Ukrainian Medical Council
Ukraine, Kiev
Ivan Franko str. 25/40, оf.2
+38(044) 592-05-75
+38(050) 405-03-47
RECOGNITION MEDICAL DIPLOMAS IN POLAND
Foreign credentials can be recognized in Poland according to different procedures, depending on the country of their origin, the level of education and the purpose of recognition (academic or professional).
Professional qualifications for the pursue of regulated professions and activities obtained in EU countries are recognized according to EU directives. All doctors could practice in Poland only after procedure of “nostrification” regulated by special legislation.
In case of Ukrainian doctors old law regulations are changed in June 2008 and according to new law “nostrification” is necessary for all of them now.
PROFESSIONAL TITLES AWARDED TO GRADUATES OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
- the professional title of licencjat pielęgniarstwa and licencjat położnictwa is awarded following the completion of higher professional studies in nursery and midwifery;
- the title lekarz medycyny (in the field of Medicine), lekarz dentysta (until 30.04.2004 lekarz stomatolog)(in the field of Dentistry) is awarded following the completion of uniform 4.5 or 6-year magister-level courses . To be awarded any of the above titles the student must complete all subjects and internships or a practical placement included in the curriculum, submit and defend a diploma project or thesis and pass a diploma examination.
Upon graduation, each student receives a diploma in a specific field of study, three copies of the diploma and, upon request, a diploma in a foreign language.
What is academic recognition?
Academic recognition is the recognition of a foreign qualification for the purpose of further studies.
In academic recognition the evaluators mainly seek to establish whether the applicant is capable of continuing studies in the chosen direction and at the chosen level.
In the following main cases one has to seek for academic recognition of the credentials earned in his /her previous studies:
- holding a degree/diploma of the home country and seeking admission in a further stage of studies in a foreign country;
- seeking admission for further studies at home country after completing the previous stage of studies abroad,
- moving from one foreign country to another to continue studies in the next stage study,
- returning to home institution after having completed a period of studies abroad In principle, academic recognition is sought only for admission to further studies. Some applicants however choose to receive a statement of recognition before seeking employment in such professions where recognition of a foreign degree/diploma, is not officially required (i.e. in non-regulated professions). This kind of recognition helps employers to understand to which home country's qualification the foreign one in question can be compared.
Where to find more information on recognition procedure in Poland?
Bureau for Academic Recognition and International Exchange
Internet address: http://www.buwiwm.edu.pl/
Contact person: Mrs. Ewa Majdowska, Deputy
Director Address: Bureau for Academic Recognition and International Exchange, ul. Smolna 13, PL-00375 Warszawa, Poland
Phone: +48 228288161
Fax: +48 228262823
E-mail: biuro@buwiwm.edu.pl
To whom should one apply for academic recognition in other countries?
The short answer is:
apply to the institution at which you want to continue your studies if you need information or assistance, contact that country's Academic recognition information centre (ENIC/NARIC). (we advise you to read the explanation below)
Explanation:
In most countries, the final decision on academic recognition of a foreign degree/diploma is taken by that higher education institution at which the studies are going to be continued. In many European countries (but not in all of them), before taking the decision, the institutions will send your diploma/degree certificate to that country's Academic Recognition Information centre (ENIC/NARIC) to receive its advisory statement.
In some countries, however, the Academic Recognition Information Centres do not deal with individual degrees/diplomas or individual applications - if this is the case, you have to solve all the issues with the higher education institution only.
To find out the specific regulations and procedures of the academic recognition in the country in question, it is always useful to consult the publications and webpages of the Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARIC).
As regards Europe, North America, as well as Australia contact details of the academic recognition information centre in a particular country, can be found from several sources: sever of the European academic recognition networks ENIC and NARIC , servers of the international organizations
- Council of Europe
- UNESCO (European Centre for Higher Education)
- European Commission (EU Member states, EEA and EU candidate countries)
What to do if academic recognition is denied?
Appeal
First of all, if academic recognition of applicant's degree/diploma or study period is denied, according to the Article III.5. of the Lisbon Recognition Convention, the applicant has the right to appeal.
Thus, if the academic recognition of the applicant's foreign diploma is denied and the applicant thinks that the decision violates the international legislation in the field of recognition, to which the country in question is bound, or the national legislation of that country, it is advisable to appeal against the decision.
According to the Lisbon Convention, the applicant has the right to be informed about the recognition procedures, including the procedure of appeal in the country in question.
Alternative or partial recognition
According to the Council of Europe/ UNESCO Recommendation on Criteria and Procedures for the Assessment of Foreign Qualifications, "in the cases where the recognition cannot be granted in accordance with the applicant's request, alternative or partial recognition should be considered".
Alternative recognition means that the applicants qualification is not recognised at the level of the host country's degree/diploma indicated by the applicant, but, instead, the competent recognition authority can offer recognition of the applicant's qualification at the level of another host country's degree/diploma.
In many cases that solves the problem - the applicant gains the possibility to continue studies in the host country, although in a programme different from the originally chosen one.
Partial recognition means that instead of recognition of the applicant's foreign degree/diploma as a full host country's qualification, the competent authority offers the applicant to recognise his/her qualification as part of studies towards the qualification that he/she indicated. If this is a solution, the applicant can continue studies to complete the missing parts towards the first qualification and then continue studies towards the next one as desired. Thus, if the full academic recognition of the applicant's qualification is rightly denied, it is worth to discuss with the competent authority the possibilities of alternative or partial recognition.
All procedures of academic recognition are providing by Polish Medical Universities listed bellow.
|
NAZWA
|
tel./fax
|
|
Uniwersytet Medyczny |
(0-85) |
|
Collegium Medicum im. Ludwika Rydygiera w Bydgoszczy Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu |
(0-52) |
|
Akademia Medyczna |
(0-58) |
|
Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Katowicach |
(0-32) |
|
Collegium Medicum UJ |
(0-12) |
|
Akademia Medyczna |
(0-81) |
|
Uniwersytet Medyczny |
(0-42) |
|
Uniwersytet Medyczny |
(0-61) |
|
Pomorska Akademia Medyczna |
(0-91) |
|
Warszawski Uniwersytet Medyczny |
(0-22) |
|
Akademia Medyczna |
(0-71) |
You can ask about more details also in
Polish Medical Chamber, Marek Szewczyński
ul. Sobieskiego 110 00-764 Warszawa
tel.: +48 22 559 13 09, +48 22 559 13 21
e-mail: nil_ue@hipokrates.org
What after nostrification?
1. To start 13 months internship you should pass Polish Medical Language Test in Polish Medical Chamber. All information about it and dates: Małgorzata Rachwalska, Polish Medical Chamber, +48225591332.
2. Just before passing language exam you receive limited right to work as a doctor in Poland and you can apply for passing “LEP” – Polish doctor exam (in Polish) - necessary to get full rights.
3. Additionally you have to complete 13 months internship or you can apply to Polish Ministry of Health for recognition your previous experience instead.
4. Polish Ministry of Health decide about recognizing your previous specialization as well.
Useful links:
http://www.buwiwm.edu.pl/eu/public/eng/expl_en/doc/broch_exp.pdf
http://www.enic-naric.net/index.aspx?c=Poland
http://www.buwiwm.edu.pl/publ/guide/index.htm
With regard to Ukrainian doctors potentially wanting to work in Poland please be informed that the situation looks as follows:
1. Doctors who obtained their diploma between years 1975 and 2004 do not need to validate their diplomas. Still they need to obtain the permission work as a doctor in Poland (PWZ). In order to get that they need to get:
a) a permission form a ministry of health to go through an internship in Poland (a year) unless the internship done in Ukraine will be acknowledged.
b) they need to pass a national medical exam ( LEP) in Polish language
c) they need to pass a Polish language test in Polish Medical Council
2. Doctors who obtained their diplomas later would need to validate their diplomas on one of Polish medical universities and then meet the above requirements as well.