Training

Year of family medicine established: 1987 (Arya et al. 2017)

Type of Training: Residency Program (Arya et al. 2017)

Length of Training: 8 years of Medical School8, followed by a 3-year Residency Program (Arya et al. 2017)

Number of institutions that offer family medicine: 7 medical schools, although it is not confirmed if these institutions all offer family medicine (WHO)

Practice

Number of family doctors: Unknown

Physician to population ratio: On average, the ratio of family physicians to patients is 115 per 100,000 people (World Bank).

DALY: 12,519 per 100,000 individuals (Due to all Causes)

Life Expectancy:

• Females 2017: 82.4 years

• Males 2017: 77.7 years

Mortality rate 2017:

• 2017 Males: 107 per 1,000 male adults.

• 2017 Females: 58 per 1,000 female adults.

Infant Immunization-HepB3: % of 1-year-old children received: 98%

College of Family Physicians (Y or N):

• Yes: Association of Family and Community Medicine of Costa Rica

training

There is a total of 7 medical schools in the country. Becoming a physician in this country entails 8 years of medical school followed by three years of residency. Though Costa Rica is considered to be a developing country, it still manages to have excellent healthcare services which is reflected by the low infant-mortality that exists and the high life expectancy.

pracitce

In addition to doctors, there are also nurses in Costa Rica (WONCA). Family physicians in Costa Rica work in clinics in rural communities and also perform house visits in local communities (WONCA). The first level of care for individuals provides health promotion and prevention services and acts as a gatekeeper to the health system (Montenegro Torres, 2013). In Costa Rica, family physicians work in a community and family model of health delivery in basic teams (Arya et al. 2017).