Union Européenne de Médecins Spécialistes (UEMS)

For any official public information, patient can refer to the UEMS.

FOUNDED IN : 1958, Specialist Sections in 1962
IN : Rome
LOCATION :
Avenue de la Couronne 20, Kroonlaan, 1050 Bruxelles.
Phone : +32-2-6495164 - Fax : +32-2-6403730
Web site : http://www.uems.net

   Section of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery

SECRETARY GENERAL - EUROPEAN BOARD :

Dr. A. Yiacoumettis
Sarantoporou street 79
Halandri 15252 ATHENS Greece
Tel.: +30 210 6843754
Fax: +30 210 6843395
e-mail : yiacoume@otenet.gr

HISTORY :

The European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS), founded in Rome on 1958, grouped together specialist doctors regardless of their field or mode of practice, or their legal status. Its object being the advancement and harmonization of the quality of specialist medical practice in Europe and the defence, at international level, of the status of the medical specialist and of his/her professional role in Society.

COMPOSITION :

Its membership is composed of the National Medical Association representing medical specialists in each of its member countries, at the rate of one per country. At present it includes 17 full members : Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, U.K., Sweden, Switzerland ; and 4 associate members : Hungary, Malta, Slovenia, Turkey.
The Management Council is composed of two delegates from each country. Only one vote per country has been advocated. At least two plenary assemblies are held each year.
The Specialist Sections were created in 1962 and are composed of experts in each discipline. At present there are 34 specialist sections representing 43 of the 50 specialities in the EU Medical Directives. Each section counts two delegates per country, and its activity though independent is coordinated and reported to the Managing Council.

ACTIVITIES :

A) Definition of the Specialist Medicine
B) Medical Specialist Training
1) The Competent Body
2) Guarantee of the Quality of Training
3) Particular Aspects of Specialist Training

C) Continuing Medical Education
D) Organization of Specialist Medicine

The UEMS, in cooperation with the Standing Committee of the European Doctors (C.P.) participated in the drafting of the European Directives governing the free movement of doctors and mutual recognition of medical credentials throughout the European Community which were adopted by the Council of the European Community in 1975 and came into effect in 1976.
UEMS played major role in the elaboration of the reports and recommendations issued by the Advisory Committee on Medical Training (ACMT) on April 5th 1979, March 11th 1981, March 9th 1983 and June 20th 1985. These Various reports to a very large extent reflect UEMS views on the training of specialist doctors and the practice of specialized medicine.
Since 1990, each section has been empowered to established a European Board for its speciality with the appointment of delegates from the scientific and academic sectors. Their main objectives is to guarantee the highest standards of care in the field of the speciality concerned in the countries of the EU by ensuring that the medical specialist training is raised to the highest possible level.
The UEMS collaborates with all European Medical Organizations : UEMO, EAMF, PGW, AEMH, FEMS and maintains close contact with the Authorities of the European Union and the Council of Europe.

PURPOSES and AIMS :

The UEMS, through its 34 Specialist Sections, is in a position to know the conditions which each speciality needs to meet in order to reach harmonisation, both as regards the duration and the content of training and the practice of the various discipline registered in the Medical Directives. It can inform each EU members state of these conditions, in all countries and all specialities.
Thanks to the European Boards, which are the working groups of the Specialist Sections, the UEMS is in a position to define for each discipline the conditions which will ensure high quality training and the necessary criteria for a training centre and to suggest the correct methods of assessment.