a specialized Slovak language course for healthcare workers.

The course takes place online and is being delivered by the iCanSchool.

MEDINTEGRO is a project aimed at the relocation and integration of foreign healthcare professionals in the EU and is being implemented with the support of SAAIC - Erasmusplus SK and Medzinárodná asociácia lekárov a zdravotníkov na Slovensku

Similar testing of the study program will soon be carried out by other participants of the project: EuroFortis (Latvia) and Jazyková škola Threshold Training Associates (Czech Republic).
]]> The offline meeting of the Med-Integro project participants in Riga (Latvia) https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/ua1u2r7pj1-the-offline-meeting-of-the-med-integro-p https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/ua1u2r7pj1-the-offline-meeting-of-the-med-integro-p?amp=true Mon, 08 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 At the end of the meeting, the project participants supplemented and approved the rules for joint work on the project, forms of reporting and mutual control, and also began to plan the promotion of the project

The offline meeting of the Med-Integro project participants in Riga (Latvia)

At the end of the meeting, the project participants supplemented and approved the rules for joint work on the project, forms of reporting and mutual control, and also began to plan the promotion of the project]]> The first offline meeting of the Med-Integro project participants in Bratislava (Slovakia) https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/09krj1c8c1-the-first-offline-meeting-of-the-med-int https://b2c.medinklud.eu/2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107-info-channel-en/tpost/09krj1c8c1-the-first-offline-meeting-of-the-med-int?amp=true Thu, 05 May 2022 13:55:00 +0300 2021-1-sk01-ka220-vet-000025107 Representatives of the language schools of Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Latvia discussed the goals and scope of the project, as well as assigned tasks for the first stage. The main vector of work in the next few months is...

The first offline meeting of the Med-Integro project participants in Bratislava (Slovakia)

Participants of the international educational project MED-INTEGRO met in Bratislava. Representatives of the language schools of Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Latvia discussed the goals and scope of the project, as well as assigned tasks for the first stage. The main vector of work in the next few months is the collection and analysis of information about the training materials available in each participating country.

At the meeting, partners Alona Kurotova, Jitka Blazkova, Ladislav Blazek, Adela Vitkovska, Jurij Vitkovskij and Oleh Verhulenko agreed on the distribution of tasks within the project and set further goals, which are mainly focused on collecting information about the available training materials in each country. The next meeting is scheduled for early June.
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