Specialist training in pediatric anesthesia - the Scandinavian approach

There has been a great deal of focus on specialist training in pediatric anesthesia in the last decade or so. Internationally, however, there is still no uniform agreement as to how such a training program should be arranged and organized. Since September 2003, the Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine has coordinated an advanced Inter-Nordic educational program in pediatric anesthesia and intensive care. The training program is managed by a Steering Committee. This program is intended for physicians who recently have received their specialist degree in anesthesiology and intensive care. The training period is 12 months of which 9 months are dedicated to pediatric anesthesia and 3 months to pediatric intensive care. During the 1-year training period, the candidates are designated a Scandinavian host clinic (at a tertiary pediatric center in Scandinavia approved by the Steering Committee). The host clinic employs the candidate in an appropriate position for the duration of the training program. The program also includes three theoretical courses each of 4 days duration and a 4-week exchange module at another pediatric center inside or outside Scandinavia. In this article the Scandinavian training program in pediatric anesthesia and intensive care is presented and discussed in more details. International collaboration on how best to arrange and organize a training program in pediatric anesthesia and intensive care is encouraged.