[Recruitment and specialists' training in obstetrics and gynecology]

In 1996 the Norwegian Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology appointed a committee to investigate and evaluate the situation concerning recruitment to specialist training in obstetrics and gynaecology. The evaluation was based on data from Section of Register and Statistics in the Norwegian Medical Association, "Utvalg for legestillinger"--a committee central in the regulation of number of doctors' positions, and information from a questionnaire sent to all departments of obstetrics and gynaecology in Norway. The availability of doctors is expected to increase from the beginning of the next century. The committee finds no reason to believe that there is a crisis of recruitment to obstetrics and gynaecology compared to other specialities. The increasing number of female trainees has no negative impact on the rate of production of specialists as time from authorization to specialist is shorter for women than for men. Immigration is a factor of uncertain impact, 20% of the trainees are from abroad, a higher number than in any other speciality. The committee has not found any increased flow of specialists from hospitals to private practice during the last two years. The factors of greatest impact on the future need for specialists is above all increase in the number of positions, changes in working hours and age limit for retirement. Today's rate of education of specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology is satisfactory in a situation where balancing loss is sufficient, but too low to cater for any increase in the number of positions.