More than half of resident doctors are considering leaving Romania, in the absence of clear professional opportunities, according to a national study. After the publication of the study, the Romanian College of Physicians declared that it supports the reduction of bureaucracy, the elimination of political influence and the access of specialists to positions where they can improve the health system.
According to the national study “The career path of public health and management doctors in Romania from residency to employment“, published on Monday, April 6, although 97.6% of residents declare themselves satisfied with professional training, major structural problems are highlighted, writes Agerpres.
These include lack of jobs (43%), uncertainty of public health positions for SPM professionals, bureaucracy and political influence in the decision-making process.
At the same time, the research outlines the profile of a new generation of doctors who consciously choose to specialize in public health and health management. 58.8% prefer a non-clinical environment, being interested in health promotion (53%), prevention (46%) and health management (36%).
Among the residents, 16.5% intend to leave the country, 53.6% consider it possible to leave depending on the opportunities, 31% want to stay in Romania.
According to data from the Romanian College of Physicians, in September 2025 there were 199 doctors specializing in Public Health and Management with the right to practice freely. As of April 2026, there are 213 such physicians and approximately 270 residents in training.
“The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest has an essential role in the coordination of postgraduate training, together with the other universities of medicine and pharmacy in the country within the G6-UMF Alliance.
As a university, we are concerned with the training of doctors, through the development and continuous updating of training curricula in accordance with European standards, consistent investments in medical simulation centers – which allow the development of practical skills in a safe and controlled environment – as well as through the involvement of an elite teaching body in the direct coordination of each specialty.
Also, through the academic partnership with health units, we integrate continuous medical education with practice at the patient’s bedside, ensuring a coherent transition from graduate status at that of the resident doctor.
This training model is also valid for pre-clinical specialties, and Public Health and Management is an essential field for the organization and operation of the health system, both at the hospital level and outside it, in the area of prevention and health policies“, declared Viorel Jinga, rector of the “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
President of the College of Doctors: “The health system needs doctors specialized in public health and health management”
President of the College of Doctors from Romania, Cătălina Poiană, stated that the results of the study highlight a reality that cannot be ignored: the development of the health system depends directly on the way in which the human resource is formed and exploited.
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“The health system in Romania really needs doctors specialized in public health and health management, especially in the area of hospitals and prevention.
The Romanian College of Physicians firmly supports the debureaucratization and depoliticization of these fields and the promotion of the access of these specialists to positions where their expertise can directly contribute to the development and efficiency of the health system“, said Poiana.
The study “Career path of Public Health and Management Doctors from Romania” was carried out in 2025 on 184 doctors (approx. 50% of the total) and analyzes their career path, motivations and difficulties. It was carried out by UMF “Carol Davila”, together with ARSPMS and several medical universities, with the support of the Romanian College of Physicians.
Rogobete: “Years in a row, positions have been removed from the pen, without a clear estimate”
The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rogobete, announces that, starting this year, the number of positions will be correlated with demographic analyzes and with the real needs of the health system, based on human resource data and retirement estimates in each specialty.
“Last year, at the residency, there was the largest number of places in family medicine in the last ten years, precisely because this gap must be closed. Family medicine is the foundation of the health system. It is as important as the specialized outpatient component. I believe that this difference in the number of positions can be adjusted over time.”said Minister Alexandru Rogobete, during the “Adevărul” Healthcare Forum.
“I’m going to say something that’s going to upset a lot of people. For years, positions have been taken out of the pen, without a clear estimate, without knowing how many doctors will retire in the next five years in each specialty, without taking into account these absolutely essential demographics.” stated Rogobete.
More than 10,000 candidates took the 2025 residency exam
More than 10,000 candidates have registered to take the Residency entrance exam in 2025.
A statistic made by HotNews shows that among the first 200 residents, 47 candidates chose cardiology, and 33 focused on dermatovenerology and plastic surgery.
Only one candidate chose general surgery, six chose Anesthesia and Intensive Care (ATI), and other surgical specialties were chosen sporadically: obstetrics-gynecology by five candidates, ophthalmology by four, neurosurgery by two, and ENT by two.
