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Medical students won’t work at Iceland’s National University Hospital

Less than ten percent of Iceland’s medical students want to seek work at Iceland’s largest hospital, the university hospital Landspítalinn. Why? Bad working conditions, stress, low pay and long working hours.

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Ragnhildur Hauksdóttir: is a medical student at the University of Iceland (picture above).

Iceland's medical students

48 medical students graduate from the University of Iceland each year. Basic training lasts for three years before they start working shifts under the supervision of specialists and doctors on various wards at the University Hospital Landspítalinn. The students are usually aged between 20 and 27.

The students graduate after six years. They must then serve one year in Iceland before travelling abroad to specialise. So far most of them have served at Landspítalinn.

Landspítalinn has had its budgets cut by just over 20 percent. Cuts are set to continue in 2014. Hospital Director Björn Zoëga recently stepped down because of the proposed 2014 cuts.

Landspítalinn is one of Iceland’s largest employers with more than 4,600 employees.

Few want work at Landspítalinn

A survey of students show those studying for other health sector jobs also have a negative attitude to a future job at Landspítalinn.

Just over 7 percent of physiotherapist students want to work at Landspítalinn.

Just over 9 percent of radiology students and students of medical diagnostics consider Landspítalinn as a future workplace.

18 percent of student nurses say they would consider Landspítalinn as a future workplace.

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Medical students won’t work at Iceland’s National University Hospital