training

Year of family medicine established: 2007

Type of Training: Residency Program

Length of Training: In a public school, medical training is an 8-year program. This involves 5 years of medical studies; 1 year as an intern, and 2 years of social service in the communities. In a private school, training is a 6-year program. This similarly involves 5 years of medical studies and 1 year as an intern. There is a 2-year Residency Program in Nicaragua.

Number of institutions that offer family medicine: 2, the Universidad Central de Nicaragua, and Maternal and Children’s Hospital “Fernando Velez Paiz

practice

Number of family doctors: On average, there are 91.4 physicians per 100,000 patients.

DALY: 17,453 per 100,000 individuals (Due to all Causes).

Life Expectancy:

• Females 2017: 78.6 years

• Males 2017: 72.6 years

Mortality rate 2017:

• 2017 Males: 187 per 1,000 male adults.

• 2017 Females: 101 per 1,000 female adults.

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

College of Family Physicians (Y or N):

• NO

training

Training to become a family physician requires several steps. Firstly a high school degree is required followed by 8 years in public schools (5 years of medical studies, 1 as an intern, and 2 of social service in the communities) and 6 years in private schools (5 years of medical studies and 1 as an intern). One this is done family medicine residency is 2 years in length at either Universidad Central de Nicaragua and Materanl and Children's Hospital "Fernando Velez Paiz".

practice

In addition to physicians, there are also nurses, paediatricians and internists in Nicaragua. Family physicians in Nicaragua are managers of care, they teach in clinics for undergrad and residences. Also, they are collaborators, care coordinators and advocates of patients. Physicians act as gatekeepers in the hospital setting, by referring patients to the appropriate specialist to see or referring patients to hospitals that offer tertiary care. In Nicaragua, family physicians work by using a conceptual and community health-based primary care model, where they work in teams.