Prospect of 20 New Study Places in the Medical Programme in Esbjerg
As part of the new rural development initiative, the government plans to allocate an additional 20 study places to the Master’s programme in Medicine at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). This expansion is anticipated to increase the number of newly trained doctors in Esbjerg from 30 to 50 annually. It represents a significant step towards strengthening local healthcare and ensuring a more balanced geographical distribution of doctors across the country.
The Minister for Economic Affairs, Stephanie Lose, recently announced that the government plans to expand the Master’s programme in Medicine in Esbjerg with an additional 20 study places, starting next summer. The aim is to bolster local healthcare and improve the balance between rural and urban areas.
The Master’s programme in Medicine, launched in 2022 with an initial 30 study places, has already gained recognition for its innovative departmental model, focus on compassion, and use of new technological tools.
Acting Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director at Esbjerg and Grindsted Hospital, as well as Board Member of Education Esbjerg, Anna-Marie Bloch Münster, views the additional study places as an ideal opportunity to further expand the popular departmental model.
- Establishing a Master’s programme in Medicine in Esbjerg has been a very positive experience. With these additional 20 places, we can now strengthen and build upon the departmental model, where students are attached to specific hospital departments during their studies. The concept has been a great success, and we look forward to offering this model to more students, she says, adding:
- In addition, it is a huge recognition of the hard work that has been done in recent years, driven by our ambition to create the best conditions for our Master’s students. The decision also has significant implications for the hospital's development. We are incredibly proud to have fulfilled our role as a university hospital to such an extent that we are now expanding. We have invested considerable effort into building an attractive Master’s programme, so we are delighted to see an increase in the number of study places. This is indeed a great day, Anna-Marie Bloch Münster concludes.
More Than Just an Expansion of the Medical Programme in Esbjerg
SDU’s Rector, Jens Ringsmose, is both proud and pleased with the prospect of training more competent doctors:
- At SDU, we strive every day to achieve the highest quality in research and education. We do this because it creates value for and with society – and because it is the core mission of the university. The medical programme in Esbjerg has proven to be a success and underscores SDU’s regional presence in the Region of Southern Denmark. It is a pleasure that this presence is now further strengthened with the news that SDU will be training even more competent doctors in Esbjerg, says SDU’s Rector, Jens Ringsmose.
Local Commitment and More Doctors in Southern Jutland
Lone Saaby, Director of Education in Esbjerg, highlights that while the allocation of additional study places is a step in the right direction, further expansion is still needed:
- It’s fantastic that we are now receiving 20 additional places in the Master’s programme in Esbjerg. This is an important step towards meeting the significant demand for doctors throughout Southwestern Jutland, but it will also positively impact the study environment in Esbjerg – particularly due to the programme’s strong focus on student well-being and practical experience. There is still a need to expand the programme further. Therefore, we are working hard to establish a Bachelor’s programme in Medicine so that Esbjerg can become a fully-fledged educational centre for doctors in Southwestern Jutland. Significant benefits can be achieved if we invest in education outside the major university cities.
Jesper Frost Rasmussen, Mayor of Esbjerg Municipality (V), welcomes the expansion and views it as a necessary measure to address the challenges of doctor shortages in the Southern Jutland area:
- It is positive that the rural development initiative emphasises the importance of addressing the fundamental challenge: that many general practitioners prefer to live and work where they are educated. The future organisation of the healthcare system must therefore be supported by opening more study places outside the major university cities. We need to ensure that all citizens, regardless of where they live, can access the necessary treatment.