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Outcomes of the UEMO General Assembly

UEMO held its Autumn General Assembly in Skopje, North Macedonia, on 3 and 4 October, with the presence of delegations from 20 countries, observers from two countries and representatives from five European Medical Organizations (European Union of Medical Specialists, European Junior Doctors, European Federation of Salaried Doctors, Standing Committee of European Doctors, and European Medical Students Association (EMSA).

Professor Kalina Grivcheva Stardelova, President of the Doctors’ Chamber of North Macedonia, delivered a keynote speech and outlined the organization of the primary healthcare system in North Macedonia. Unfortunately, the number of GPs /Family Physicians and the number of new contracts signed appear to be dwindling in North Macedonia.

Dr Sashka Janevska, from Medical University Skopje, Centre for Family Medicine, explains that family medicine was established in North Macedonia over 25 years ago through a World Bank Project and with the collaboration of consultants from the Department of Family Medicine in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Apart from a three-year residency program in family medicine, it is possible for doctors working in primary care without specialty training to retrain for 3-12 months and obtain the title of specialist in family medicine.

Four statements were approved at the General Assembly:

  1. UEMO statement in support of the recognition of the specialty of family medicine in North Macedonia, and also calling for family physicians to be properly valued and compensated.
  2. UEMO statement in support of the recognition of the specialty of family medicine in Luxembourg
  3. UEMO statement on the role of GPs/Family Physicians in the provision of Palliative Care, affirming that palliative care is an integral part of General Practice / Family Medicine and should be recognized as a core responsibility of family physicians across Europe, with available training at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
  4. Position Statement on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Family Medicine, advocating for the integration of AI as a tool to augment, not replace, the clinical judgement and the essential human elements of the doctor-patient relationship. It also called for concerted action, including investment in robust infrastructure and AI literacy training for clinicians, the co-design of AI tools with physicians and patients to meet real-world needs, and the establishment of funding mechanisms to ensure equitable access

The Plenary voted favourably regarding the admission of the Association of General Practitioners and family doctors of the area of Karditsa, Greece, as observers, with immediate effect.

The partnership with the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME) is evolving, with the number of accredited events by UEMO rising in 2025 compared to 2024.