Editing General practitioner (section)

=== European Union ===
General practitioners are regulated in the EU by [[Directive 2005/36/EC]].<ref name="Directive 2005/36/EC">[http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2005/36/oj Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications, Official Journal of the European Union, 30.9.2005]</ref>

==== France ====
In France the '''''médecin généraliste''''' (commonly called ''médecin de famille'') is responsible for primary care medicine, including non-vital emergencies and patient's follow up.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.onisep.fr/Ressources/Univers-Metier/Metiers/medecin-generaliste |title=Accueil: Secteurs: Fiches métier: médecin généraliste |publisher=National Office for Information on Education and Occupations (ONISEP) |website=www.onisep.fr |access-date=4 November 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105032735/http://www.onisep.fr/Ressources/Univers-Metier/Metiers/medecin-generaliste |archive-date=5 November 2016 }}</ref> This implies prevention, education, care of the [[disease]]s and [[Physical trauma|trauma]]s.  The general practitionner orientates the patients to other specialists when necessary. 

They have a role in the survey of [[epidemy|epidemics]], a legal role (constatation of traumas that can bring compensation, certificates for the practice of a [[sport]], [[death certificate]], certificate for hospitalisation without consent in case of mental incapacity), and a role in the [[emergency medicine|emergency care]] (they can be called by the ''samu'', the French [[emergency medical service|EMS]]). They often go to a patient's home when the patient cannot come to the consulting room (especially in case of children or old people), and have to contribute to night and week-end duties. {{citation needed|date=August 2012}}

The studies consist of six years at university (common to all medical specialities), and four years as a resident (''interne'')&nbsp;:
* the first year (PASS, ''Parcours d'Accès Spécifique Santé'', often abbreviated to ''P1'' by students) is common with the dentists, pharmacists and [[midwives]]. The rank at the final competitive examination<ref>Marchand-Antonin, Benoît. "[http://thesesdemedecine.free.fr/wp-content/thesis/NumerusClausus.BenoitMarchandAntonin.pdf The ''numerus clausus'' : its side effects - its place in globalization of the medicine] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720230935/http://thesesdemedecine.free.fr/wp-content/thesis/NumerusClausus.BenoitMarchandAntonin.pdf |date=2011-07-20 }}"</ref> determines in which branch the student can choose to study.
* the following two years, called ''propédeutique'', are dedicated to the fundamental sciences: [[anatomy]], human [[physiology]], [[biochemistry]], [[bacteriology]], [[statistics]]...
* the three following years are called ''externat'' and are dedicated to the study of [[clinical medicine]]; they end with a classifying examination, the rank determines in which specialty (general medicine is one of them) the student can make her or his ''internat'';
* the ''internat'' is three years -or more depending on the specialty- of initial professional experience under the responsibility of a ''senior''; the ''interne'' can prescribe, s/he can replace physicians,<ref>Guedes-Marchand, Cécile. "[http://thesesdemedecine.free.fr/wp-content/thesis/RemplacantMedGen.CecileGuedesMarchand.pdf Le remplaçant, cet intermittent de la médecine générale : sa place dans le système de soins] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720231207/http://thesesdemedecine.free.fr/wp-content/thesis/RemplacantMedGen.CecileGuedesMarchand.pdf|date=2011-07-20}}"</ref> and usually works in a hospital.
This ends with a [[doctorate]], a research work which usually consist of a statistical study of cases to propose a care strategy for a specific condition (in an epidemiological, diagnostic, or therapeutic point of view).

==== Greece ====
General Practice was established as a medical specialty in Greece in 1986. To qualify as a General Practitioner (γενικός ιατρός, genikos iatros) doctors in Greece are required to complete four years of vocational training after medical school, including three years and two months in a hospital setting.<ref>{{cite web |title= Primary Care in Greece |url= http://www.euprimarycare.org/column/primary-care-greece |publisher= European Forum for Primary Care |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140201213157/http://www.euprimarycare.org/column/primary-care-greece |archive-date= 2014-02-01 |access-date= 2013-11-18 }}</ref> General Practitioners in Greece may either work as private specialists or for the National Healthcare Service, ESY (Εθνικό Σύστημα Υγείας, ΕΣΥ).

==== Netherlands and Belgium ====
General practice in the Netherlands and Belgium is considered advanced. The ''huisarts'' (literally: "home doctor") administers first line, primary care. In the Netherlands, patients usually cannot consult a hospital specialist without a required referral. Most GPs work in private practice although more medical centers with employed GPs are seen. Many GPs have a specialist interest, e.g. in [[palliative care]].

In Belgium, one year of lectures and two years of [[residency (medicine)|residency]] are required. In the Netherlands, training consists of three years (full-time) of specialization after completion of internships of 3 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uemo.eu/gp-in-europe/83-the-netherlands.html|title=GP in Europe: The Netherlands|publisher=UEMO|access-date=31 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531125001/http://www.uemo.eu/gp-in-europe/83-the-netherlands.html|archive-date=31 May 2014}}</ref> First and third year of training takes place at a GP practice. The second year of training consists of six months training at an emergency room, or internal medicine, paediatrics or gynaecology, or a combination of a general or academic hospital, three months of training at a psychiatric hospital or outpatient clinic and three months at a nursing home (verpleeghuis) or clinical geriatrics ward/policlinic. During all three years, residents get one day of training at university while working in practice the other days. The first year, a lot of emphasis is placed on communications skills with video training. Furthermore, all aspects of working as a GP gets addressed including working with the medical standards from the Dutch GP association NHG (Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nhg.artsennet.nl/kenniscentrum/k_richtlijnen/k_nhgstandaarden.htm |title=NHG-Standaarden |publisher=Nhg.artsennet.nl |date=2012-10-18 |access-date=2012-10-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116222730/http://nhg.artsennet.nl/kenniscentrum/k_richtlijnen/k_nhgstandaarden.htm |archive-date=2013-01-16 }}</ref>
All residents must also take the national GP knowledge test (Landelijke Huisartsgeneeskundige Kennistoets (LHK-toets)) twice a year.<ref name="huisartsopleiding.nl">{{cite web|url=http://huisartsopleiding.nl/content.asp?kid=10072029&bid=10028521 |title=Huisartsopleiding Nederland - LHK-toets |publisher=Huisartsopleiding.nl |access-date=2012-10-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521130104/http://huisartsopleiding.nl/content.asp?kid=10072029&bid=10028521 |archive-date=2013-05-21 }}</ref> In this test of 120 multiple choice questions, medical, ethical, scientific and legal matters of GP work are addressed.<ref name="huisartsopleiding.nl"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://knmg.artsennet.nl/Opleiding-en-Registratie/opleiding/hvrc.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710164147/http://knmg.artsennet.nl/Opleiding-en-Registratie/opleiding/hvrc.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-10 |title=Opleiding tot huisarts |publisher=Knmg.artsennet.nl |access-date=2012-10-28 }}</ref>

==== Spain ====
[[File:DivinoValles.jpg|thumb|200px| [[Francisco Vallés]] (Divino Vallés)]]

In Spain GPs are officially '''especialistas en medicina familiar y comunitaria''' but are commonly called "''médico de cabecera''" or "''médico de familia''".<ref>[[:es:Medicina familiar y comunitaria]]{{Circular reference|date=May 2022}}</ref> It was established as a medical specialty in Spain  in 1978.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1979-3116 | title=Real Decreto 3303/1978, de 29 de diciembre, de regulación de la medicina de familia y comunitaria como especialidad de la profesión médica | pages=2735–2736 }}</ref>

Most Spanish GPs work for the state-funded health services provided by the county's 17 regional governments (''comunidades autónomas''). They are in most cases salary-based healthcare workers.

For the provision of primary care, Spain is currently divided geographically in basic health care areas (''áreas básicas de salud''), each one containing a primary health care team (''Equipo de atención primaria''). Each team is multidisciplinary and typically includes GPs, community pediatricians, nurses, physiotherapists and social workers, together with ancillary staff. In urban areas all the services are concentrated in a single large building (Centro de salud) while in rural areas the main center is supported by smaller branches (''consultorios''), typically single-handled.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msc.es/ciudadanos/prestaciones/centrosServiciosSNS/hospitales/introduccionCentro.htm|title=Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad - Ciudadanos - Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo - Ciudadanos - Sistema Nacional de Salud - Centros|website=www.msc.es|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109111313/http://www.msc.es/ciudadanos/prestaciones/centrosServiciosSNS/hospitales/introduccionCentro.htm|archive-date=2010-01-09}}</ref>

Becoming a GP in Spain involves studying medicine for 6 years, passing a competitive national exam called MIR (''Medico Interno Residente'') and undergoing a 4-year training program. The training program includes core specialties as general medicine and general practice (around 12 months each), pediatrics, gynecology, orthopedics and psychiatry. Shorter and optional placements in ENT, ophthalmology, ED, infectious diseases, rheumathology or others add up to the 4 years curriculum. The assessment is work based and involves completing a logbook that ensures all the expected skills, abilities and aptitudes have been acquired by the end of the training period.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.msc.es/profesionales/formacion/docs/medifamiliar.pdf |title=Ministerio de Sanidad |access-date=2013-03-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513091914/http://www.msc.es/profesionales/formacion/docs/medifamiliar.pdf |archive-date=2013-05-13 }}</ref><ref>[[:es:Examen MIR]]{{Circular reference|date=May 2022}}</ref>